8th Air Force
Eighth Air Force Bomber Command became the Eighth Air Force on February 1944, it oversaw bombardment of strategic targets in Europe until 1945.
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"Hell Cat" Lockheed/Vega B-17F-35-VE Flying Fortress s/n 42-5910, of 365th BS, 305th BG, 8th AF.
This aircraft was originally assigned to the 326th BS, 92nd BG and named "Ruthie". She was badly shot up by fighters on the July 4,1943 mission to Nantes but managed to make it back to Alconbury. After being repaired she was transferred to the 305th BG and renamed "Hell Cat". Ran out of fuel and crash landed at Hawkinge, England on September 15,1943. Scrapped two days later.
Photo taken at: RAF Chelveston (AAF-105), England,
Connections
Units
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305th Bomb Group Can Do
Group
The 305th Bombardment Group (Heavy), nicknamed "Can Do" was activated 1-March-1942 at Salt Lake City Air Base, Utah which was their primary training base until 11-Jun-1942 when they relocated to Geiger Field, Washington until 29-Jun-1942, then on to... -
92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured Few
Group
The 92nd Group sometime after arrivial in the UK converted to the role of in-theater combat crew indocrination and training. For this role, the Group traded its B-17F complement and obtained the B-17E, mostly from the 97th BG which was departing for... -
326th Bomb Squadron
Squadron
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365th Fighter Squadron
Squadron
Aircraft
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42-5910 'Hell-Cat' 'Ruthie' 'Homesick Angel'
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Long Beach 5/5/43; Denver 11/5/43; Dow Fd 31/5/43; Assigned 326BS/92BG [JW-N] Alconbury 6/6/43 RUTHIE; transferred 365BS/305BG [XK-N] Chelveston HELL-CAT 10/6/43; then 422BS [JJ-Z/N]; 858BS/8AFCC Cheddington 26/6/44; battle damaged Romilly 15...
Missions
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VIII Bomber Command 71
4 July 1943
The aircraft factories at Le Mans and Nantes, France and the lock gates and harbour facilities at La Pallice, France are the primary targets for this mission. The mission is comprised of three elements: ...
Locations
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Alconbury
Military site : airfield
Alconbury had been constructed as a satellite airfield for RAF Upwood and Wyton and was used by RAF Squadrons: Nos. 15, 40 and 156. In preparation for the arrival of American heavy bombers, the base was developed in 1942 with the runways extended. When... -
Chelveston
Military site : airfield
Chelveston was adapted and expanded in preparation for the arrival of American forces. Rather than heavy bombers, the first aircraft to fly from its runways were C-47 Skytrains that were flown by the 60th Troop Carrier Group in July 1942. The first...
Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 25 November 2015 20:10:38 | Al_Skiff | Created entry with caption, unit associations, place associations, aircraft associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:365th_Bombardment_Squadron_-_B-1... |
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