B-24 Trainer at Fairmont AAF
Tue May 06, 2008 10:07 am
Here are a couple of photos I recently acquired that fit nicely with my 2AF research. These photos were taken in February of 1944 on the apron at Fairmont Army Air Field in Geneva, Nebraska. The 485th Bomb Group was completing Second and Third Phase Training at Fairmont during this time, and the photos are courtesy of Capt. Perry Updike, Intelligence Officer of the 828th Squadron.
The airplane is typical of trainers assigned to 2AF bases, but I don't have a complete serial number. It's likely a Ford "H", but could be a Douglas-Tulsa bird.
The hangar behind the B-24 is still standing and in good repair. Here is an admittedly poor photo of the same hangar, #901, with #1401 in the background. You can see the roof of Hangar 1504 behind the trees in the distance.
Here is a view of 901 closest to the camera, with 1401, 1504, and 1503, the Sub-Depot in the distance. I took these two photos in the fall of 2003.
Scott
The airplane is typical of trainers assigned to 2AF bases, but I don't have a complete serial number. It's likely a Ford "H", but could be a Douglas-Tulsa bird.
The hangar behind the B-24 is still standing and in good repair. Here is an admittedly poor photo of the same hangar, #901, with #1401 in the background. You can see the roof of Hangar 1504 behind the trees in the distance.
Here is a view of 901 closest to the camera, with 1401, 1504, and 1503, the Sub-Depot in the distance. I took these two photos in the fall of 2003.
Scott
Tue May 06, 2008 10:09 am
Very nice Scott - love that name too 
Thanks for posting! Mark
Thanks for posting! Mark
Tue May 06, 2008 10:19 am
Thanks for reminding me of something, Mark.
On the back of the photos are captions that express the feelings of the aircrew toward the trainers they had to fly.
The first photo is marked on the back: "B-24 FAAF GENEVA NEBR. 656 A BAG OF BOLTS IF EVER THERE WAS ONE."
The second picture carries much the same sentiment: "THE OLD BAG AGAIN. FAAF GENEVA NEBR."
These comments lead me to believe this is a Ford airplane from what veterans have told me about them.
It is kind of unusual for a trainer to carry nose art or a name. B-24 Bestweb doesn't list this name, so I assume someone within the 2AF christened her.
Scott
On the back of the photos are captions that express the feelings of the aircrew toward the trainers they had to fly.
The first photo is marked on the back: "B-24 FAAF GENEVA NEBR. 656 A BAG OF BOLTS IF EVER THERE WAS ONE."
The second picture carries much the same sentiment: "THE OLD BAG AGAIN. FAAF GENEVA NEBR."
These comments lead me to believe this is a Ford airplane from what veterans have told me about them.
It is kind of unusual for a trainer to carry nose art or a name. B-24 Bestweb doesn't list this name, so I assume someone within the 2AF christened her.
Scott
Tue May 06, 2008 10:37 am
Scott
an educated guess is that this a/c is
TB-24H 42-7656 -
later in its career it suffered an accident on 27th July 1945 while attached to the 3021st AAFBU WFTC (Weather Flight Training Centre)at Las Vegas AAF, NV - it performed a belly-landing 9 miles NE of Las Vegas
Martin
an educated guess is that this a/c is
TB-24H 42-7656 -
later in its career it suffered an accident on 27th July 1945 while attached to the 3021st AAFBU WFTC (Weather Flight Training Centre)at Las Vegas AAF, NV - it performed a belly-landing 9 miles NE of Las Vegas
Martin
Tue May 06, 2008 11:26 am
Thanks, Martin!
That serial would make it a B-24H-1-FO, more or less confirming the captions on the back of the photos about it being a bag of bolts. Maybe I'll head out to Vegas someday to see if there are any little pieces left where she bellied in!
The Base and Unit histories don't always mention the training airplanes assigned, but when they do, it's usually because the airplanes are considered clunkers, junk, worn out, unreliable, etc. I always marvel at how an airplane less than a year old with maybe five or six hundred hours could be considered to be a POS, but that seems to be the rule.
That serial would make it a B-24H-1-FO, more or less confirming the captions on the back of the photos about it being a bag of bolts. Maybe I'll head out to Vegas someday to see if there are any little pieces left where she bellied in!
The Base and Unit histories don't always mention the training airplanes assigned, but when they do, it's usually because the airplanes are considered clunkers, junk, worn out, unreliable, etc. I always marvel at how an airplane less than a year old with maybe five or six hundred hours could be considered to be a POS, but that seems to be the rule.