8th Air Force
Eighth Air Force Bomber Command became the Eighth Air Force on February 1944, it oversaw bombardment of strategic targets in Europe until 1945.
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44-23517
P-38 Lightning
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![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 Image stamped on reverse: 'Not to be published 30 Aug 1944.'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.](https://www.americanairmuseum.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/freeman/media-456843.jpg?itok=DUDIJase)
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 Image stamped on reverse: 'Not to be published 30 Aug 1944.'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.
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Lockheed P-38J Lightning 'Droop Snoot*' 44-23517 personal aircraft of Air Commodore Alfred C H Sharp RAF, pictured at No 51 MU Lichfield, Staffordshire between 1946-48. * 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.
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"Droop Snoot" is what the boys call this P-38 which has given up its armament for a plexiglass nose, Norden bombsight, and bombardier. P-38 bombardiers are recruited from heavy bomb groups. NARA Ref 342-FH-3A23344-56268AC
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DROOP SNOOT-Ground crewman at a base in Belgium prepare to "bomb-up" a "droop snoot" P-38 Lightning fighter-bomber for another attack against enemy fortifications and strong points. This model of the P-38 is known as the "droop snoot" because of the glass enclosed nose. The plane carries a bombardier in addition to the pilot. NARA Ref 342-FH-3A05164-56914AC.
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Head on shot of - 'General view of Lockheed P-38 photo plane with gun sight aiming point camera mounted on bomb racks, and K-22 aerial camera in nose. ITALY'. Actually this a "Droop Snoot". a P-38 which has given up its nose armament for a plexiglass nose, Norden bombsight, and bombardier. P-38 bombardiers are recruited from heavy bomb groups. NARA Ref 342-FH-3A22940-56134AC.
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"Droop Snoot" is what the boys call this P-38 which has given up its armament for a plexiglass nose, Norden bombsight, and bombardier. P-38 bombardiers are recruited from heavy bomb groups.
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.
Service
Units
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Headquarters (8th Air Force)
8th Air Force Headquarters opened in London under the command of General Carl A Spaatz on 19 June 1942. It oversaw all Commands, Wings and Groups engaged in the Strategic Bombing Campaign until February 1944, when it became US Strategic Air Forces in... -
Base Air Depot 3
Misc
People
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Alfred Sharp
Military | Air Vice-Marshal | Air Liaison Officer
RAF: - Plt Off (Probation): 16 Jul 1924, Plt Off: 16 Jan 1924, Fg Off: 18 Jan 1926, Flt Lt: 8 Oct 1930, Sqn Ldr: 1 Apr 1937, (Temp) Wg Cdr: 1 Mar 1940, (Temp) Gp Capt: 1 Mar 1942, Wg Cdr: 20 Nov 1942 [1 Oct 1941], Acting A/Cdre: 1 Feb 1943. ...
Places
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Langford Lodge
Military site : airfield
Planned to be a Satellite Landing Ground for No. 23 Maintenance Unit at RAF Aldergrove, Langford Lodge was selected in October 1941 to be developed as an air deport for the maintenance and repair of USAAF aircraft. A scheme was devised whereby the... -
Northolt
Military site : airfield
At one stage the base of the 302nd Air Transport Wing.
Events
| Event | Location | Date |
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| Gifted as personal A/C | R A F Station, Raf Coningsby, Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN4 4SY, UK | 6 August 44 – 1947 |
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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 |
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| Manufactured | Burbank, CA, USA | August 1943 |
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Built at Lockheed Aviation. |
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| Delivered | Long Beach, CA, USA | September 1943 |
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Delivered to USAAF. |
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| Field modified | Langford Lodge, Ireland | 30 August 1944 – 15 September 1944 |
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Field modified to 'Droop Snoot*' configuration. |
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| Operational RAF use | R A F Station, Raf Coningsby, Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN4 4SY, UK | 15 September 1944 – 19 October 1944 |
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Used extensively on operations in the master bomber role. 1st mission to Germany with Sq Ldr Owen. 23-9-44. |
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| Transferred | Lichfield, Lichfield, Staffordshire, UK | May 1946 – November 1948 |
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Transferred to No 51 MU. For disposal. |
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| Passed to | Delft, Netherlands | November 1948 – 1949 |
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Passed onto Delft University Netherlands. |
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| Returned USAAF | Germany | 1949 |
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Returned to USAAF. |
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Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
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| 01 January 2016 23:43:50 | Al_Skiff | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
The Forgotten Fighters by Phil H Listerman. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 01 January 2016 23:23:38 | Al_Skiff | Created entry with serial number, aircraft type, production block number, manufacturer, markings, description, events, unit associations, person associations and place associations |
| Sources | ||
The Forgotten Fighters by Phil H Listerman. |
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