Chelveston

Airfield
Ground crews of 305th Bomb Group B-17 Flying Fortresses wait for their aircraft to return to Chelveston airbase after a raid on the 30 June 1943; a B-17 Flying Fortress is coming in to land. Passed for publication 30 Jun 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'At A Fortress Station In Britain. From an American base in Britain the Flying Fortresses carry out operational activities which result in terrible blows against the German industrial war machine. This series of pictures shows scenes at a Flying Fortresse media-458191.jpg FRE 10410 Ground crews of 305th Bomb Group B-17 Flying Fortresses wait for their aircraft to return to Chelveston airbase after a raid on the 30 June 1943; a B-17 Flying Fortress is coming in to land. Passed for publication 30 Jun 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'At A Fortress Station In Britain. From an American base in Britain the Flying Fortresses carry out operational activities which result in terrible blows against the German industrial war machine. This series of pictures shows scenes at a Flying Fortresses station where hige[sic] bombers take off for the raids or return from their missions to be serviced by the ground crews, ready for the next raid. Keystone Photo Shows:-' Damaged printed caption also attached to reverse: 'Ground crews waiting for Flying Fortress [to?] return from a mission. [U.S.]Pool/F. Keystone (SS). 13-18.' Censor no: 272245. On reverse: US Army Press Censor ETO and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps]. Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 10410 - Ground crews of 305th Bomb Group B-17 Flying Fortresses wait for their aircraft to return to Chelveston airbase after a raid on the 30 June 1943; a...

Chelveston was adapted and expanded in preparation for the arrival of American forces. Rather than heavy bombers, the first aircraft to fly from its runways were C-47 Skytrains that were flown by the 60th Troop Carrier Group in July 1942. The first combat group posted to Chelveston were the 301st Bomb Group who flew a handful of missions before moving to North Africa with the Twelfth Air Force in the aftermath of Operation Torch. The next Bomb Group to fly from the base were the 305th, another B-17 Group. The Group flew 330 missions from here and, as one of the first B-17 Groups to fly in the ETO, it was from here that some of the pioneering techniques and formations were developed.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

People

The crew of the 305th Bomb Group B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Lazy Baby" the day after the record-breaking long-distance bombing mission to Eastern Prussia and Pomerania on the 9th of October 1943. Passed for publication 10 Oct 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'Greatest Day Raid. American heavy bombers from Britain yesterday set up a new record for a long-distance raid when they made a round flight of 2,000 miles to bomb Pomerania, Poland and East Prussia ... Gdynia, Anklam, Marienburg and Danzig (Gda

Brunson W Bolin

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 364th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-681319
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot

Arthur N Bouthillier

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 301st Bomb Group 325th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 11043898
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator

Bobbie C Canon

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 365th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-761503
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Armando O Cantu

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant

Arthur P Carroll

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 366th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32670464
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator / Gunner

Aircraft

41-24359

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Turd Burd
  • Unit: 301st Bomb Group 305th Bomb Group 482nd Bomb Group 92nd Bomb Group 325th Bomb Squadron 813th Bomb Squadron

41-24362

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 301st Bomb Group 419th Bomb Squadron

41-24386

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Queen Bee 17
  • Unit: 301st Bomb Group 353rd Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
Changes
Sources

Merged with duplicate entry to include details from:
- user Despitz

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Connected aircraft record based on information in their biography.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Barry Anderson, Army Air Forces Stations (Alabama, 1985) / Roger Freeman, Airfields of the Eighth Then And Now (London, 1978)

Chelveston: Gallery (105 items)

305th Bomb Group personnel helping farmers near Chelveston airbase with the hay drive past a B-17 Flying Fortress of their Group. Passed for publication 4 Jul 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'They Work For War And Peace: Yanks' Harvest In Shadow Of Great Bombers. U.S. soldiers stationed at a Flying Fortresses base somewhere in Britain in their off duty time are helping local farmers. This series of pictures provides a strange contrast: The men who feed Flying Fortresses with huge lethal bombs, this time

Object number: FRE 10422 - 305th Bomb Group personnel helping farmers near...

305th Bomb Group personnel helping farmers near Chelveston airbase with the hay drive past a B-17 Flying Fortress of their Group. Passed for publication 4 Jul 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'They Work For War And Peace: Yanks' Harvest In Shadow Of Great Bombers. U.S. soldiers stationed at a Flying Fortresses base somewhere in Britain in their off duty time are helping local farmers. This series of pictures provides a strange contrast: The men who feed Flying Fortresses with huge lethal bombs, this time

Object number: FRE 10423 - 305th Bomb Group personnel helping farmers near...

305th Bomb Group personnel helping farmers near Chelveston airbase unload hay from a farmer's truck into his barn. Passed for publication 4 Jul 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'Yanks Help British Farmers In Haymaking. U.S. Army soldiers stationed in Britain at a U.S. Fortresses base in their off-duty time are helping local farmers in haymaking. This series of pictures shows them working in the fields, loading hay on lorries, and unloading it at the farmhouse. A glass of cool beer was a welcome reward fo

Object number: FRE 10424 - 305th Bomb Group personnel helping farmers near...

