490th Bomb Group
Group
IWM, Roger Freeman Collection
Object Number - FRE 5221 - The insignia of the 490th Bomb Group.
The 490th Bomb Group, like the 486th and 487th Bomb Groups transitioned from flying B-24 Liberators to B-17 Flying Fortresses, which were used in combat missions from late August 1944. Based at Eye, Suffolk, the Group were focused in the early months in flying tactical missions in support of ground forces in northern France. After the Group's conversion to B-17s, the crews switched focus and flew longer distance missions over Germany to bomb industrial sites. After VE Day, the Group dropped food supplies to flooded parts of Holland and transported French, Belgian and Spanish POWs out of Austria.
Connections
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Unit stations
Station | Location | Date |
---|---|---|
Based |
Eye | 26 April 1944 - 24 August 1945 |
Encompassing

- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment

- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment

- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment

- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Headquarters
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 490th Bomb Group 857th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 14084751
- Role/Job: Flight Engineer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 490th Bomb Group
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 490th Bomb Group 851st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 36667276
- Role/Job: Radar Mechanic, Sea Search
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 490th Bomb Group 848th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 16003661
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Airplane Armorer-Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 490th Bomb Group 848th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-832078
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft

- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Fever Beaver
- Unit: 100th Bomb Group 490th Bomb Group 351st Bomb Squadron

- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: TOPPER/ Ol Gappy
- Unit: 379th Bomb Group 490th Bomb Group 524th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: C-46 Commando
- Unit: 490th Bomb Group

- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Unit: 490th Bomb Group

- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: - Little warrior
- Unit: 490th Bomb Group 493rd Bomb Group 850th Bomb Squadron 861st Bomb Squadron
Mission

- Date: 24 December 1944
- Date: 6 July 1944
- Date: 20 June 1944

- Date: 14 June 1944
Revisions
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / The Mighty Eighth. A History of the Units, Men and Machines of the US 8th Air Force.' by Roger A. Freeman (1989). 'Air Force Combat Units of World War II' compiled by the Department of the US Air Force, edited by Maurice Maurer (1983). / Units in the UK from ETOUSA Station List, as transcribed by Lt. Col. Philip Grinton (US Army, Retired) and extracted by IWM; air division data from L.D. Underwood, based on the 8th Air Force Strength Report of 6th August 1944, as published in 'The 8th Air Force Yearbook' by Lt. Col. John H Woolnough (1980)