Framlingham
Airfield![A bomber crew of the 390th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress ( serial number 42-31027) nicknamed "Honey Chile" and their dog and monkey mascots "Scrappy" and "Joe". Image stamped on reverse: ‘Fox.’ [stamp], ‘passed for publication 25 Oct 1943.’ [stamp] and ‘289774.’ [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: ‘AERIAL MASCOTS OF FORTRESS CREWS. PH/MoN. As frisky and friendly a pair of aerial mascots as you'll find in Britain are "Scrappy" and "Joe", pup and monkey team belonging to the](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/wysiwyg_x2/public/freeman/media-380433.jpg.webp?itok=ZkWKu7c5)
Image stamped on reverse: ‘Fox.’ [stamp], ‘passed for publication 25 Oct 1943.’ [stamp] and ‘289774.’ [Censor no.]
Printed caption on reverse: ‘AERIAL MASCOTS OF FORTRESS CREWS. PH/MoN. As frisky and friendly a pair of aerial mascots as you'll find in Britain are "Scrappy" and "Joe", pup and monkey team belonging to the crew of the Flying Fortress "Honey Chile" piloted by 2nd. Lieut. Robert W. Biesecker, (of Lexington, North Carolina) at an 8th A.F. Bomber Command Station, in England.
'Scrappy" was presented to the crew while training in U.S. and accompanied the boys on their transatlantic flight to England. "Joe", a pint-sized number, gets around the base on Scrappy's back, was picked up by crew at another station here. Both these mascots have a good number of flying hours to their credit. Photograph shows - The Dog and Monkey mascots of the Fortress "Honey Chile".
FOX OCTOBER 43. 35. ' Roger Freeman Collection
IWM, Roger Freeman Collection
Object Number - FRE 1628 - A bomber crew of the 390th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress ( serial number 42-31027) nicknamed "Honey Chile" and their dog and monkey...
Built for the Eighth Air Force from 1942 to 43, Framlingham was home first to the 95th Bomb Group, before that unit moved to RAF Alconbury. From 1943 to 1945, it was operated by the 390th Bomb Group. The airfield was handed back to the RAF in 1945, and was for two years used as a transit camp to help with the relocation of displaced Polish people . The airfield’s land was returned to agriculture from 1948. In 1981 a museum was opened in the restored control tower, which today tells the story of the 390th Bomb Group: https://www.parhamairfieldmuseum.co.uk/
Footage of the airbase in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qISgcZsO8cs
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 571st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 17065401 at enlistment, then O-740823
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 571st Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 569th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 18026239 / O-733667
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 571st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 38206341
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 570th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 14096975 / O-801563
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: The Doodle Bug
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron 335th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: North Star
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 571st Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Doasy Doats
- Unit: Base Air Depot 1 398th Bomb Group 603rd Bomb Squadron 491st Bomb Group 600th Bomb Squadron 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Puddles
- Unit: 3rd Bomb Division 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron 412th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Revisions
Added a link to the Parham Airfield Museum website: https://www.parhamairfieldmuseum.co.uk/
Connected aircraft records that have the word 'Framlingham' in their biography fields.
Barry Anderson, Army Air Forces Stations (Alabama, 1985) / Roger Freeman, Airfields of the Eighth Then And Now (London, 1978)
