303rdBG

[billrunnels]

This is the control tower of the 303rd. If you look close you can see one squadron on the runway and squadrons each side on the taxi lanes, all waiting for take off on a mission.

 

[Crimea_River]

Great shot Bill. Do you have a photo collection from your service days and is this one of them?

 

[billrunnels]

Great shot Bill. Do you have a photo collection from your service days and is this one of them?

I do not have a personal collection. Personal cameras were not to be used for security reasons but they were. This shot is from the 303edbg collection.

 

[Crimea_River]

Too bad. I enjoy seeing veterans' pictures as they lend a personal touch to those times.

 

[Gnomey]

Great shot Bill!

 

[airminded88]

Amazing picture Bill.
As far as my imagination goes when I try to visualize all those B-17s/B-24s taking off for a mission; it could never match witnessing those epic moments like you did.

 

[billrunnels]

Amazing picture Bill.
As far as my imagination goes when I try to visualize all those B-17s/B-24s taking off for a mission; it could never match witnessing those epic moments like you did.

If interested go to YouTube "303 BG B-17 Flying Fortress UK 1943 8th AF". This short clip is of my Bomb Group. You can get a feeling for "tight formation" flight. The perils are reflected at the end of the clip'

 

[airminded88]

I will most definitely check that YouTube clip Bill, Thank you.

 

[pbehn]

One thing never put across in movies that used original locations is that when the war was underway almost every building was new, and not always completely finished. Great picture Bill.

 

[Tim Moore]

Really enjoyed the clip. (You have to put a space between "303" and "BG" for the search to pull up the right clip; otherwise you get a bunch of videos of the "Sally B".) Saw some other nice 303 BG videos on there as well.

 

[Airframes]

Great photo Bill.
Do you happen to know what those white objects are, which appear to be in front of the signals square on the field side of the tower ?

 

[billrunnels]

Really enjoyed the clip. (You have to put a space between "303" and "BG" for the search to pull up the right clip; otherwise you get a bunch of videos of the "Sally B".) Saw some other nice 303 BG videos on there as well.

Sorry for the error in the address. Glad you enjoyed the clip

 

[billrunnels]

Great photo Bill.
Do you happen to know what those white objects are, which appear to be in front of the signals square on the field side of the tower ?

I don't know. when enlarging the photo they look like bags. Could be filled with sand to fight fires?

 

[25Kingman49]

Hi Bill,
This link to the 303BG photo collection Photographs - Recent Additions may help members here as well.

The white objects are a mystery, a couple more shots of the control tower here Molesworth Control Tower but the resolution is too low to identify these objects.

 

[airminded88]

Really enjoyed the clip. (You have to put a space between "303" and "BG" for the search to pull up the right clip; otherwise you get a bunch of videos of the "Sally B".) Saw some other nice 303 BG videos on there as well.

I noticed that too.
It's would give me vertigo watching those B-17s jumping up and down to keep a tight formation!
What a complex science daylight strategic bombing was.

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Bill and Scott.
It looks like they might be on short poles - wonder if they're lamps, to give runway direction for any night landings ?
If so, I haven't seen that before.

 

[billrunnels]

Thanks Bill and Scott.
It looks like they might be on short poles - wonder if they're lamps, to give runway direction for any night landings ?
If so, I haven't seen that before.

There is another pile of them on the other side of the control tower near the ambulance and trucks containing liquids to fight fires. Could be flags to put around crash locations to alert landing aircraft?

 

[Airframes]

Could be - makes more sense than lamps. Could be marking soft ground maybe.

 

[javlin]

That's interesting Bill love to see more as time permits Sir