A B26 – that holds a remarkable record…

September 29, 2014September 27, 2014 / Aviationtrails / 4 Comments

B-26B of the 449th BS (322ndBG) – ‘Flak Bait‘ – went on to complete a total of 207 missions; more than any other American aircraft during World War II, a record only surpassed by a DH Mosquito of the RAF. This aircraft returned to United States after the war and is now housed in the Smithsonion National Air and Space Museum as a reminder and memorial.

Station 468, Bury St Edmunds (RAF Rougham) is now a museum and small active airfield that pays homage to the crews of the USAAF. Visit Trail 16 and see what remains.

Photo by MSGT Bernard Leroy Oligschlaeger (1921-1976) USAAF – Gunner/Radioman in 394th BG/586th BS

Cold and unhomely, it was home to 2000 personnel

September 28, 2014September 28, 2014 / Aviationtrails / 4 Comments

“The admin blocks were designed to accommodate 1,845 men and 250 women, in a large area to the south of the airfield. Tuddenham had a total of 12 administration and technical areas spread across the entire site. Hurriedly built, the accommodation blocks were unheated, cold and un-homely“.

RAF Tuddenham, located in the western side of Suffolk, close by to RAF Mildenhall, one of the USAF’s busiest bases, was home to Stirlings and Lancasters of RAF Bomber command. They suffered heavy losses in the bombing campaign over europe.

Visit Tuddenham today in Trail 16.

Tuddenham village sign depicts a Lancaster of 90 Squadron RAF flying overhead.

A Heroine Meets an Ungainly Ending.

September 9, 2014September 9, 2014 / Aviationtrails / Leave a comment

Originally designated ‘Louie the Creep’, B-17 42-97976 was repaired and returned to Rattlesden as ‘Bit o’ Lace’. She went on to complete 82 missions in total before being returned via Bradley Field, Boston, to Kingman AAB for storage. Later she met an ungainly ending being stripped and scrapped on 9th November 1945.

B-17 42-97976 ‘Bit o’ Lace’ after the attack on Kiel, 4th April 1945 (author unknown)

‘Bit o’ Lace’ earned notoriety whilst serving from RAF Rattlesden in Suffolk. She is famous for several special reasons one of which is for completing a mission with only half a tail.

What’s the other?

One of the lowest loss records of the Mighty Eighth……

August 15, 2014August 14, 2014 / Aviationtrails / 2 Comments

By the time the war had finished, the 490th had completed 158 missions losing only 22 aircraft in combat; one of the lowest records in the whole of the Eighth Airforce. Immediately after cessation of the conflict, the 490th continued to fly, supplying food and supplies to the people in the Netherlands and other humanitarian operations involving allied POWs across Europe.

The 490th also had another less salubrious claim to fame…

RAF Eye, Suffolk

At 20 yrs old, this RAF Pilot fought his aircraft bravley.

August 11, 2014August 5, 2014 / Aviationtrails / 4 Comments

On the morning of 30th, Manser and another pilot were instructed to collect two Manchesters from Coningsby, Lincolnshire. As many of these aircraft were drawn from reserves and training squadrons, it was inevitable that many would be in poor condition. Manser’s was no exception, it had no mid upper turret and a sealed escape hatch.

When the order came and Manser took off, his aircraft L7301 ‘D’ Dog, an Avro Manchester Mk1, with a full bomb load of incendiaries, was now difficult to manoeuvre and he was unable to reach an altitude of more than about 7,000 ft. Hoping the main bomber force would attract the greater concentration of flak, he decided to continue on.