42-67704 Fubar

media-19706.jpeg UPL 19706 Lockheed P-38J Lightning 'Droopsnoot*' aircraft 42-67704 'F.U.B.A.R.' CL-Kbar 388th FS, 55th FG, 8AF 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.

Object Number - UPL 19706 - Lockheed P-38J Lightning 'Droopsnoot*' aircraft 42-67704 'F.U.B.A.R.' CL-Kbar 388th FS, 55th FG, 8AF USAAF. * The 'Droop Snoot' field conversion...

Built by Lockheed as a P-38J, field modified to 'Droop Snoot*' configuration. Assigned to 338th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force. Transferred to 56th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force. Transferred to 9th Air Force.



* 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: American
  • Unit: 55th Fighter Group 338th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 15069842 / T-001369 / O-2045059
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Fighter pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron 77th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-731368
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 335th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14090993
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
Colonel Hubert Zemke of the 56th Fighter Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'First Lieutenant Hub Zemke, US Army Air Corps, 8th Pursuit Group, Mitchel Field, Long Island, New York. Taken just before dispersal to England as an Observer to the Royal Air Force.'
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 479th Fighter Group 56th Fighter Group Headquarters (479th Fighter Group) Headquarters (56th Fighter Group)
  • Service Numbers: O-022353
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot / Commander

Places

Lieutenant-Colonel Elwyn G. Righetti of the 338th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group stands beside his P-51 Mustang, "Katydid". Print signed 'Best of everything your big loud Elwyn', 1944-1945.
  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Bures / RAF Wormingford / RFC Wormingford / USAAF Station 159 / Wormingford Landing Ground

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Bombing Mission

Chantilly, France 30 May 1944 Flying a glass fronted P-38 “droopsnoot” Lighting fitted with a Norden bombsight and Lt H Ezzel of the 20th BG as bombardier Col Zemke leads 24 Thunderbolts on a bombing mission. 16 of the P-47s carry 1000lb bombs under the fusalage while the remaining 8 fly top cover. The rail bridge at Chantilly is destroyed. 30th May 1944.

Other

Bombing Mission

Gütersloh, Germany 31 May 1944 Armed with 500lb bombs the P-47s of the 56th carry out another “Droopsnoot” mission led by Col Zemke. The target today is an airfield at Gutersloh which is attacked with excellent results. 31st May 1944.

Other

Bombing Mission

80500 Montdidier, France 25 July 1944 Another “droopsnoot” mission with Schilling leading 35 P-47's and Col Zemke flying the P-38 the group take off at 18.20. Each P-47 carries a 150Gal drop tank filled with oil, with the targets including a fuel dump at Fournival. Zemke's P-38 is hit by flak over Montdidier and he returns to Boxted minus the starboard propeller. 25th July 1944.

Crashed

Boxted, Colchester, Essex, UK 25 July 1944 On landing the P-38's brakes fail and Zemke ends the mission in a field at the end of the runway. 25th July 1944.

Manufactured

Burbank, CA, USA Built by Lockheed.

Delivered

Long Beach, CA, USA Delivered to USAAF.

Other

Field Modified

Langford Lodge, Ireland Field modified to 'Droop Snoot*' configuration.

Assigned

Wormingford, Colchester, Essex CO6, UK Assigned to 338th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force.

Other

Transferred

Boxted, Colchester, Essex, UK Transferred to 56th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force.

Other

Transferred

Europe Transferred to 9th Air Force.

Revisions

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42-67704: Gallery (15 items)