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490th Bomb Group

Group

  • The insignia of the 490th Bomb Group.

    The insignia of the 490th Bomb Group.

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  • Nose art of a B-24 Liberator (serial number 44-94866) nicknamed

    Nose art of a B-24 Liberator (serial number 44-94866) nicknamed "Red Hot Riding Hood" of the 490th Bomb Group at Eye. This aircraft was transferred to the 15th Air Force in December 1944, where it served with the 456th Bomb Group.

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  • Airmen of the 490th Bomb Group and their friends relax in the Officers Club. Printed caption on reverse: '70066 AC- Several men of the 490th Bomb Group and their friends relax in the main lounge of the officers club at an 8th Air Force base in England. 1 March 1944.' Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Incorrect, probably 91.'

    Airmen of the 490th Bomb Group and their friends relax in the Officers Club. Printed caption on reverse: '70066 AC- Several men of the 490th Bomb Group and their friends relax in the main lounge of the officers club at an 8th Air Force base in England. 1 March 1944.' Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Incorrect, probably 91.'

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  • A bomber crew of the 490th Bomb Group with a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number ) nicknamed

    A bomber crew of the 490th Bomb Group with a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number ) nicknamed "Lotta Stern". Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Picture taken February 1945. Crew of "Gotham" C-Charlie. 851st Squadron, 490th Bomb Group 8th AF. 1st row kneeling left to right: Robert Showalter, ball turret gunner, Norman Borgman, tail gunner, Milton Sanford, radio operator, Gordon Handrell, flight engineer, Russell March, waist gunner. 2nd row standing, left to right: Chas Molloy, navigator, John Smith, co-pilot, Gerald Leland, pilot, Donald Nate, bombardier.'

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  • A flight of B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 490th Bomb Group. B-17 (serial number 43-38728) is visible in the foreground. Image via Robert London. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'AC markings 490 BG.'

    A flight of B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 490th Bomb Group. B-17 (serial number 43-38728) is visible in the foreground. Image via Robert London. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'AC markings 490 BG.'

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  • A B-24 Liberator (serial number 44-40466) of the 490th Bomb Group flies information with other Liberators during a mission to France. Printed caption on reverse: '53167 AC- Sky Giants- Here is a close up of two B-24 Liberaotrs of the US 8th AAF as they winged their way to strike a military target behind the enemy's lines in France recently. US Air Force photo.'

    A B-24 Liberator (serial number 44-40466) of the 490th Bomb Group flies information with other Liberators during a mission to France. Printed caption on reverse: '53167 AC- Sky Giants- Here is a close up of two B-24 Liberaotrs of the US 8th AAF as they winged their way to strike a military target behind the enemy's lines in France recently. US Air Force photo.'

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  • A flight of B-24 Liberators of the 490th Bomb Group. Plumes of smokes rise up from the ground behind and below them.

    A flight of B-24 Liberators of the 490th Bomb Group. Plumes of smokes rise up from the ground behind and below them.

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  • A crashed B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 43-37995) of the 490th Bomb Group. Official caption printed on image: '(GAD-37-5-490)(13-12-44)(A/C 995- B-17-B)(Crash).'

    A crashed B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 43-37995) of the 490th Bomb Group. Official caption printed on image: '(GAD-37-5-490)(13-12-44)(A/C 995- B-17-B)(Crash).'

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  • The fire damaged nose of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 43-38112) of the 490th Bomb Group. Official caption printed on image: 'ISAD-15-Nov-44 (3062)( 14 PU. Fire Damage B-17G-43-38112, Eye) RZ.'

    The fire damaged nose of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 43-38112) of the 490th Bomb Group. Official caption printed on image: 'ISAD-15-Nov-44 (3062)( 14 PU. Fire Damage B-17G-43-38112, Eye) RZ.'

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  • Three B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 490th Bomb Group fly in formation. Image via TV Ivie.

    Three B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 490th Bomb Group fly in formation. Image via TV Ivie.

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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.

Structure

Part of
  • 13th Combat Bomb Wing

    13th Combat Bomb Wing

    Wing

  • 93rd Combat Bomb Wing

    93rd Combat Bomb Wing

    Wing
    Although equipped with B-24 aircraft, I believe that association with 2nd BD/AD is in error. Moreover, the Group had converted to B-17 before the designation of the 2nd Air Division. The Group carried 3rd Bomb Division markings throughout its combat...

