Tidal Wave Footage Photos, 15th AAF and Luftwaffe, 'Black Sunday', 1 August 1943

No, but you can always use the excellent site: http://www.hartionline.ro

Dan

Thanks for the clarification , I know the photo on this B-24 with the chin made in Roumania, BOIL MAKER II had a similar chin made if you state that this one is Honkey Thonk Gal , is hard to distonguish eventhough you state different paints etc...I am awaiting for your back up, thanks for the posted chart on the women jail ...my US mates keep asking we on whether Jose Cariova crashed into the building from the west , sout , or west....I guess none knows the answer afetr 62 years


Alex

Victor

If someone would like to access the Roumanian State Archives and look for info on ARR and TW, would that be easely permitted? where are the Arhives located? how could someone reach them in order to arrange a visit? Maybe you know the answer given your strong historocal background and experiences

Thanks
Alex

Alex, I repet Boiler Maker II with romanian cammo had all glasses on the nose as original B-24. No aluminium sheet on Boiler Maker II nose front. Soon i will bring more lights about what confuse you.

Dan.

yES , I would like to see it

Alex

Green encircled area should be somewhere the prison location.
Delavrancea Street ( prior WWII) is Rudului Street.
If no one from Ploesti can help with street names around prison to find it (on new map) I will do it myself next trip to Ploesti.

Dan.

This post has been edited by Cantacuzino on February 02, 2005 02:40 pm

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Dan many many thanks. If you ever go to the prison maybe you can ask the director of the prison to try to seek old building files to give you details about the side of the building which was impacted by Jose Carioca though that may a mission impossible after 62 years and eventually the Roumanian State archives may have the clue for it...is worth trying anyway------also let me know when you receive the B-24

Alex

This San Diego built Consolidated Liberator carried the nickname Ball of Fire. The III to the port. At this time here Major Joseph Tate piloted the aircraft although it was to be later piloted by Frank Kilcheski and carried a dual nickname of War Baby. First test flown on 26 December 1942, the aircraft was delivered to the AAF four days later and subsequently flown by Lt.Tate on the 1st August 1943 Tidal Wave mission against oil refineries in Ploesti, Romania was damaged and diverted to Italy .

Alex

This post has been edited by alexkdl on February 02, 2005 05:27 pm

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One of the Mediterranean Theatre of Operation's (MTO) most famous B-24's was 'Strawberry Bitch'. Depicted here in the camouflaged desert pink scheme applied to North Africa based Liberators in 1942-43, it wears a command stripe around its fuselage. 'Strawberry Bitch' survived the legendary Ploesti Raid of August 1943. A combined Liberator force from the Ninth and Eighth Air Force left North Africa destined for the giant German refineries at Ploesti, dedicated to destroying as much of these as possible and handicapping the German ability to fuel its combat forces. Despite suffering heavy losses the mission was a massive success and inflicted vast amounts of damage on major portions of the oil fields. Of the one hundred and seventy nine Liberators that left forty three were lost and a further fourteen aborted. Five hundred and thirty two aviators lost their lives.

PS : Dan These are the two diecast TW models I have on B-24 collection
except the FLACK ALLEY of Alexander which was built by me

This post has been edited by alexkdl on February 02, 2005 04:24 pm

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The gunner station of the SB, I am puzzled that SB had a ball turret underneath its hard to see it on the SB exhibited in the US

Al

This post has been edited by alexkdl on February 02, 2005 05:18 pm

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SB exibitted in the US, couldnt find any side photo to see if it had a belly ball turret

Alex

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Here is the JERKS NATURAL which will be produced and which I expect to get sometime in March 05.

This Consolidated-built machine was amongst the first B-24s assigned to the 93rd BG, known as "Ted’s Traveling Circus" after its colorful CO, Col. Ted Timberlake. The cloverleaf worn by this machine denoted that the bomber had visited Northern Ireland to undergo modification, while the U-boat silhouette signified a claim of a German submarine sinking by the crew, while flying anti-U-boat patrols over the Gulf of Mexico in mid-1942. Flown to Alconbury in September 1942 as part of the first wave of USAAF B-34s to arrive in England, 41-23711 participated in the Ploesti raid of August 1, 1943 and was eventually lost during a mission to Steyr Austria in October of that same year,crew was lost

Al


This post has been edited by alexkdl on February 03, 2005 12:16 am

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Senor Al

When the 389th flew over the crash site of Wongo Wongo it was nothing but black smoke rising to a few hundred feet. Just guessing but I think we were at about
5000 feet at that point. Guess the Baron will have the exact height.

I wonder about radio beacons or light beacons as the Germans did land a few
troopers near the 376th to destroy the B-24s and I cant imagine any working
beacons that would guide them in.... I know the 389th area was always blacked
out as I can recall trying to find my way back to my tent after late show...

Most of the GIs were issued .30 Springfields to guard against German troopers
landing near our base and of course all planes were guarded at night. For the short time the 389th was at Bengasi I cant recall any planes coming back from a mission after sundown. I wasnt there for Ploesti, was having a nice slice 'of watermelon at a small cafe in Izmir. Hear "Utah Man', with Stewart at the wheel landed in the dark.... and the Cyprus planes landed at sundown.

Also, if there were any radio beacons the Lady Be Good could have homed in on them or at least get a good triangular fix...

Earl

JERK NATURAL, STRAUBERRY BITCH and simiar B-24's can be ordered at My Webpage

This post has been edited by alexkdl on February 03, 2005 12:21 am

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The photo bellwo depicts Ted Timberlake still Col. CO of TED's TRAVELLING CIRCUS while in IK ...Jerks Natutral was one his planes...Timberlake was promoted to Brig.Gen after Ploesti TW and later was a CO of 15th AF at Bari HDQ

Al

This post has been edited by alexkdl on February 03, 2005 12:33 am

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