44-23517

French countryside, photographed through the nose of a P-38 Lightning of the 367th Fighter Group on landing. Image stamped on reverse: 'Not to be published 30 Aug 1944.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 31 May 1945.' [stamp] and '354528 .' [censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'P-38s over the Seine. No.1 of a series of pix taken through the nose of the P-38 as it comes in to land. Scherschel LIFE.' media-456843.jpg FRE 10110 French countryside, photographed through the nose of a P-38 Lightning of the 367th Fighter Group on landing. Image stamped on reverse: 'Not to be published 30 Aug 1944.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 31 May 1945.' [stamp] and '354528 .' [censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'P-38s over the Seine. No.1 of a series of pix taken through the nose of the P-38 as it comes in to land. Scherschel LIFE.'

The view of the bombardier through the plexiglass nose of a Droop Snoot P-38 coming in to land. Note the bombardiers feet at bottom of frame. Roger Freeman Collection

Roger Freeman Photo.

Object Number - FRE 10110 - French countryside, photographed through the nose of a P-38 Lightning of the 367th Fighter Group on landing. Image stamped on reverse: 'Not to be...

RAF Air Commodore Alfred C H Sharp, a former Deputy Chief of Staff HQ 8th AF, was gifted this P-38 Lightning as his personal aircraft when he left to take up a new posting as 54 base commander. Initialy flown soley by Sharp. A 'Droop Snoot*' was lent to No 5 Grp RAF for a month, causing quite an impression, and upon its return to the USAAF, 44-23517 was sent to Langford Lodge for conversion. Used extensively on operations in the master bomber role until AC Sharp left Conningsby for a new posting at Northolt, later transferred to No 51 MU at Lichfield for diposal, thence onto Delft University, Netherlands in 1948 and finally back to the USAAF.



* The 'Droop Snoot' field conversion entailed the removal of the nose armament and associated equipment to make room for a prone bombardiers/observers position with the installation of a plexiglass nose, a Norden bombsight, side windows and an emergency hatch. The theory was for a formation of P-38's to drop their bombs on the formation lead 'Droop snoots' signal with the precision of the Norden bombsight ensuring the accuracy of the formations bombing. An idea championed by Lt Col Cass Hough and Lt Col Dan Ostrander.

Connections

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Units served with

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: British
  • Unit: 1st Air Division Headquarters (Eighth Air Force)
  • Service Numbers: 19066
  • Highest Rank: Air Vice-Marshal
  • Role/Job: Air Liaison Officer

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Field modified

Langford Lodge, Ireland 30 August 1944 - 15 September 1944 Field modified to 'Droop Snoot*' configuration.

Other

Operational RAF use

R A F Station, Raf Coningsby, Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN4 4SY, UK 15 September 1944 - 19 October 1944 Used extensively on operations in the master bomber role. 1st mission to Germany with Sq Ldr Owen. 23-9-44.

Other

Gifted as personal A/C

R A F Station, Raf Coningsby, Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN4 4SY, UK 6 August 2044 Former Deputy Chief of Staff HQ 8th AF, was gifted this P-38 Lightning as his personal aircraft when he left to take up a new RAF posting

Manufactured

Burbank, CA, USA Built at Lockheed Aviation.

Delivered

Long Beach, CA, USA Delivered to USAAF.

Other

Transferred

Lichfield, Lichfield, Staffordshire, UK Transferred to No 51 MU. For disposal.

Other

Passed to

Delft, Netherlands Passed onto Delft University Netherlands.

Other

Returned USAAF

Germany Returned to USAAF.

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

The Forgotten Fighters by Phil H Listerman.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

The Forgotten Fighters by Phil H Listerman.

44-23517: Gallery (6 items)