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rick_kaufman
4/12/2012 1:43:08 PM | Don recently received a DVD made from 16mm film from an actual 401st BG mission. I will add comments to this post later that credit the appropriate people. The following images are screen grabs from the DVD. We hope to have stills made from the 16mm in the future, but this is simply too amazing not to post immediately for all to enjoy:
"Sharktooth" - I know for a fact that my Dad flew this aircraft! (Although not on this mission)
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Paul Bellamy
8/11/2012 11:12:06 AM | Now I've been able to view the unedited film I can finally confirm what I wasn't quite able to at the reunion. 🙂
The first section of the film was taken during Mission 252, and appears to have been taken from more than one aircraft as both targets (Traunstein for the High Box, Freising for the Lead and Low Boxes) are shown being hit.
I'll start working on identifying as many of the aircraft shown, and then it should be a relatively simple task to identify which ones the filming took place in/from.
There is another bomb strike sequence coming up, which I'm comparing with the vertical strike photos to see which target it shows.
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
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Paul Bellamy
8/11/2012 2:16:37 PM | Righto, task completed as far as is sensible for a saturday evening.
The entire movie was filmed on Mission 252, the other "target" I mentioned was actually a flyby view of the Luftwaffe airfield at Erding, bombed by the group nearly 200 missions previously, which the formation passed between Traunstein and Freising.
Working through the frames Rick posted, there were at least three aircraft with cameras on board, but only two of the three squadron formations are covered in the footage:
Image 1:
Low Squadron.
SC-A 43-37628 "Heavenly Body" in the foreground, SC-F 43-38541 "Diabolical Angel" peeking out from behind her wing and SC-D 42-106992 "Baby Lu" above.
Most likely filmed from SC-L 43-38637, or possibly SC-P 43-31891 which was off her right wing. These aircraft have just released their bombs over Freising marshalling yard, impacting to the immediate left of the Lead Squadron's strike.
Image 2:
High Squadron.
IW-P 42-32012 "Shark Tooth", filmed from the waist window of her element lead IW-R 42-97780 "Blue Bomb Express".
Image 3:
High Squadron.
IW-Q 42-97478 "Shade Ruff II", again filmed from the waist window of her element lead IW-R 42-97780 "Blue Bomb Express".
Image 4:
High Squadron.
PFF ship IY-A 44-8812 "Beat Me Daddy" as Squadron Lead releasing her bombload and smoke markers on Traunstein, to signal the toggliers to drop .
Almost certainly filmed from IW-S 42-102468 "Farmer's Daughter".
All aircraft codes given above are correct for date of mission.
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
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donaldbyers
8/11/2012 2:42:20 PM | Roger that Paul, great that you have made the final confirmation of the Mission 252 was being flown during this filming. Also thanks to Kim Hansen who provided the 16mm film and Dr, Vernon Williams for providing those images to me.
Way to go!!!
Don
Sgt. Donald C. Byers, 613th Bomb Squadron, Togglier, 42-97344 Carrie B II, KIA 08/24/1944.
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Josie
8/13/2012 3:38:47 AM | You've done it once again Paul! Rick, thanks for getting this up so quickly and Paul thanks for working quickly to share the details! WOW, Very impressive.
I will meet Dr. Williams in 6 short weeks at the 8th AFHS Reunion in San Antonio and will personally thank him for the images as well. Can't wait to see the
documentary he is preparing about the 401st Bombardment Group!
Josie 😎 (We don't have occasion to wear sunglasses in Seattle very often but it was 85 degrees today!) 😃
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Copper_Country
8/13/2012 7:38:06 AM | Wow,I look forward to seeing more. My grandfather flew 43-38646 IW-T on Mission 252. His plane went down as they neared the IP. Great work everyone and I hope to see the finished product, and maybe a glimpse of the plane my grandfather was flying. Thanks
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donaldbyers
8/13/2012 8:18:14 AM | Since I have the DVD I don't remember seeing your grandfathers aircraft in it. The aircraft shown are the predominate ones in the film.
Sgt. Donald C. Byers, 613th Bomb Squadron, Togglier, 42-97344 Carrie B II, KIA 08/24/1944.
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Copper_Country
8/13/2012 9:07:32 AM | Don,
Thanks for looking, that is too bad, it would have been neat. But I still look forward to seeing the footage at somepoint when the documentary is released.
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Paul Bellamy
8/13/2012 3:59:12 PM | There is a short sequence of a lone B-17 out to the right of the formation, which may match the description of IW-T's loss but it's by no means certain.
A later snippet, filmed from a ball turret, of an aircraft overtaking one of the squadron formations from the right is most likely an escorting fighter getting too close, as the debrief notes state no enemy aircraft were observed during the mission.
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
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Copper_Country
8/13/2012 7:45:15 PM | "Paul Bellamy":
There is a short sequence of a lone B-17 out to the right of the formation, which may match the description of IW-T's loss but it's by no means certain.
A later snippet, filmed from a ball turret, of an aircraft overtaking one of the squadron formations from the right is most likely an escorting fighter getting too close, as the debrief notes state no enemy aircraft were observed during the mission.
All the best,
Paul
Thanks Paul, interesting, we'll never know for sure but thanks for checking.
We looking forward to seeing the finished product.
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Paul Bellamy
8/14/2012 11:28:57 AM | A couple more stills, showing a crew unloading on Dispersal 4, which still exists up by the remains of Home Farm Lodge at the north end of the airfield.
IW-R 42-97780 "Blue Bomb Express" was regularly parked on this particular dispersal from November 1944 at least, and as she was one of the aircraft with a camera on board during the mission this is most likely to be her crew too.
Comparison photos taken this afternoon:
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
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Copper_Country
1/10/2013 7:58:00 AM | Quick question, this footage is the same that is found on DVD
Deenethorpe:
The 401st Bomb Group and the Quest for Peace, 1943-1945
Produced by Dr. Vernon L. Williams.
that was referanced in another recent post
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donaldbyers
1/10/2013 11:54:02 AM | There are a couple of places in the film that shows some of the footage from the 16mm film. The 16mm film is about 14 minutes and most of it is showing the ground from the air and the smoke markers for the bombing. This is why the Documentary uses a lot of other footage to tell the story of the 401st BG and has 4 people who were interviewed in the DVD.
Don
Sgt. Donald C. Byers, 613th Bomb Squadron, Togglier, 42-97344 Carrie B II, KIA 08/24/1944.
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