Military site : airfield
P-38J-10-LO Lightning (serial number 42-67959) of the 20th Fighter Group. Aircraft subsequently transferred to the 95th Fighter Squadron, 82nd Fighter Group. Aircraft lost near Munich, Germany 8 January 1945 after departing from Vincenzo, Italy. The pilot, James A. Garmon, was KIA (MACR 10941).
Photo Caption: - "The plastic nose of the Lockheed P-38 photo plane showing K-22 aerial camera with the lens shade of the camera visible. Italy". This is actually Lockheed P-38J 'Droop-Snoot*' Lightning 43-28352 'Lady Lou' 82nd Fighter Group, 15th AF, Vincenzo airfield, Italy early 1945. Either 95th, 96th or 97th Fighter Squadron. Plexiglass nosed and a lead bombardment A/C fitted with a Norden bomb sight for the bombardier. The access hatch panel sits on top of the nose and in this view the emergency escape hatch in front of the nose wheel strut is visible. Also clear in this view is one of the two additional windows let into the nose to let daylight into the nose section. NARA Ref 342-FH-3A24145-60245AC. * The 'Droop Snoot' field conversion entailed the removal of the nose armament and associated equipment to make room for a prone bombardiers/observers position with the installation of a plexiglass nose, a Norden bombsight, side windows and an emergency hatch. The theory was for a formation of P-38's to drop their bombs on the formation lead 'Droop snoots' signal with the precision of the Norden bombsight ensuring the accuracy of the formations bombing. An idea championed by Lt Col Cass Hough and Lt Col Dan Ostrander.
Close up of the nose of Lockheed P-38J 'Droop-Snoot*' Lightning 43-28352 'Lady Lou' 82nd Fighter Group, 15th AF, Vincenzo airfield, Italy early 1945. * The 'Droop Snoot' field conversion entailed the removal of the nose armament and associated equipment to make room for a prone bombardiers/observers position with the installation of a plexiglass nose, a Norden bombsight, side windows and an emergency hatch. The theory was for a formation of P-38's to drop their bombs on the formation lead 'Droop snoots' signal with the precision of the Norden bombsight ensuring the accuracy of the formations bombing. An idea championed by Lt Col Cass Hough and Lt Col Dan Ostrander.
1LT Robert D. Cutting 82nd FG - 96th FS = 15th AF
Vincenzo air field was a temporary airfield 9km west of Barletta in Puglia, Italy.
The airfield was built by the United States Army Corps of Engineers in late September 1943. It was used by Twelfth and Fifteenth Air Force fighter and light/medium bombardment units. Known units to have been stationed at the airfield were:
47th Bombardment Group, flying A-20 Havocs from 15 October 1943 until 10 January 1944.
82d Fighter Group, flying P-38 Lightnings from 11 January until 30 August 1944.
321st Bombardment Group, flying B-25 Mitchells from 14 January until February 1944.
1st Fighter Group, flying P-38 Lightnings from 8 January until 21 February 1945.
325th Fighter Group, flying P-51 Mustangs, July until 9 October 1945.
The last combat operations were flown in February 1945. It was then used by 542d Air Service Group until October 1945 when closed.
Not yet known
Group
The 1st Fighter Group were initially deployed to Britain in the summer of 1942 as part of Operation Bolero. After shuttling through a number of different bases in the UK, the Group was reassigned to the Twelfth Air Force in September 1942 and supported...
Group
The 82nd Fighter Group flew training missions from bases in Northern Ireland between October and December 1942. They then joined the Twelfth Air Force in North Africa, supporting the ground invasion of Tunisia, Sicily and Italy. Between October 1943...
Group
Military | Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade) | Aerial Gunner | 47th Bomb Group
Military | Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade) | Gunner/Armament Inspector/Armament Cheif | 47th Bomb Group
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Pilot - Squadron Commander | 47th Bomb Group
Military | Captain | Bombardier/Navigator | 47th Bomb Group
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 47th Bomb Group
Military | Flight Officer | Pilot | 47th Bomb Group
Military | Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade) | Communications Chief | 47th Bomb Group
Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Aerial Gunner | 47th Bomb Group
Military | Sergeant (Technician Fourth Grade) | 47th Bomb Group
Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Top Gunner | 47th Bomb Group
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 19/2/43; Salina 8/3/43; Smoky Hill 12/3/43; Assigned 348BS/99BG Navarin 6/6/43; Oudna 4/8/43; Tortorella 12/11/43; transferred 122BS/1FG Tunis 8/10/44, then Vincenzo, It.; taxi accident with Ed Clare at Salvaged Sota, It 26/12/44;....
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Lincoln 6/11/44; Dow Fd 26/11/44; Assigned 346BS/99BG Tortorella 6/12/44; t/o accident with Bob Fuchs, force landed Vincenzo A/fd, It 13/7/45; RetUS, Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Walnut Ridge 14/12/45.
P-38 Lightning
P-38 Lightning
P-38 Lightning
A-20 Havoc
A-20 Havoc
A-20 Havoc
A-20 Havoc
A-20 Havoc
270 Combat Missions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 18 November 2016 02:05:56 | 466thHistorian | Created entry with name, latitude, longitude, usaaf from date, usaaf to date, history and media associations |
| Sources | ||
http://www.forgottenairfields.com/italy/apulia/barletta-andria-trani/vin... |
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