[Buckeye30]

Post 3381.......
Photo 2. B-17F 42-5892 "Pregnant Portia" 385BG; on 4BW Mission 84 to Regensburg on 17 Aug. 43 she came down in the Med., the Wing was to fly on to N. Africa (8 ditched in the sea). 1BW went to Schweinfurt, losses 60 in total.

Photo 3. P-47D-26 42-28304 "Sack Time Baby" ( possibly X76) 87FS / 79FG at Fano, Italy before the Group colours were added to the tail. She was damaged at Fano on 13 Dec. 44, the regular pilot was Lt. Joe M. Benito; the sqn. was the "Skeeters" with a mosquito carrying a tommy-gun. This was remembering the swarms at Rentschler Field CT when they were stationed there before deployment.


Photo 1. Not sure as there were several in the Eighth / Fifteenth AFs with this name; the American Air Museum says 42-97165 (301BG) but it has "France" on reverse and the script is not typical Fifteenth. "Lunevill" (Luneville ?) - there was an Inactivation Centre there from March-Aug. 45, the 31st Mobile Repair and Reclamation Centre. She is listed on the 301BG site and there is a photo of the crash (19/7/44 the Munich mission), she has the 301st "Y" in a square, "4" on a disc (4th Group in Wing) and "A" for first Sqn. (32nd). I thought Eighth AF but not sure now??

Nick