A Rear Gunners Archive

As requested

Brian,

Re 35 I am so grateful. Thank you in advance on behalf of (later) F/O Jeeves’ son.

WZ862

Well spotted – B25 is N5148

Photo has on back SHQ Amman 15.7.42

N5-148 was a NEIAF B-25 ferried through India to the Dutch East Indies early 1942 but before it could be delivered, the Indies fell to the Japanese. The aircraft remained in India, and was taken over by the RAF.

I will fish it out and reattach.

Westland Wallace K6039

This aircraft is mentioned in #19 above by JDK. I have access to the Flying log book of WOP/AG T.J Jeeves who attended No1 Signals School RAF Cranwell and flew in this aircraft on 7 and 12 January 1941. I see that a photograph of this aircraft does exist previously mentioned by Farlam Airframes at #1. Is there any chance of a copy or posting it here for me to pass on to his son, who loaned me his log book?

Thank you

WZ862

Hi,

That FW 190 is one that I’ve not previously seen a photograph of.

It is FW 190 A-5/U3 Werk Nummer 0150 1206, and the ‘L’ is painted yellow. This aircraft formerly belonged to the 7. Staffel of Schlachtgeschwader 2. It looks like someone has taken the unit’s Mickey Mouse emblem from the engine cowling.

Cheers,
Andrew A.

No prbs Cpt Bogor look forward to hearing from you.

Hi Brian,
Many thanks for your prompt reply, much appreciated! N5-148 it is then. From Joe Baughers website: “The B-25s in India (NEIAF serials N5-139, N5-143, N5-144, N5-145, and N5-148) were requisitioned by the RAF and were modified to photographic reconnaissance configuration. Two of them were assigned RAF numbers MA956 and MA957, but the other three retained their NEI numbers of N5-144, 145, and 145. All were eventually assigned to No 681 Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron in India.”
Can I send you a PM?

Well spotted – B25 is N5148

Photo has on back SHQ Amman 15.7.42

question B25 picture post 1 August

Hi Brian,
Brilliant lot of pictures! Looking at the B25 picture it seems it carries a registration starting with N5 but I cannot make out the exact registration. Can you see on the original picture what it is? And is there a date listed on the back of the photo? If indeed N5-something it could very well be a B25 from the 1st original Dutch contract, either taken over by the USAAF or on a delivery flight to -then- the Dutch East Indies, late 1941.
TIA.

Thanks to all I will rescan squarely and individually.

Tony – the answer is both – some new – some known and some in better quality than before.

PS the FW190 is captioned Protville airfield Tunisia 1943.

“I was buying some paint the other day and somehow got round to mentioning aircraft. The lady I was speaking to has some of her fathers archive. The remainder went to Hendon upon his death.”

Suggest she contact the RAF Museum archive, so it can be reunited with the other items relating to the same gentleman.

FYI – the 14 Sqdn archivist also informed me that in the pic 323 et al the float planes are:

Cool Brian, did they have them all or were some new to them?

I would certainly second the request to see the pictures scanned or individualy and squarely photo’d, be much appreciated if you have the time Brian.

The Pathfinder Liberator seems to have mods aswel, noticably to the nose area.

Thanks for the recommendation Kev; but I wasn’t fishing! I can see a natural fit with a magazine not a million miles from here which I don’t write for – but I’d rather help than let it get overlooked, perhaps. I just wish I had more time for worthy projects like this.

One question that comes to mind is ‘where are his medals?’

Another is can you get the images and documents scanned properly for the owner? If nothing else it would serve as a backup and potentially serve for an article as discussed.

There are a few other interesting items in the photos (the other stuff’s interesting as well) such as the B-24 in the first set has a radar scanner in place of the ball turret, I think.

Gil strafed on Lake Braccianno on his reconnaissance trip to Rome

Now the home of the Italian Air Force Museum – I’ve been there, but thankfully didn’t get strafed!

All good stuff.

Regards,

What do I suggest the owner does with them?

Keep them. Is she so short on storage space that she is willing to dispose of such treasures? Does her family end with her? Is she absolutely the last of the line?

James would be the man to do the article for you. Possibly incorporated into something he is currently doing for one of the publications he writes for?

Just going on my experience of seeing 37 Squadron Veterans photo albums, it seems that most of the ones they have on the thin Air Ministry paper were multiples of images distributed for propaganda purposes and at least two of the Veterans I spoke to confirmed this and quite a few collections had the same images which seemed totally unrelated to the Squadron.

If you have access to either the logbook or ORB you could really fill in his operational tour.

Regards,

kev35

Thank you to all- I will separate the originals from the reprints and return them to the owner with a range of suggestions.

FYI – the 14 Sqdn archivist also informed me that in the pic 323 et al the float planes are:

Gil strafed on Lake Braccianno on his reconnaissance trip to Rome

JDK – given the variety of photographic material to supplement the text – I agree that an article (or more) should be of general interest.

I am also intrigued that the materials (drop leaflets and early photographs) cover nearly the complete period of 1939 to 1945. The cards are dated 41,42 and 43 – so 41 ties in with US neutrality.

Fascinating set of pics and info Brian, I can honestly say that until now I never knew that the Marauder was used as a topedo bomber or wore Coastal Command colours!
The Me323 pic is indeed one of the most well known of the type and it’s amazing that you have bumped into the daughter of the photographer, the fact that he got reunited with some of the of the crew later on is fantastic.
Thanks for sharing

Interesting collection. There’s certainly an article there, if someone wanted to pick it up and run with it…

Additional to the other points made;

The Boeing 314 flying boat is a US-operated one – the large US neutrality flag is discernible on the nose, and probably places the pic pre- Dec ’41.

The big single engine biplane, K6039 is a Westland Wallace (developed Wapiti). Someone with the Air Britain K serial book should be able to id. it better. It still has the windscreen for the full canopy set-up, but it’s been removed and aspects of the cockpit modified.

Behind the wing of the Vickers Victoria (or more probably Valentia) is a Miles Magister – there were a few in the Mid East.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vickers_Type_264_Valentia#Operational_history

The Me 323 shoot-up photos one of the most famous of the type, seen all over the place. If it is the aircraft shot up by the gunner in question (as implied and stated – but caution – things aren’t always that straightforward; further research needed) that’s a great connection / background right there!

It would be good to see the material kept together as a collection, and with public access. A good museum should be able to offer that option, built around the gunner’s remarkable career. For that reason I’d hope the RAF Museum would be interested. If offering it to a museum, check out their acquisitions and disposal policy to see if it ticks the boxes. Sale by auction or on things like e-bay would break up the collection, and lose a major element of what makes the whole thing valuable.

Just my opinion, of course.

Regards,