RAF Recce Razorback

[Jack Cook]

RAF Recce Mustang I over France July 1944

[JDK]

Great pic.

You're really going for the misnaming things for a quick rise, aren't you Jock Cuck?

I'm guessing it's not France, whatever the caption says, IMHO, BTW. Anyone else got any guesses as to why not?

[Jack Cook]

Just going by the NA caption. I guess it could be Hooterville has
that does look like Pettycoat Junction down there

[stangman]

Cars are on the British side of the road.

[JDK]

Cars are on the British side of the road.

Wow, well armed cars. I reckon they're tanks.

They are on the left - however, if they were British tanks in France, that's still possible. (Does anyone know how the armoured guys would proceed on a road like that? Was there a 'keep left' or 'keep right'? Not as silly as it sounds...) If they're German tanks, then they're in trouble. (If they're British tanks in France, in action, rather than in England on exercise, they'd perhaps be a bit more cautious...)

Some of the other clues have to do with religion.

Regards,

[RyanShort1]

Funny, but the book Mustangs At War's caption on that photo says it was taken on August 14th, 1944 by the camera of a 168th Squadron Mustang being flown by the pictured aircraft's wingman.

Ryan

[JDK]

Funny, but the book Mustangs At War's caption on that photo says it was taken on August 14th, 1944

We can tell, from the stripes, it's after 6th June 1944. Perhaps a bit further than a month or two later as the stripes on the rear fuselage have been stripped back to the lower section only - but that varied a lot. Anyone expert on RAF Photo Recce Mustang stripes?

http://www.raf.mod.uk/history_old/h168.html

IMHO, generally, while taking captions on board, it's also, I'd suggest, good to evaluate the actual photograph for what it can tell you. I don't know it's not France, there's just a number of little things that, to me, point to it being the UK. Doesn't make me right though!

Cheers,

[Jack Cook]

while taking captions on board, it's also, I'd suggest, good to evaluate the actual photograph for what it can tell you.

That's what you guys are for. If I don't know I go by the caption.
You do know the the gov't is always right

[Jack Cook]

Cars are on the British side of the road.

The rule of thumb is that when you're overflown by a low flying tactical aircraft,
any side of the road with a ditch to jump into is OK.

[JDK]

while taking captions on board, it's also, I'd suggest, good to evaluate the actual photograph for what it can tell you.

That's what you guys are for. If I don't know I go by the caption.

Absolutely. One of the good things about WIX is that the brains trust aspect can be of enormous help. Otherwise you are on your own (with the Government behind you...)

[Jack Cook]

with the Government behind you...

[RyanShort1]

Anyone have a good journal of where British forces were in August 1944? It'd be interesting to try and locate the location today...
The surrounding text would seem to indicate that the squadron also operated in Belgium and Holland and that the column is friendly.

Ryan

[tom d. friedman]

that's not a spit..... maybe a swallow??

[ColFord]

The photograph, which is cropped from the original held by the Imperial War Museum, was taken by the second aircraft of the pair of North American Mustang Mk.1 aircraft of No.168 Squadron Royal Air Force.

To quote the official caption for this photograph:

A North American Mustang Mark I of No. 168 Squadron RAF banks over Pierrefitte-en-Cinglais, Normandy, as tanks and vehicles of the 4th Armoured Brigade head eastwards out of the village towards Falaise.

The official date of the photograph is 20 August 1944, and that is supported by the information strip on the bottom of the original - the strip that gives the frame number, date, unit, sortie number, altitude and other reference information used to record details of the film exposed on that sortie.

I have a collection of similar photos taken of the Falaise area in August 1944 showing both Allied and German units on the move over many little villages, country lanes and road junctions that look very similar. The amount of detail that can be discerned from original negatives and prints is most impressive.

And most of the RAF Tac/R Mustang pilots I have spoken to refer to the Mustangs with the earlier framed hood as 'coupe tops' and those with Malcolm Hoods as 'bubble tops'. No references to 'razorback' encountered so far.

Regards,

[JDK]

Thanks, Colin,

I'd have bet that the church was in the UK, not France. Looks like I'd have lost my cash.

Cheers,