42-67822

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 Image stamped on reverse: 'Not to be published 30 Aug 1944.'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 Image stamped on reverse: 'Not to be published 30 Aug 1944.'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...

Built by Lockheed as a P-38J, field modified at Langford Lodge into a 'Droop Snoot*' configuration.

* The 'Droop Snoot' field conversion entailed the removal of the nose armament and associated equipment to make room for a prone bombardiers 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

343rd Fighter Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Fighter

370th Fighter Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Ninth Air Force
Type Category: Fighter

434th Fighter Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Fighter

479th Fighter Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Fighter

485th Fighter Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Air Force: Ninth Air Force
Type Category: Fighter

People

Roy Hugh Napier

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 370th Fighter Group 485th Fighter Squadron
Service Numbers: 17152784 / O-769905
Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
Role/Job: Pilot

Anthony L Piscitelli

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 55th Fighter Group 343rd Fighter Squadron
Service Numbers: 42037245 at enlistment, then O-753724
Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
Role/Job: Fighter Pilot, Pilot

Bailey A Williams

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 479th Fighter Group 434th Fighter Squadron
Service Numbers: O-746004
Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
Role/Job: Pilot

Places

A P-38 Lightning (CL-K) of the 338th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group fitted with a "droop snoot" for bombing missions.

Langford Lodge

Site type: Airfield

Nuthampstead

Site type: Airfield

Major Henry Porter Plunk and a fellow airman of the 479th Fighter Group stand with Plunk's P-51 Mustang (9B-0, serial number 44-72516) nicknamed "Ambrosia".

Wattisham

Site type: Airfield

Missions

8th Air Force 296 and 8th Air Force Field Order 294

Date: 10 April 1944

Events

Event	Location	Date	Description
Crashed	Nuthampstead, Royston, Hertfordshire SG8, UK	20 February 1944	Taxiing accident Nuthampstead/Sta 131 Cat 3 damage, pilot Lt Anthony L Piscitelli, 20-2-44. 343FS 55FG 8AF Coded CY-R.
Crashed	Wattisham, Ipswich, Suffolk IP7, UK	26 August 1944	Landing accident Wattisham/Sta 377, Cat 3 damage, pilot Lt Bailey A Williams, 26-8-44. 434FS 479FG 8AF
Crashed	02120 Guise, France	3 January 1945	Crashed due to bad weather Guise, France Cat 4 damage pilot 2nd Lt Roy H Napier KIA, 3-1-45. 485FS 370FG 9AF
Manufactured	Burbank, CA, USA		Built at Lockheed aviation as P-38J.
Delivered	Long Beach, CA, USA		Delivered to USAAF.
Other Field modified	Langford Lodge, Ireland		Field modified to 'Droop Snoot*' configuration.