Archive Allsorts (Catalina, Flying Fortress, Lightning, Spitfire, Storch and more)

[Daniel Cox]

Archive Allsorts

Is a collection of all sorts of second world war aviation pictures as revealed here using a variety of Public Domain archival images.

Fieseler Fi 156C-5 Storch

Fieseler Fi 156C-5 Storch, W.Nr. 4487 of Aufklärungsstaffeln 1 (Heer)/Aufklärungsgruppe 32, 1.(H)/32 at Kemijärvi, Finland during 15 September 1941.

Department of Aircraft Production Beaufort Mk VIII

During World War II, from August of 1941 through to August of 1944 Australia’s Department of Aircraft Production (DAP) built 700 Bristol designed Beaufort general-reconnaissance/torpedo bombers. Production of the Beaufort with a workforce of 23,800 was a tremendous industrial achievement for Australia’s fledgling aviation industry.

The DAP Beaufort which equipped seventeen operational squadrons, was the backbone of the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF’s) offensive capabilities throughout the war in the South West Pacific. Shown on this page are several DAP Beaufort Mk VIII aircraft during assembly early in 1943 at Fisherman’s Bend, Victoria. Of the aircraft seen A9-271, A9-273, A9-275, A9-277 and A9-279 can be identified. All of these aircraft were delivered to 1 Aircraft Depot of the RAAF, with A9-271 arriving during 22 March 1943, followed by A9-273 plus A9-275 during 8 April 1943. A29-277 and A9-279 were subsequently delivered during19 April 1943.

Wright R-1820-97 Cyclones for the Boeing B-17F-50-BO Flying Fortress

Shown above as captured by Office of War Information Photographer Andreas Feininger in December of 1942, are various Wright R-1820-97 Cyclone engines prior to fitting on Boeing B-17F-50-BO Flying Fortress bomber aircraft during assembly at the Boeing Aircraft Plant, Seattle, Washington, United States of America.

Lockheed P-38F Lightning

Captured by Office of War Information (OWI) Photographer Russell Lee during May of 1942 a United States Army Air Force (USAAF) mechanic can be seen at work upon Lockheed P-38F Lightning 41-7511 at Lake Muroc, California, United States of America.

Lend-Lease Fighters

Photographed by OWI Photographer Nick Parrino, the Commander of the USAAF in the Middle East, Major General Lewis Hyde Brererton, poses with 4 Voyenno-Vozdushnye Sily (VVS) officers from the Soviet Union, at Abadan in Iran during March of 1943. They are seen standing in front of the Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory (CBAF) built Vickers-Supermarine Spitfire FVB EP400, which was a British Lend-Lease aircraft, delivered to the VVS.

Also seen behind the Spitfire shown above is Curtiss P-40K-10-CU Warhawk, 42-10107 and an unidentified Bell P-39 Airacobra, all like the Spitfire were delivered to the VVS through Lend-Lease arrangements.

All of the above posted Public Domain images in this instance have been sourced from the following archives; SA-Kuva and the Library of Congress.

[Beard]

Great photos, thanks for posting.

[markjames68]

Amazingly sharp photos,!

[Daniel Cox]

Consolidated Model 28-5 PBY-5B Catalina

Aviation Ordnance Mate Jesse Rhodes Waller and the Consolidated Model 28-5, PBY-5B Catalina twin-engine flying boat FP179 ‘109’ of Navigation Department Squadron VN18D8-B during August of 1942 as captured by Office of War Information photographer Howard R. Hollem.

Although this image will be familiar to many, the squadron that operated this aircraft as photographed is not commonly known.

Navigation Department Squadron VN18D8-B, Training Squadron 18 Naval District 8 B was a squadron of the Air Intermediate Training Command, Eighth Naval District of the United States Navy that was located at the Naval Air Station Corpus Christie in Texas. VN18D8-B was one of two squadrons at Corpus Christie that operated Consolidated twin-engine flying boats. Aircraft belonging to VN18D8-B were assigned identification numbers 100 through to 199, while VN18D8-A was assigned the numbers 1 through to 99.

Catalina FP179 was manufactured at the San Diego, California plant by the Consolidated Aircraft Corporation for use by the Royal Air Force as a Catalina Ib, in order to fulfil the first of their Lend Lease contracts for PBY aircraft.

The above posted Public Domain image in this instance have been sourced from the Library of Congress.