490th Bomb Group

Group
The insignia of the 490th Bomb Group. media-395164.jpg FRE 5221 The insignia of the 490th Bomb Group. Roger Freeman Collection

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

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Civilian
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 477th Sub-Depot 490th Bomb Group
  • Service Numbers: 38484813
  • Role/Job: Airplane Sheet Metal Worker
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 490th Bomb Group 849th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18200876
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Airplane Mechanic / Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 490th Bomb Group 851st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32196849
  • Highest Rank: Corporal
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator - Mechanic Gunner, AAF
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Civilian
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 490th Bomb Group 851st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32166395
  • Role/Job: Medical Non-Commissioned Officer
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Civilian
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 490th Bomb Group 851st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32196684
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator-Mechanic-Gunner

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 490th Bomb Group 849th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 490th Bomb Group 849th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Raidin’ Maiden
  • Unit: 851st Bomb Squadron 490th Bomb Group
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 850th Bomb Squadron 490th Bomb Group
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Magnificent Obsession
  • Unit: 490th Bomb Group 850th Bomb Squadron

Mission

Revisions

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ContributorBluejay89
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Sources
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Contributorrossingtonj
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Aircraft type added

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Contributorrossingtonj
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Type added.

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Contributorrossingtonj
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Type added.

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ContributorAAM
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Sources

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)

490th Bomb Group: Gallery (230 items)