42-39997 Big Mike, Frenchy's Folly
IWM, Roger Freeman Collection
Delivered Long Beach 29/10/43; Assigned 533BS/381BG [VP-R] Ridgewell 13/1/44 as BIG MIKE; on mission to Leipzig with George Hansen, Radio Operator: Ed Senk (Killed in Action); sustained severe battle damage on Rheims mission 2/5/44, but repaired by many volunteers over weeks, including fitting an F-model wing on a G aircraft. When it passed all tests, assigned back in action completing 100 missions, before returning to States, 121 BU Bradley 30/5/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 21/10/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Kingman 28/11/45. FRENCHY’S FOLLY.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Manufactured |
The hangar section of Engineering dragged battle-damaged, brakeless Big Mike from a 6 ft ditch, 75 yards from the runway after its 29th mission. 3,307 manhours of work by the engineering section and volunteers. Renamed Frenchy's Folly after crew chief T/Sgt Charles Barbier, affectionately called "Frenchy". |
Revisions
www.381st.org/wardiaries/448thSDApril1944 and a picture of Frenchy's Folly and a newspaper article found in a box under my father's bed.