Some of the 4th FG and a lot of A-2s

[ausreenactor]

At least nobody has to 'colourise' it for them..

 

[Smithy]

Dude of the Day for this Friday evening...

Capt John Goodwyn of 335. Look how young this guy looks.

Quite a bit of RAF kit in this as well ;-)

 

[ausreenactor]

RAF flight helmets and boots were popular...

 

[B-Man2]

Your right ..He looks like he's about 19 years old in that photo.

 

[ausreenactor]

Dude of the Day for this Friday evening...

Capt John Goodwyn of 335. Look how young this guy looks.

Quite a bit of RAF kit in this as well ;-)

43-6718 | American Air Museum

www.americanairmuseum.com

 

[ausreenactor]

John W Goodwyn | American Air Museum

www.americanairmuseum.com

 

[ausreenactor]

Some background links

 

[Smithy]

Your right ..He looks like he's about 19 years old in that photo.

A captain and already bloody young Burt.

Mae West, helmet and goggles are all RAF items.

 

[Smithy]

Got another Dude of the Day for this weekend.

Clyde Smith of 334. Clyde was shot down on October 8 1943 over Holland after getting shot up by a 109 (that Beeson subsequently shot down). With his Jug on fire he bailed out and survived being made a POW. He had 2 victories, 2 190s shot down on August 16 on a Ramrod to Paris. He passed away in Sacramento in 2014 at the ripe old age of 94.

 

[B-Man2]

Great photos Tim! I I really like the background stories that you throw in regarding the “Dude of the Day”
Thanks for posting.
Cheers

 

[Smithy]

Thanks Burt. I think trying to tell a bit about who these guys were and what they did and went through helps us appreciate a little more who they were.

I remember Geoff Wellum saying the nicest thing was just to be remembered so I hope this little thread in a very tiny corner of the internet goes some small way to remembering these terrific men.

 

[B-Man2]

Thanks Burt. I think trying to tell a bit about who these guys were and what they did and went through helps us appreciate a little more who they were.

I remember Geoff Wellum saying the nicest thing was just to be remembered so I hope this little thread in a very tiny corner of the internet goes some small way to remembering these terrific men.

We were fortunate to be alive during their lifetimes and to be able to see and hear them speak of their service and their exploits, although not many of them felt comfortable talking about those times. Just about all of them are gone now, but we will never forget them.

 

[Smithy]

Here's one from early 1943 just before they converted to P-47Cs.

From left to right: Bob Boock; Jim Clarke; William O'Regan; Chesley Peterson; Richard McMinn; Stan Anderson; Oscar Coen

Looks like Jim has just cracked a joke or shot a line!

 

[B-Man2]

Here's one from early 1943 just before they converted to P-47Cs.

From left to right: Bob Boock; Jim Clarke; William O'Regan; Chesley Peterson; Richard McMinn; Stan Anderson; Oscar Coen

Looks like Jim has just cracked a joke or shot a line!

Looks like a Spit in the background . Is that what it is Smithy?

 

[Smithy]

Looks like a Spit in the background . Is that what it is Smithy?

Sure is Burt. A Vb, originally from when they were still in the RAF as the Eagle Squadrons. When they transferred over to the USAAC they took their RAF aircraft with them.

It's a lovely photo. You can't help but be affected by their humour at the time. Look at Stan, he's in stitches!

 

[B-Man2]

Sure is Burt. A Vb, originally from when they were still in the RAF as the Eagle Squadrons. When they transferred over to the USAAC they took their RAF aircraft with them.

It's a lovely photo. You can't help but be affected by their humour at the time. Look at Stan, he's in stitches!

So in 1943 they were still flying Spits from their time in the Eagle Squadron. I thought that the ES was disbanded around the late 1942 time frame . Interesting that they were permitted to take the Spits with them after they became USAAF . That’s a new fact I never knew. If you’re aware....Did the Spits retain their British markings up until this time or were they repainted with US markings . I really need to read up on this stuff!
Thanks Tim.

 

[Smithy]

So in 1943 they were still flying Spits from their time in the Eagle Squadron. I thought that the ES was disbanded around the late 1942 time frame . Interesting that they were permitted to take the Spits with them after they became USAAF . That’s a new fact I never knew. If you’re aware....Did the Spits retain their British markings up until this time or were they repainted with US markings . I really need to read up on this stuff!
Thanks Tim.

They kept flying Spits until they fully converted to Jugs in late March 1943. Interestingly the very first flight by a US aircraft over occupied Europe was conducted by the 4th and very probably with Spits marked with 6 pointed stars rather than the conventional 5 points. Goody Goodson and Dixie Alexander sought permission from Don Blakeslee to make the first flight of an American marked aircraft over Europe and he agreed on the proviso that the Spits carried US markings. These were hastily painted on using Goody's crew chief's Star of David necklace as a template. In Goody's words:

"...we'd have to have stars on our wings and had trouble trying to draw them in place of the English roundels. Finally my crew chief Manny Green, who was Jewish, said he had a Star of David which we could copy. We later found out that wasn't like the Air Force star at all, but our first few missions over Europe were flown under the Star of David."

Here's a profile from Bucholtz's book on the 4th of Goody's Spit as it is believed to have looked at this time

 

[B-Man2]

They kept flying Spits until they fully converted to Jugs in late March 1943. Interestingly the very first flight by a US aircraft over occupied Europe was conducted by the 4th and very probably with Spits marked with 6 pointed stars rather than the conventional 5 points. Goody Goodson and Dixie Alexander sought permission from Don Blakeslee to make the first flight of an American marked aircraft over Europe and he agreed on the proviso that the Spits carried US markings. These were hastily painted on using Goody's crew chief's Star of David necklace as a template. In Goody's words:

"...we'd have to have stars on our wings and had trouble trying to draw them in place of the English roundels. Finally my crew chief Manny Green, who was Jewish, said he had a Star of David which we could copy. We later found out that wasn't like the Air Force star at all, but our first few missions over Europe were flown under the Star of David."

Here's a profile from Bucholtz's book on the 4th of Goody's Spit as it is believed to have looked at this time

Thanks Tim .. once again a great back story to go with the photograph . Ya gotta love “Dude of the Day”

 

[Smithy]

Thanks Tim .. once again a great back story to go with the photograph . Ya gotta love “Dude if the Day”

Thanks Burt! Along with the Few and a couple of RAF squadrons in Fighter Command, the 4th is one of my most favourite WWII aviation topics so it's a real pleasure posting and sharing photos and stories of these guys. They are really unique in the USAAC/USAAF as they retained a great deal of the traditions, lingo, and habits from their time in the RAF, and fervently continued to do so for the duration of the war. Very colourful (or should that be colorful ) bunch of characters too.

 

[B-Man2]

Thanks Burt! Along with the Few and a couple of RAF squadrons in Fighter Command, the 4th is one of my most favourite WWII aviation topics so it's a real pleasure posting and sharing photos and stories of these guys. They are really unique in the USAAC/USAAF as they retained a great deal of the traditions, lingo, and habits from their time in the RAF, and fervently continued to do so for the duration of the war. Very colourful (or should that be colorful ) bunch of characters too.

I would have guessed that they would have been some really colorful guys. Real pranksters, jokers, drinkers and partiers who were committed, had great work ethics and would shoot your ass out of the skies if you played for the other team. It would have been fantastic to have been associated with them or to have been part of that group. Tim I think we were born about 30 years too late. That would have been our true calling in life.