A bomber crew of the 390th Bomb Group pets their mascots "Scrappy" and "Joe" a dog and monkey, who fly in their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-31027) nicknamed "Honey Chile".
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.'
IWM catalogue record
This contains information written on the back of the original print and some of it may be inaccurate.
A bomber crew of the 390th Bomb Group pets their mascots "Scrappy" and "Joe" a dog and monkey, who fly in their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-31027) nicknamed "Honey Chile". 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.'
Connections
Units
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Group
The 390th Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses from Framlingham, Suffolk, between July 1943 and the end of the war in Europe. The Group was engaged in strategic missions until the invasion of Europe when its role became more of a tactical one. This...
People
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Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot
Assigned to 571BS, 390BG, 8AF USAAF. 24 x combat missions. Failed to Return (FTR) Augsburg in B-17 42-37925 'Rick-O-Shay III' 18-Mar-44; attacked by six Me109's, exploded and crashed Sth of Lahr/Schwarzwald, Germany after only three men baled out....
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Military | Mascot
Scrappy was presented to the crew while training in U.S. and accompanied the boys on their transatlantic flight to England.
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Aircraft
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 4/9/43; Gr Isle 3/10/43; Assigned 569BS/390BG [CC-R] Framlingham 7/10/43 MISS LACE, then PINKY III; to HONEY CHILE; transferred RAF [SR387]; 214 Sq BU-G Sculthorpe, Nfk. 21/1/44; No1699 FLT [4Z-Z]; Written off 13/11/46.
Locations
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Military site : airfield
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...