9th Air Force Marauders

[lestweforget]

Due to Robbie Stuarts story on his father, I did a bit of digging on the 9th AF, because it is an area I am sadly lacking in knowledge. I came across the British Pathe site, which has a video of 9th AF B-26's which I found interesting. The landing speed of these beasts makes me cringe!! A little piece of history preserved.

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=53544

[SaxMan]

Very cool footage. Looks like 323BG based on the horizontal white stripe on the tail. The footage was probably taken on or shortly after D-Day given the "newness" of the invasion stripes and the amount of shipping in the English Channel below. There was one shot of 391(?) BG with the diagonal tail stripe as well

I always liked OD top surfaces with the silver sides and underneath on the B-26...very cool paint scheme.

Around 6:30 on the footage onwards, you see the tail of an A-20 and one or two formation shots.

[Jack Cook]

[mustangdriver]

Jack, I love that middle pic, and subject of the Monogram kit

[Robbie Stuart]

Great pics there Jack.
Just a bit of info on some of the 9th AAF B-26's, my fathers P-51 outfit, the 363rd Fighter Group was first based at Rivenhall England. They moved to Staplehurst in April 1944. Upon their departure, the 397th Bombardment Group moved to Rivenhall with their 4 Squadrons, 596th (X2), 597th (9F), 598th (U2), & 599th (6B). The Groups identification marking was a yellow diagonal band across both sides of the verticle tailplane. While stationed at Rivenhall, the 397th flew 56 bombing missions on bridges, airfields, rail junctions, fuel/ammo dumps, V weapon sites, & other military targets in France. The 397th had 16 aircraft lost on these missions, & others damaged in crash landings.

Robbie

[SaxMan]

Great pics, Jack.

Do you have any of Flak Bait from early in her career, or other 322nd BG planes?

[Steve Nelson]

Hey Jack, do you have any pics of 387th BG Marauders (with the alternating yellow/black diagonal tail stripes) in the OD over bare metal scheme? I've always wanted to do a model of one, but have never found a decent pic.

SN

[Jack Cook]

I don't do requests

Flak Bait

Capt Paul Shannon after his 100th mission in Mild-N-Bitter



One of my favs 12th AF B-26Cs turning off target 1944

[mustangdriver]

I love the B-26!! Flak Bait is just awesome. I love that one behind the squadron

[The Inspector]

I was wondering if the PATHE' stuff might not be D Day footage? All the striping is fresh and un erroded by slipstream. There appear to be a pretty large number of watercraft of all sizes in the backgrounds including what look like circling landing craft.

[lestweforget]

I think it must be very close D-Day. Unless I am mistaken, there are shots of lots of gliders on the ground in fields towards the end.

[Steve Nelson]

Great pics as always, Jack! I gotta say, the Marauder has to be one of the sexiest aircraft to come out of WWII. Too bad they were disposed of so quickly, and more weren't preserved. I can't wait to see Flak Bait reassembled at U-H.

SN