2ndAirForce- Want these?
Wed Oct 29, 2008 10:05 am
Since you have a weird thing for old army air fields, do you want these? If not, does anyone else? Thought the aerials were kinda neat. Anyone know where the first one is from?
kevin
kevin
Wed Oct 29, 2008 10:16 am
Kevin
the "AAAF" in the caption of the first photo stands for Amarillo Army Air Field, TX....
the hospital area of the 2nd photo can be discerned in the middle at the bottom of the first photo
Cheers
Martin
the "AAAF" in the caption of the first photo stands for Amarillo Army Air Field, TX....
the hospital area of the 2nd photo can be discerned in the middle at the bottom of the first photo
Cheers
Martin
Wed Oct 29, 2008 10:22 am
The top photo is Amarillo too, Kevin. Those are great photos, and yes, if y'all are cleaning out the photo warehouse I'd love 'em. Or copies of them.
The hospital at Amarillo looks to have been a 500 to 600 bed facility that had to serve a huge population. I'm not sure how many troops lived at Amarillo at one time, but Lincoln AAF, Nebraska had over 10,000 men at a time in mechanic training or supporting the training function.
Notice the layout of the hangars in the top photo. Those were huge affairs--the base was used for aircraft mechanic training during the war. They are pretty hard to see on the posted photo, but there are B-29s on the apron that were used to train the new wrenches in their trade. Here is one of my favorite named Superforts, obviously based there....
Thanks,
Scott
The hospital at Amarillo looks to have been a 500 to 600 bed facility that had to serve a huge population. I'm not sure how many troops lived at Amarillo at one time, but Lincoln AAF, Nebraska had over 10,000 men at a time in mechanic training or supporting the training function.
Notice the layout of the hangars in the top photo. Those were huge affairs--the base was used for aircraft mechanic training during the war. They are pretty hard to see on the posted photo, but there are B-29s on the apron that were used to train the new wrenches in their trade. Here is one of my favorite named Superforts, obviously based there....
Thanks,
Scott
Wed Oct 29, 2008 10:23 am
You're fast, Martin! 
Wed Oct 29, 2008 1:28 pm
What does the nose art on that B-29 depict? The lettering appears to be "?????'s" Flying Solenoid?"
Never seen that many photos of Block 1 through 5 nose art....
Never seen that many photos of Block 1 through 5 nose art....
Wed Oct 29, 2008 1:41 pm
That is "Amarillo's Flying Solenoid", possibly because she was an electrical systems trainer or just had lots of electrical trouble in flight. I doubt we'll ever know, but the photo was taken at Amarillo during the time it was a B-29 mechanic school training aid.
The very early B-29s are a special favorite of mine, Edward, and I have been researching them for quite a while. Do you happen to know approximately how many were camouflaged? Every time I think I have some idea another example seems to crop up.
Scott
The very early B-29s are a special favorite of mine, Edward, and I have been researching them for quite a while. Do you happen to know approximately how many were camouflaged? Every time I think I have some idea another example seems to crop up.
Scott
Wed Oct 29, 2008 5:39 pm
I read in a book it was the first 40 off the line in Wichita production; dunno about Renton (obviously at least the XB-29's), Atlanta, or Omaha.
I dunno how accurate the figure was. My grandfather worked in experimental electrical planning in Wichita Plant II from 1942 to late 1944... him and all of the other original factory employees that I knew have passed. All of the records were transferred to Seattle.
Of course in honor of the Block 1 through 5 camoflauge B-29's, I painted my International Scout those colors....
I dunno how accurate the figure was. My grandfather worked in experimental electrical planning in Wichita Plant II from 1942 to late 1944... him and all of the other original factory employees that I knew have passed. All of the records were transferred to Seattle.
Of course in honor of the Block 1 through 5 camoflauge B-29's, I painted my International Scout those colors....
Wed Oct 29, 2008 9:46 pm
That pond/lake is still there on the corner of Hospital Dr. and N Avenue, but the hospital structures are gone.
Looks like a T-6 parked at the upper right hand corner of the hospital photo.
Looks like a T-6 parked at the upper right hand corner of the hospital photo.
Wed Oct 29, 2008 11:13 pm
Great picture!
Still in use today...
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&ie=UTF8&ll=35.219258,-101.697865&spn=0.053221,0.11158&t=k&z=14
Still in use today...
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&ie=UTF8&ll=35.219258,-101.697865&spn=0.053221,0.11158&t=k&z=14
Wed Oct 29, 2008 11:37 pm
Sure has changes since I sold ice cream in that ramp in 1955, Jet mech school then for the B-47
Thu Oct 30, 2008 12:32 am
Edward,
At least a handful of Renton regular production airplanes were delivered in camouflage, and the first aircraft produced at Bell had many components from Wichita shipped in to get the ball rolling. That aircraft had some camouflaged wing and empennage parts on a basic NMF airframe. I suspect the paint was stripped off after final assembly, but I have a photo in the stack that shows its original appearance. Omaha only produced NMF aircraft. Your number of forty camouflaged aircraft seems about right, but it tends to contract and expand every time I start to work on the research!
Scott
At least a handful of Renton regular production airplanes were delivered in camouflage, and the first aircraft produced at Bell had many components from Wichita shipped in to get the ball rolling. That aircraft had some camouflaged wing and empennage parts on a basic NMF airframe. I suspect the paint was stripped off after final assembly, but I have a photo in the stack that shows its original appearance. Omaha only produced NMF aircraft. Your number of forty camouflaged aircraft seems about right, but it tends to contract and expand every time I start to work on the research!
Scott