Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum  

Go Back   Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum > Discussion > Allied and Soviet Air Forces

Allied and Soviet Air Forces Please use this forum to discuss the Air Forces of the Western Allies and the Soviet Union.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 5th March 2007, 16:04
Pathfinder Pathfinder is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 197
Pathfinder is on a distinguished road
USAAF Fire Fighting

Chaps, this is a bit of an unusual question, but I'm confident someone will know the answer.

While attempting to put out fires on crashed aircraft during WW2, did the USAAF use a foam-based extinguisher? I seem to remember seeing photos of various ships covered in foam, but am unable to locate pictures at present to clarify this.

Also, I would like to confirm that fire-fighting crews on USAAF bases wore asbestos protective clothing?

Hope someone can help.

Thank you
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 5th March 2007, 17:57
Tony Kambic Tony Kambic is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Virginia
Posts: 397
Tony Kambic will become famous soon enough
Re: USAAF Fire Fighting

In the book below is a photograph of a crashed P-51 covered with foam following a fire. It was a strange situation where the P-51 pilot flew to a bomber base to show his bomber crew brother the new P-51 aircraft and while taking off he went out of control and crashed into a parked aircraft and was killed. Mr. Zorn was an 8th AF photographer who was assigned to document crashes. He kept rather thorough documentation and I found the book very interesting.


Eighth Air Force Bomber Stories; McLachlan, Ian & Zorn, Russell J., 1991, 224pp, hard; Non fiction. Eye witness accounts from American airmen and British Civilians of the perils of war., B & W, 1st ed., Patrick Stevens Ltd, 7 x 9.5., $15
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 6th March 2007, 02:17
Pathfinder Pathfinder is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 197
Pathfinder is on a distinguished road
Re: USAAF Fire Fighting

Thanks for this information, Tony. What a terrible end for that P-51 pilot.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 6th March 2007, 04:16
Tony Kambic Tony Kambic is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Virginia
Posts: 397
Tony Kambic will become famous soon enough
Re: USAAF Fire Fighting

Here's more on this incident now that I am in front of the book. The brother who watch the crash was not in a bomber crew but was in the infantry visiting the base. The pilot of the P-51 was Lt. James R. Korecky on the 364th FG which was based at Honington where the 1st Strategic Air Depot was housed. Lt. Korecky's group had just converted from P-38's and the pilots had been warned about the single engine torque.

During takeoff, he veered left and crashed through the tail section of a 385th B-17 (42-107226) undergoing repairs. The bomber was severed in two and the P-51 traveled a little further bursting into flames. Two enlisted crew working in the B-17 were injured. On the tail of the P-51 you can see a partial serial 4034 and on the right fuselage is code 5Y =#= . The date of the incident was Jul 30, 1944.

One fireman does have a long jacket but it does not appear to be an abestos suit.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 6th March 2007, 12:53
Pathfinder Pathfinder is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 197
Pathfinder is on a distinguished road
Re: USAAF Fire Fighting

Tony,

Thanks for taking the time to share this information. Just latley we were discussing, over on another forum, the appalling losses suffered due to non-combat related incidents, such as buzzing the field.

Very interesting, thanks again for sharing.

Regards
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Airpower summary Pilot Post-WW2 Military and Naval Aviation 0 23rd February 2007 16:11
Ju 52 small engine fire at Oberschleissheim Peter Ocker Luftwaffe and Axis Air Forces 0 22nd July 2006 17:07
Claims identites Adam Allied and Soviet Air Forces 3 27th May 2005 01:05
French books on the 1939-1940 fighting Hawk-Eye Books and Magazines 6 9th April 2005 23:11
wierd incident involving P47 and 'friendly fire' Lagarto Allied and Soviet Air Forces 0 26th March 2005 19:43


All times are GMT +2. The time now is 17:48.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.2
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004 - 2018, 12oclockhigh.net