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

No Alex, the pictures were taken before Tidal Wave. But indeed are IAR 80's from 53sq.( mikey mouse emblem) and one of IAR 80 it's nr 109. Galea and Pop Horea were the romanian pilots in that series of pictures toghether with germans from I/JG4 for training purpose. ( In Denes book you can find a photo with them near a IAR 80 wing).
Dan.

Dawn, August 1, 1943, Stinger, launches for Ploesti, White IV. (Thanks to all subsequent posters who identified this ship).

This post has been edited by jbuchanan on February 03, 2005 05:20 am

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JIM

Stunning photos never seen before anywhere, I am very grateful on your contribution to revive TW and help put puzzles together after somany years

Thanks and stay in touch

Alex

Dan, thanks for the helpful information

Al

Could be STINGER Sn 41-11817 “H” Pilot Andrew W. Opsata
( I reversed the picture to matching the other pic. look at the missions number and the stinger draw artwork )

This post has been edited by Cantacuzino on January 28, 2005 03:52 pm

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Alex my dad flew with 376th to Ploesti and was under Col Compton, I went through your messages and photos, I must tell you I don't know any better place anywhere to find any better resources than yours. The 44th , 376th , 98th, 93rd and 389th don't even half of the stuff you've got on here.....I wana commend your work, please keep it up ...we are all grateful to you

Mike Bergan

Jim

I confirm what Cantacuzino mentioned is the STINGER in 100% of the 98th Bmb Grp safe return to Lybia

Lt Andrew Opsta
CP Louis Quaglino
N Howard LaLonde
B Donald DiCoscoe
WG Charles Quinlan
TT Paul A Nicholson
TG William Pimm
G John Gormey ( WIA by flack or fighters according M.Hill others claims no WIA)
WG John M.Oaks




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Here an interesting photo with Lt. Tache Baciu near "Monkey Tank Gal"'s wreck from Tidal Wave
(this photo is from Top Gun Magasine, nr.1/1999 - "Duminica neagră a Ploieştiului.Bombardamentul aliat din 1 august 1943" by Dr. Aurel Pentelescu)
>Locotenetul Tacke Baciu, care a doborât bombardierul B-24 Liberator (botezat de aviatorii americani "Monkey Tank Gal"); alături se observă distrugerile provocate de către aviatorul român.> this is written below

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Fratello

Many thanks for the stunning photos, it was called HONKEY TONK GAL I guess there were no monkeys involved when the airplane was christened, please post more photos from this magazine should they haven't been posted yet be posted yet.......Victor, Denes, Dragos, Dan do you have a photo in uniform or flying gear of the Lt Tache Baciu anywhere in your data base ?

and this is a map with the rute followed by american bombers over Romania on 1 august 1943. (Source:Idem)

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You can see photos of Lt. av. Dumitru 'Take' Baciu in flying gear on three photos included in my book on Rumanian Aces, Osprey: p. 37, top, p. 60, bottom and p. 67, bottom.

Gen. Dénes

This post has been edited by Dénes on January 28, 2005 05:25 pm

Here is a Tidal Wave's B-24 after a forced landing. (Source: Top Gun Magasine)
below is written> Aparatul B-24 Liberator, nevoit să aterizeze forţat căruia, ulterior, i-au fost aplicate însemnele româneşti (colecţia:"Constantin Bujor")

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the same B-24, but from another angle (Source: Idem)

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Fratello, can you crop the scans, so only the actual photo is shown? It saves valuable band width.

Gen. Dénes

Fratello_____ thanks for posting the fromation bombing run reconstruction, though be adviced that the chart is partially if not mostly containing errors...the 376th Bmb Grp of Compton did not start turning back to Ploesti at Buftea neither they ever overflew the target .....as a matter of fact the flew East of the target and dropped their bombs anywhere but the target ( target of opportunity as ordered by Gen Ent) and TEGGIE ANN dropped the bombs unarmed on a train and a small plant ( bombs didnt explode) than few of the 376th under Maj Apold flew from the North into the target and than West and South West ......people who flew at TW are are still alive say that the 376th Bmb who made the wrong turn to Bucharest they even didnt have the chance to bomb the refinaries ( read previous message of pilot Bob Sternfels of the SANDMAN). Fratello these photos of the HONKEY TONK GAL you just posted , I have also posted them previously

Al

This post has been edited by alexkdl on January 28, 2005 05:36 pm