44-23194 Bomba Dear

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 Image stamped on reverse: 'Not to be published 30 Aug 1944.'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 Image stamped on reverse: 'Not to be published 30 Aug 1944.'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

P38J-15-LO 44-23194 coded 7F-Q 'Bomba Dear'. 401st Fighter Squadron, 370th Fighter Group, 9AF. Pilot Lt William L Swisher.

Built by Lockheed as a P-38J, field modified to '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.

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Events

Event Location Date Description

Manufactured

Burbank, CA, USA Built at Lockheed Aviation.

Other

Field modified

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

Assigned

Andover, Andover, Hampshire, UK Assigned to 401st Fighter Squadron, 370th Fighter Group, 9th AF.

Revisions

Date5 Jan 2016 12:28:27
ContributorAl_Skiff
ChangesCreated entry with serial number, aircraft type, production block number, manufacturer, nicknames, markings, description, events, unit associations and place associations
Sources

http://ourairports.biz/img/1247/image424.jpg

44-23194: Gallery (2 items)