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 media-380433.jpg 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 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 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: Civilian
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 390th Bomb Group 570th Bomb Squadron
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32425351
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade)
  • Role/Job: Flight Engineer
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 390th Bomb Group 570th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 13062874 at enlistment and O-??????
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 390th Bomb Group 569th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14125710
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 390th Bomb Group 569th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Rat Killer
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron 335th Bomb Squadron 336th Bomb Squadron 412th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Kathy Jane
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron
Staff Sergeant Hillabrant, a tail gunner of the 95th Bomb Group, with his aircraft, a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-29704) nicknamed "The Spook". Handwritten caption on reverse: 'The Spook, John Hillabrant (RG) Africa 4/43.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: The Spook
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Yo' Brother
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 326th Bomb Squadron 335th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Miss Carrie | Philly-Brooklyn
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 92nd Bomb Group 325th Bomb Squadron 326th Bomb Squadron 546th Bomb Squadron 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Added a link to the Parham Airfield Museum website: https://www.parhamairfieldmuseum.co.uk/

Date
Contributorbombercommand
Changes
Sources

Missing Air Crew Report #11721

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Connected aircraft records that have the word 'Framlingham' in their biography fields.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

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

Framlingham: Gallery (98 items)