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

Arthur E Linrud

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 364th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 37314603
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner / Flight Engineer

Arthur W Lockrem

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 366th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 37562821
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier, Togglier

Bernard P Lynch

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 366th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Bernard C McAllister

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 366th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot

Bernard C McNight

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 366th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 13039596
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Aircraft

41-24525

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: What's Cookin' Doc
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron 305th Bomb Group 422nd Bomb Squadron

41-24553

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Cherry
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 422nd Bomb Squadron

41-24575

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Sunrise Serenader
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 384th Bomb Group 365th Bomb Squadron 544th Bomb Squadron
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

41-24578

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Problem Child : Old Reliable
  • Unit: Base Air Depot 1 547th Bomb Squadron 384th Bomb Group 305th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron

41-24588

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Carter and His Little Pills
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 364th 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)

Object number: UPL 22722 - Taken at Chelveston Air Base

Object number: UPL 22723 - Taken at Chelveston Air Base

Object number: UPL 22724 - Taken at Chelveston Air Base

Object number: UPL 22725 - Taken at Chelveston Air Base

Object number: UPL 22726 - Taken at Chelveston Air Base

Object number: UPL 22727 - Taken at Chelveston Air Base Mobile Air Tower...

Object number: UPL 22728 - Taken at Chelveston Air Base

Object number: UPL 22729 - Taken at Chelveston Air Base Mobile Air Tower...

Object number: UPL 22730 - Taken at Chelveston Air Base Clyde L. Lancaster in...

Object number: UPL 22731 - Taken at Chelveston Air Base

Object number: UPL 22732 - Taken at Chelveston Air Base

Object number: UPL 23260 - Lt. Frank Robert Spitznagel Jr. 305th Bomb Group...