[edNorth]

Hi all;

It´s true that ´more than thusand´ B-17 and B-24 were flown back to the USA via Iceland, Greenland and Canada in May, June, July 1945 - only to be parked at f.e. at Kingman and elsewhere - and scrapped.

489 ´White Project´ aircraft passing through Meeks Field (Keflavík) in May 1945. These were 189 B-17, 288 B-24 and 12 Consolidated OA-10 Catalina. First to arrive was on 20 May. That was B-17G 44-83484 with tew man crew. That day most came in one day (71) all B-17 and B-24 continiued over the next few days. On the 23 May many passing through Greenland, 63 landed at Narsarsuaq but most flew over to Goose Bay.

At the same time eastbound were nine B-24 Liberator bombers. During same period the British ferrying increased through Reykjavik, mostly Mosquito to UK.

Statistic for May 1945: During May 1945 there were 841 arrivals to Meeks Field (Keflavík). Of that 306 were four engined C-54 transports. Also 2 twin engined transports. There arrived 486 four engined and 29 twin engined Bombers. Other planes were 18. One C-54 (American Airlines) with injured soldiers returned to Meeks Field at night on the 15th because of broken exhaust. The pipe from cylinder one on number four engine was broken and had damaged the engine. It took three hours to repair. Only nine B-24 Liberator bombers were eastbound before VE-Day.
On VE-Day five USN PB4Y Liberators were at Meeks Field on their way to Europe. They were ordered to return but 11 C-46 Commando transports and 7 C-47 Skytrain proceeded. The 16 other planes were AACS or Special Mission. The British stopped using Camp Geck at Meeks Field (Keflavík) during the month. The traffic was slow untill the 20th when traffic picked up, now in the opposite direction - Westbound!

During June 1945 there arrived 1370 aircraft at Meeks Field (Keflavík). These were 1073 four engined and 4 twin engined Bombers. Also 266 four engined transport aircraft and 27 others. The Bombers came all from Prestwick in Scotland or Valley in Wales. They only stopped for fuel, then proceeded to Goose Bay, Labrador, then Bradley Field, Connecticut. During the month American Weather planes flew every other day from Gander to til Meeks Field (Keflavík). These were B-17 from the 53rd (LR) Weather Reconnaissance Squadron. Two aircraft, B-17G 9106 and 9149, searched for an lost Canadian aircraft near Greenland during the month.

For July 1945 is the following RAF TAC Prestwick controlled flights: 1545 (343 direct, 1108 via Iceland, 2 via Greenland, 64 via Azores, 1 Sweden, 10 Iceland to/from Sweden, 1 Amsterdam, 2 Norway, 15 Russian deliveries)
(123 RAF deliveries: including 3 Westbound, 602 transport/weather, 759 USAAF Westbound, 15 Russia deliveries, 15 to/from Russia, 1 delivery to France, 2 flights by Iceland Airways: Catalina TF-ISP making the first Icelanders flown passenger flight)

cheers
ed