44-23162

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 Image stamped on reverse: 'Not to be published 30 Aug 1944.'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 Image stamped on reverse: 'Not to be published 30 Aug 1944.'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

Point of departure was A-11 airfield, Saint-Lambert, for recon of Mortain area, due to overcast reduced altitude and was hit by flak in starboard engine, pilot lost control and both occupants baled out, one parachute snagged tailplane and went down with A/C. 1st Lt Dean R Burns [Pilot] Major William K Collonan [Obs]2 x MIA/FOD. MACR 7862.

* 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

370th Fighter Group

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

402nd Fighter Squadron

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

Base Air Depot 3

People

Dean R Burns

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 370th Fighter Group 405th Fighter Group 402nd Fighter Squadron 511th Fighter Squadron
Service Numbers: 19074204 / O-674032
Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
Role/Job: Pilot

William Kelly Charles Collonan

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Service Numbers: O-243539
Highest Rank: Major
Role/Job: Observer / Navigator

Places

Andover

Site type: Airfield

A P-38 Lightning of the 474th Fighter Group takes off in France. Image stamped on reverse: 'Passed for publication 15 Aug 1944.' [stamp]. Printed caption on reverse: '9th AAF in France: P-38 takes off. Dust is a great problem. D146-3-X-9-120 Scherschel Life.'

Cardonville

Site type: Airfield

Saint Lambert

Site type: Airfield

Events

Event	Location	Date	Description
Crashed Failed to Return (FTR)	50140 Mortain, France	9 August 1944 - 9 August 1944	Recon of Mortain, due to overcast reduced altitude and was hit by flak in starboard engine, pilot lost control and both occupants baled out, one parachute snagged tailplane and went down with A/C. 2 x MIA/FOD. MACR 7862.
Manufactured	Burbank, CA, USA		Built at Lockheed Aviation.
Delivered	Long Beach, CA, USA		Delivered to USAAF.
Other Field modified	Langford Lodge, Ireland		Field modified to 'Droop Snoot*' configuration.
Assigned	Andover, Andover, Hampshire, UK		Assigned to 402nd Fighter Squadron, 370th Fighter Group, 9th AF.