Tag Archives: aircraft

B-29 Superfortress “Gravel Gertie”

Posted on October 26, 2010 by Lone_Sentry_Admin

B-29 Superfortress “Gravel Gertie” after landing gear collapse on Saipan, Marianas Islands. “Gravel Gertie” served with the 882nd Bombardment Squadron, 500th Bombardment Group, Twentieth Air Force. (U.S. Air Force Photograph.)  

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TBM Avenger Emergency Exits

Posted on October 25, 2010 by Lone_Sentry_Admin

Emergency exit routes of the TBM Avenger for both ditching and bailout in flight. The turret exit could not be used by the gunner to bail out during flight, because the gunner did not wear his parachute in flight. The … Continue reading →

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P-38 “Arkansas Traveler”

Posted on October 25, 2010 by Lone_Sentry_Admin

U.S. Air Force photograph of Lt. James O. Fincher of the 392nd Fighter Squadron, 367th Fighter Group in his P-38J Lightning “Arkansas Traveler” along with his ground crew. The P-38 was photographed at Clastres Airfield, France in October 1944.

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P-51 Mustang and P-38 Lightning Heritage Flight

Posted on October 24, 2010 by Lone_Sentry_Admin

A P-51 Mustang and P-38 Lightning lead a heritage flight formation over Langley Air Force Base in May 2004. The four generations of USAF fighters include an A-10 Thunderbolt II, F-86 Sabre, P-38 Lightning and P-51 Mustang. (AF.mil, U.S. Air … Continue reading →

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B-29 Remote Control Turret System

Posted on October 20, 2010 by Lone_Sentry_Admin

Another entry from the Bombardiers’ Information File, War Department, March 1945: B-29 REMOTE CONTROL TURRET SYSTEM The 4 turrets and tail mount of the B-29 all operate by remote control. The gunners sit at sighting stations inside the fuselage and … Continue reading →

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Bombardier Chin and Nose Turrets

Posted on October 16, 2010 by Lone_Sentry_Admin

From Bombardiers’ Information File, War Department, March 1945: The bombardier is concerned primarily with those gun turrets he is most likely to operate. He is almost always responsible for control of the nose turrets in heavy and very heavy aircraft. … Continue reading →

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Grumman Ball Turret

Posted on October 16, 2010 by Lone_Sentry_Admin

Illustrations of the Grumman Ball Turret 150SE-1 and 150SE-2 mounted in the TBF Avenger from Aircrewman’s Gunnery Manual, Aviation Training Division, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, U.S. Navy, 1944.  

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B-25 “Hardships 2nd”

Posted on October 16, 2010 by Lone_Sentry_Admin

B-25 Mitchell “Hardships 2nd” photographed at Clark Field in the Philippines near the end of WWII. Hardships’ nose art features the mascots of all four squadrons of the 38th BG: the 71st, 405th, 822nd, and 823rd.  

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A New Shape in the Neighborhood

Posted on October 9, 2010 by Lone_Sentry_Admin

“A new shape in our neighborhood… and a new face” from “Antiaircraft Artillery Notes,” HQ ETO, No. 14, January 1945: The aircraft are the P-61 Black Widow night fighter and the A-26 Invader attack bomber.  

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Abandoning the B-17: Bail Out & Crash Landing

Posted on October 9, 2010 by Lone_Sentry_Admin

From the Pilot’s Manual for Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress: ABANDONING AIRPLANE IN FLIGHT. a. ESCAPE DOORS AND HATCHES. – All doors and hatches are quickly releasable. The side gunner’s windows slide forward to open. Bomb doors may be opened by … Continue reading →

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