Encompassing
Previously was
Not yet known
Became
Not yet known

Missions

  • 412

    14 June 1944
    Mission #10. Bombed an airfield south of Brussels. Bob Martin flew in place of Hussong.

  • 426

    20 June 1944

  • 456

    6 July 1944

  • 8th Air Force 760

    24 December 1944
    1. Decision. ...

Stations

Station Location Date
Based Eye 26 April 1944 – 24 August 1945

Connections

People

  • Arthur Abale

    Military | 490th Bomb Group

  • Albert Aband

    Military | 6677 | 490th Bomb Group

  • Arthur Abate

    Military | Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade) | Tail Gunner | 490th Bomb Group
    Killed in Action (KIA). Member of Kline crew in B-24H Carpetbagger, 42-50386, which was shot down by ME 110 south of Paris at 0200hrs. T/O from Harrington, site of crash Les Trois Mares, Oise. MACR 6991.

  • Douglas Abbey

    Military | Clerk, General | 490th Bomb Group

  • George Abel

    Military | 490th Bomb Group

  • Leigh Abel

    Military | 490th Bomb Group

  • Milton Abes

    Military | 490th Bomb Group

  • Martin Abramovitz

    Military | Welder, combination | 490th Bomb Group

  • Joseph Abshire

    Military | 490th Bomb Group

  • Ruben Aceves

    Military | 490th Bomb Group

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Aircraft

  • 42-38047 Fever Beaver

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 25/11/43; Kearney 6/12/43; Grenier 19/12/43; Presque Is 3/1/44; Assigned 351BS/100BG [EP-O] Thorpe Abbotts 9/1/44; 135m, transferred 490BG Eye 29/5/45; Returned to the USA 4185 BU Independence 21/7/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains,...

  • 42-40003 TOPPER/ Ol' Gappy

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Long Beach 1/11/43; Denver 27/11/43; Presque Is 11/12/43; ...

  • 42-61005

    C-46 Commando

  • 42-94784

    B-24 Liberator

  • 42-94812 'Little Warrior'

    B-24 Liberator
    Assigned to 850BS, 490BG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 862BS, 493BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) mission to Fallersleben; flak hit holed fuel tanks/lines causing conflagration, flames from cockpit to rear of bomb bay. Crew Lt's J.H. Hansen, S.A...

  • 42-94821

    B-24 Liberator

  • 42-94885

    B-24 Liberator

  • 42-98017 All Er' Nothin'

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Dallas 2/5/44; Kearney 16/6/44; Grenier 30/6/44; Assigned 849BS/490BG [W8-N] Eye 2/8/44; crash landed base with Eaden Whiteman 23/2/45 but repaired and back to operations; Returned to the USA Bradley 12/7/45; 4185 BU Independence 25/10/45;...

  • 43-37776 Heavenly Body

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 20/5/44; Kearney 31/5/44; Grenier 7/6/44; Assigned 849BS/490BG Eye [W8- ] 11/6/44; on routine navigation night flight 27/9/44 with Mike Primus, Co-pilot: Louis Deputy, Navigator: Rich Herman, Bombardier: Bob Simmons, Flight engineer...

  • 43-37884 PENSY-BELLE

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 1/6/44; Hunter 10/6/44; Dow Fd 30/6/44; Assigned 848BS/490BG Eye 1/7/44; Missing in Action Ludwigshafen 5/11/44 with Clarry Bridwell, Floyd Norman, Dick Colyer, Wendell Cole, Jack Provolt, Ed Longer, John Porterfield, Bob Joyce (8...

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Citations

U.S. Army Presidential Unit Citation

Air Force
8th
Type
Combat
Type category
Bombardment
Nicknames
Not yet known
Motto
Not yet known
Insignia
Not yet known
Aircraft used
  • B-17 Flying Fortress
  • B-24 Liberator

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
03 February 2016 06:44:47 Bluejay89 Changes to citations and mission associations
Sources

grandson of veteran on 490th bg
Date Contributor Update
01 May 2015 12:06:25 rossingtonj Changes to mission associations
Sources

Aircraft type added
Date Contributor Update
13 March 2015 15:26:25 rossingtonj Changes to mission associations
Sources

Type added.
Date Contributor Update
13 March 2015 15:26:12 rossingtonj Changes to type and mission associations
Sources

Type added.
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:42:46 AAM AAM ingest
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)

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