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

Buna

Alex please continue your articles, I like them very much I am also Air Force officer in Roumania and your subjects make great pleasure and are profesionals about bombarding Ploesti in 1943. Rumania military aviatian historia is my topic interest since many years

Thank you , Mircea

[DIVISIONER was another avatar of alexkdl and was baned - admin comment]

This post has been edited by Victor on December 24, 2005 08:30 am

Hello Mircea

Many thanks for your comments and support.....as you noticed I elected to not respond this guy anymore as unlike him ,I have no interest to get personal at all neither I like his style as he was rather personal than making a point ......in any case what do you do at MK Air Base ? Pilot? Technician ? Admin ? I was many years in the Air Force myself

Thanks
Alex

B-24 D (ex BoilerMarkerII ) in romanian service. This is a 1:48 scale model of National Museum (made by a friend of mine Cornel Nastase ).



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Absolutely fantastic Cantacuzino, thanks for sharing. He did a great job.....is just a shame none knows where the BoilmakerII is today . I have build the TEGGIE ANN, HAIL COLUMBIA and THE FLACK ALLEY I put you attached one. If there are any other photos on dispaly at the Museum raid related or other pilot or personal recovered effects or items such as flight gear etc etc kindly send me some photos , you help will be greatly appreciated. If there is a way to get a IAR-80 or 81 model( desk or one to be build) I will be ready to trade it off with a Ploesti 15th AF footageVHS NTSC from the gun camera , BN and Pilot positions as well INTEL of the 15th AF or an other aircarft model .

Let me know , any many thanks again

Alex

This post has been edited by Victor on December 24, 2005 08:30 am

What I have is an original, over 60 years old print.
I have to find it and check for the personal emblem, as you requested.

Col. Dénes

Below you have "TEGGIE ANN" of a friend of mine Razvan Bujor.




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And also from National Museum 1:48, IAR 80 modeled by Dan Melinte.


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In the picture from the same museum it's a tissue map with Italy and binoculars from americans POW.


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A found the small village Bolovani on an old map ( 1937 ) but it was not in the Ploesti area but at SW of Bucharest near Gradinari village.

Here is the map with other Tidal wave B-24 crashed place on it : Butimanu, Ogrezeni.


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And the map with the PLoesti area with also the B-24 crashed places: Bilciuresti ( Barladeanu first victory), Nedelea. The airfield Targsor( IAR 80 )and more to search if you have good eyes.



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Cantacuzino, absolutely teriffic all the photos and details, many thanks...I am preparing some stuff for you this afternoon and gonna post it. As soon as I get the new Ploesti footages from Florida I gonna photo them and post them too.Your friend did a fantastic job on the TEGGIE ANN it came better than mine , though I spend over 3 weeks of work on the Flack Alley, TEGGIE and HAIL COLUMBIA of " Killer " Kane . I review the maps

Mulzumesc din nou,will be soon in touch


Alex

Lt.Anastasescu story for 1 august’43

“In the morning of 1st August 1943, I was on duty on the Pipera airfield, replacing my comrade Teodor Nicolaescu, who was at his sisters' wedding. After we took the planes out of the hangar we sat down in lounge-chairs relaxed and calm, because usually, the alarm duty was boring. At 10:25 we received the order to exercise "extreme caution" and at 11 o'clock we were in our seats. We sat there for two hours strapped in our seats and in the flying suits under a killing sun. At 13:20 we took off, but our orders were to fly at 200 m, which was very unusual, because at that altitude dog fighting is very difficult, if not impossible. It was a big surprise for us to see a compact formation of bombers underneath us: there were American B-24s.They were practically flying wing next to wing, like they were at a parade. I ordered the attack. When we got close to the bombers, a stunning tracer barrage unleashed. I had the impression that all of them were aimed at my forehead and I felt cold drips of sweat on my back. At 100 m I fired at part of the left wing where I knew were the fuel tanks, but nothing happened. To avoid the incoming fire from the machine-guns of the Liberator, I dove quickly and I almost crashed. When I managed to recover, the bombers were already under heavy fire from the AA artillery around Ploesti and some refineries were in flames. It was like hell. I closed up on the same B-24 and aimed for the same area of the wing, but still nothing happened. I came in for a third time and fired. In the same time I felt a powerful hit in my airplane. As I pulled up I saw the bomber going down in flames, but I was in the same situation. I opened the cockpit, but I was at 50 m and couldn't jump. I started to climb slowly, expecting to simply blow up in any second. I saw a B-24 coming at me, probably to give me the final blow. I was passing through horrible moments and couldn't bear any more. I didn't have any way out, so I decided to ram him and finish it quickly. He tried to avoid me, but was to late. I felt a powerful heat and then I woke up in the hospital"( English translation Victor Nitu)

And a nice diorama with Anastasescu IAR 80 nr.222made by polish modeler Artur Gołębiewski.



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And rom. Bf-109 Ploesti defenders versus Tidalwave.

On the right side in the picture Sgt. Encioiu Mitrica 53sq.( JG4 Vierte Staffel ) credited with 1 B-24 shot down on 1 august '43. His plane was damaged during the fight and made a bellylanding near the Pipera railstation.




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On 1 august '43 when the alarm was given, Sgt.Encioiu took off in the cockpit of Bf-109 "white 1" his squadron leader mount (Cpt.Toma Lucian ).

Here is the picture of the Bf-109 "white1" Mizil airfield '43. The standard RLM grey colours were green motlled overpainted. On the cowling is the 53sq emblem "Mikey Mouse riding a horse" ( C-2 Avatar )




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