Caught on Camera - RAF or USAAF?

Hello Pat

Well spotted - My initial thoughts were for Spitfires, but then as the pictures enlarged I have to agree with John and opt for the P47 - I agree about the sunshine reflecting off of the white invasion stripes - and I don't believe they are P.51's (RAF or USAAF!).

Now all we need is confirmation that this is how 6 P47's would fly in formation in enemy territory, or failing that, how 6 Spitfires would fly in formation in enemy territory!!

Having looked at the locations, which are definitely in the US sector, I now firm up on P.47's - I think it is too far into US dominated airspace for them to be RAF, or a "friendly fire" incident would occur, as it did off of the beachhead.

Regards

Allan

 

Hello Pat

I also thought of that - this is an extract from the ORB of 125 Wing (132/602/453) for 5 and 6 June, and the forum holds the 602 ORB on record, so it could well be RAF, and not USAAF, as 125 Wing is listed as operating over the American sector.

5/6/44

All maintenance of our squadrons was to-day handed over to Ford servicing wing. The Main Party is expecting to make their first move any minute now. Further uneventful convoy patrols were flown today by 132 and 453 sqdns. A certain amount of excitement was evident in the air this morning and when the Airfield Commander, Wing Commander Lapsley, D.F.C. and the Sqdn Commanders attended a conference at Tangmere at 11 hours speculation reached its highest peak at Ford while the conference was in progress. ‘“D” DAY should have been today’ said the knowing ones and added ‘But it’s been put off till tomorrow’ and for once they were right. On their return from the conference, Sqdn Commanders were given the order to open the sealed envelopes which had been issued to them. The ‘Top Secret’ document inside the package turned out to be the complete plan for the Invasion of France giving complete details as regards to the beaches to be stormed by the British and American armies. Complete instructions were also given with respect to Air Cover. 125 Wing were assigned the role of Low Cover (3 – 5,000 ft) over the Assault area. In fact the whole box of tricks was contained in the file with the pink cover which bore the title Joint Air Plan and Executive Order of Operation Neptune. It was hard to believe that the day had actually arrived and that in a matter of hours British and American troops would signalise the beginning of the end for Adolf by setting foot on the beaches of Normandy. Briefing of the three squadrons commenced at 2130 hrs. W/C. Lapsley, D.F.C. opened the briefing by outlaying the general plan of the invasion and the important part 125 Wing to ensure success for the troops assaulting the beaches. G/Capt. Rankin, D.S.O. and Bar, D.F.C. and Bar gave his pilots a message of encouragement and wished them good luck in their part of the operations which were to herald the fall of the Nazi Regime. Capt. Griffin, senior A.L.O. next gave the pilots a detailed exposition of the task confronting the armies of liberation, and referring to the map behind him outlined the various sectors of the Normandy coast which were to be taken. F/L Cripps, S.I.O. briefed the pilots and gave them in detail their orders for the morning of “D” DAY, the day for which we have all waited so long.

“D” DAY. JUNE 6TH

At 0800 the three sqdns. of 125 Wing took off to provide Low Cover in the Assault Area over the American Beaches of UTAH and OMAHA which covers the Eastern base of the Cherbourg peninsula across the mouth of the river Vire to point on the coast just East of Port en Bessin which is approx. due North of the town of Bayeux. Landings were observed proceeding satisfactorily at both the American Beaches. A destroyer was observed sinking off the Isles St. Marcouf approx. 10 miles N. of the mouth of the river Vire and two smaller ships in and around the same area were also seen sinking. Large fires were observed at St Mere Eglise and a smoke screen at St Honorine and three heavy coastal batteries were seen to have been put out of action in the area of these beaches….These patrols continued throughout the day, and the wing pancaked at base from the fourth patrol at 2320 hrs. after a strenuous day of flying 4 patrols of approx. 2 hours duration each. From the last patrol pilots reported that Port en Bessin was burning and that large explosions had been seen. 5 plus heavy tanks were also reported moving south along the road Bayeux-Tilly sur Seulles.
D-Day Wing Operations

On D-Day morning (and, I believe, repeated for the next two days) 125 (Fighter) Wing flew the following patrols: (please note that (a) it took 25 to 30 minutes to fly from Ford to Port-en-Bessin, the place that marked the border of the Eastern Assault Area and the Western Assault Area and the same length of time to re-cross the Channel (b) the times noted below are the times "on station", that is, times flying back and forth a few hundred yards off the coast and at about 2000 to 3000 feet). Officially designated the "Low Patrol EAA" (Port-en-Bessin to Cabourg and back)

Take off Time (Est.) Arrival on Patrol Departure from Patrol Landing Time (Est.)
08.10 08.40 09.30 10.00
13.10 13.40 14.30 15.00
17.20 17.50 18.30 19.00
21.30 22.00 22.50 23.20

I can make the tables line up in my copy - but not when it appears on screen!!??

regards

Allan

 

Hello Pat

Glad I pulled the right piece out of the 125 Wing ORB - hopefully one of our US friends can answer your question about whether they operated as fighter-bombers and "shotgun" escort. Having said that, once they had dropped their bombs they could then operate as escort for those who still had to!?

regards

Allan