Fokker E.III Eindecker, 408/15 Eduard Bohme
Fokker E.III Eindecker 408/15, Eduard Bohme, early 1916. Fokker E.III fitted with Heine propeller and early version I.M.G.08. Fuselage appears to be doped in 'straw' color common to Eindeckers (note, this was not clear dope over linen.) Click the gallery thumbnail...
Veterans Day 2022 – Harrison D. Golem
I could not have asked for a better second father or role model. CMSGT Harrison 'Bud' Golem served in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam, flew on B-25s, B-29s and AC-130s (among a multitude of other aircraft.) Bud retired from the USAF in '67, then did another 20 years as a...
Fokker E.III Eindecker, Ernst Udet, March 1916.
Fokker E.III Eindecker 405/15, Ernst Udet, March 1916. Later model Fokker E.III flown by Ernst Udet (62 total victories) at KEK Habsheim, France, March 1916. Fabric surfaces are painted 'Fokker Gray', and the lower fuselage is stained from castor oil leaking through...
F4U-1A (BuNo 17915) Major Gregory ‘Pappy’ Boyington, Commanding Officer, VMF-214
F4U-1A (BuNo 17915) Major Gregory 'Pappy' Boyington, Commanding Officer, VMF-214, Vella Lavella, January, 1944. This was a fairly new Corsair that Boyington flew on two fighter sweeps over Rabaul during VMF-214s second tour. This was the aircraft Boyington flew for...
Zemke’s Wolfpack P-47D wing spar
One of my favorite pieces in my collection of WWII relics is this main wing spar section (approx 6' long) from one of the P-47Ds lost by the 56th Fighter Group on September 18, 1944 in the Arnhem area. On September 17th the 56th Fighter group flew ground attack...
Jim “Pee Wee” Martin, 4/29/1921 – 9/11/2022
I am saddened to hear that my friend Jim "Pee Wee" Martin (G Company / 3rd Battalion / 506th PIR / 101st Airborne Division, D-Day, Operation Market Garden, The Battle of the Bulge) passed away yesterday September 11, 2022. Pee Wee was 101 years old and still attending...
Battle of Midway 80th Anniversary (Part 2)
80 years ago this morning, 15 TBDs launched from the deck of the USS Hornet to attack the fleet of Kido Butai. Led by John C. Waldron, all 15 aircraft were lost, with only 1 of the 30 men on that mission surviving. These men knew their aircraft were obsolete and had...
Battle of Midway 80th Anniversary
While there is nothing I could possible write today that would add anything of significant value to the incredible amount of published research on the Battle of Midway, I cannot allow the 80th anniversary of this momentous event in our national history to pass without...
SBD-3 Lt. (j.g.) Jack ‘Dusty’ Kleiss, Scouting Six (CV6)
SBD-3 BuNo 3232, Lt. (j.g.) Jack 'Dusty' Kleiss and radioman 3/c John John Snowden, Scouting Six, USS Enterprise (CV6), June 4, 1942. On the morning of June 4, 1942 Jack 'Dusty' Kleiss was flying one of 32 SBD-3s from USS Enterprise led by the Group Commander Wade...
SBD-3 Cdr. C. Wade McClusky, Commander of USS Enterprise (CV 6) Air Group
SBD-3 BuNo 4618, Cdr. C. Wade McClusky, Commander of USS Enterprise (CV 6) Air Group, June 4, 1942. Cdr. C. Wade McClusky played a major part in the Battle of Midway, with Admiral Nimitz saying McClusky's actions in locating the enemy fleet "decided the fate of our...