305th Bomb Group personnel helping farmers near Chelveston airbase work off the back of a lorry, with a 365th Bomb Squadron B-17 Flying Fortress (XK-O, serial number 42-29557) in the background. Passed for publication 4 Jul 1943. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'XK:O, 229557.' Printed caption on reverse: 'They Work For War And Peace: Yanks' Harvest In Shadow Of Great Bombers. U.S. soldiers stationed at a Flying Fortresses base somewhere in Britain in their off duty time are helping local farmers. This ser

Object number: FRE 10425 - 305th Bomb Group personnel helping farmers near...

305th Bomb Group personnel helping farmers near Chelveston airbase work off the back of a lorry, with a 365th Bomb Squadron B-17 Flying Fortress (XK-O, serial number 42-29557) in the background. One of the local farmers is working alongside them (centre, dark suit). Passed for publication 4 Jul 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'They Work For War And Peace: Yanks' Harvest In Shadow Of Great Bombers. U.S. soldiers stationed at a Flying Fortresses base somewhere in Britain in their off duty time are helping

Object number: FRE 10426 - 305th Bomb Group personnel helping farmers near...

305th Bomb Group personnel helping farmers near Chelveston airbase work off the back of a lorry, pictured from underneath a B-17 Flying Fortress. Passed for publication 4 Jul 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'They Work For War And Peace: Yanks' Harvest In Shadow Of Great Bombers. U.S. soldiers stationed at a Flying Fortresses base somewhere in Britain in their off duty time are helping local farmers. This series of pictures provides a strange contrast: The men who feed Flying Fortresses with huge lethal

Object number: FRE 10427 - 305th Bomb Group personnel helping farmers near...

A 366th Bomb Squadron, 305th Bomb Group B-17 Flying Fortress (KY-B, serial number 41-24591) taxiis to take off from Chelveston airbase. Passed for publication 30 Jun 1943. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'KY-B.' Printed caption on reverse: 'At A Fortress Station In Britain. From an American base in Britain the Flying Fortresses carry out operational activities which result in terrible blows against the German industrial war machine. This series of pictures shows scenes at a Flying Fortresses station where

Object number: FRE 10429 - A 366th Bomb Squadron, 305th Bomb Group B-17...

A 364th Bomb Squadron, 305th Bomb Group B-17 Flying Fortress (WF-O, serial number 42-29807) taxiis to take off from Chelveston airbase. Passed for publication 30 Jun 1943. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'KY-B.' Printed caption on reverse: 'At A Fortress Station In Britain. From an American base in Britain the Flying Fortresses carry out operational activities which result in terrible blows against the German industrial war machine. This series of pictures shows scenes at a Flying Fortresses station where

Object number: FRE 10430 - A 364th Bomb Squadron, 305th Bomb Group B-17...

A 305th Bomb Group B-17 Flying Fortress taxiis to take off from Chelveston airbase. Passed for publication 30 Jun 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'At A Fortress Station In Britain. From an American base in Britain the Flying Fortresses carry out operational activities which result in terrible blows against the German industrial war machine. This series of pictures shows scenes at a Flying Fortresses station where hige[sic] bombers take off for the raids or return from their missions to be serviced by th

Object number: FRE 10431 - A 305th Bomb Group B-17 Flying Fortress taxiis to...

A 365th Bomb Squadron, 305th Bomb Group B-17 Flying Fortress (XK-O, serial number 42-29557) taxiis to take off from Chelveston airbase. Passed for publication 30 Jun 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'At A Fortress Station In Britain. From an American base in Britain the Flying Fortresses carry out operational activities which result in terrible blows against the German industrial war machine. This series of pictures shows scenes at a Flying Fortresses station where hige[sic] bombers take off for the raid

Object number: FRE 10432 - A 365th Bomb Squadron, 305th Bomb Group B-17...

A 366th Bomb Squadron, 305th Bomb Group B-17 Flying Fortress (KY-L, serial number 42-5053) taxiis to take off from Chelveston airbase. Passed for publication 30 Jun 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'At A Fortress Station In Britain. From an American base in Britain the Flying Fortresses carry out operational activities which result in terrible blows against the German industrial war machine. This series of pictures shows scenes at a Flying Fortresses station where hige[sic] bombers take off for the raids

Object number: FRE 10433 - A 366th Bomb Squadron, 305th Bomb Group B-17...

A 365th Bomb Squadron, 305th Bomb Group B-17 Flying Fortress (XK-R, serial number 41-24578) taxiis to take off from Chelveston airbase. Passed for publication 30 Jun 1943. Handwritten caption on reverse: '124578, XK:R.' Printed caption on reverse: 'At A Fortress Station In Britain. From an American base in Britain the Flying Fortresses carry out operational activities which result in terrible blows against the German industrial war machine. This series of pictures shows scenes at a Flying Fortresses stati

Object number: FRE 10434 - A 365th Bomb Squadron, 305th Bomb Group B-17...