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World War II Aircraft and Personnel

Images of military pilots and technicians working on aircraft during World War II, showcasing their dedication and the machines that played crucial roles.

Camera technician at work on camera in nose of Lockheed P-38. CORSICA. 7 August 1945.
Camera technician at work on camera in nose of Lockheed P-38. CORSICA. 7 August 1945.
173 assets in this story
LT. Mary Jorgenson, a pilot with Fighter Squadron 126 (VF-126, prepares to take Midshipman Cindy Mason. Mason, in the rear seat, on a demonstration ride in the TA-4 Skyhawk aircraft. Mason is participating in a one-week aviation training program for students enrolled in the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC). Base: Naval Air Station, Miramar State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)Public Relations Section, HQ BCCF, Japan -- Flight Lieutenant J.K. Adams of Cheltenham, Vic, after the trip. In background an Aircraftsman removes the parachute, and foreground, an Arm ourer, L.A.C. Fisher unloads the guns. Three picture were taken at the Australian Air base in Japan before the fighters took off for their first strafing mission to Korea on 3 July in support of the United Nations resistance to North Korean aggression, and on their return from the mission. July 08, 1950. ;PubliPhoto collection Service for army contacts Indonesia. DLC LOOK ALOOG Northern Padang / Visit American military mission to Padang / Mountain Red Cross Aircraft from Singapore in Padang / DS. Steinhart in Pasar Oesan. Tasseling red cross plane from Singapore in Padang. Right Dr. Wegener. October 25, 1947. Indonesia, Dutch East IndiesLjungbyhed Regiment, teacher and student before flight at F5. Aircraft SK25 built in Örnsköldsvik.USA/Japan: US Army Air Force Captain Robert L. Faurot after shooting down two Japanese Zero fighters New Guinea, 1942Aerial Mechanics and Flight Driver in front of Thulin A / Bleriot XI on Malmen, 1915 Group Law. An aerial mechanic and a flight driver in front of the aircraft Thulin A / Bleriot XI at the aircraft company at Malmen, 1915. In the background, a hangar is visible.Lieutenant Karlsson and Triplanet Portrait. Man and dog in front of aircraft Triplanet on ore. Flight Driver Gösta D: Son Carlson.NATO Airbase in France. Photographs of Marshall Plan Programs, Exhibits, and PersonnelA Pilot Of The 94Th Fighter Squadron, 1St Fighter Group Stands On His Lockheed P-38 Lightning At An Air Base Somewhere In Italy. September 21 1945.Air Ministry Second World War Official CollectionBrig. Gen. Howard M. Turner, C.G. of the 1st Air Division, U.S. 8th AF greets AF combat crewman on his return to England on Feb. 17, 1945 with U.S. soldiers who had been released from an internment camp in Switzerland. The repartriates arrived inA Meteorologist Prepares To Record Wind Direction And Velocity From The Weather Tower At An 8Th Air Force Base In England. 20 April 1944. 379Th Bomb Group.Sailor uniform (1990). A female sailor in the daily outfit.Fleet Air Arm Series, on Board HMS Victorious. September 1942. Fleet Air Arm pilot, S/Lt B D McMillian RNVR.Photo collection Service for army contacts Indonesia. DLC Arrival General S.H. Track on Kemajoran (24 August 1946). General Track is greeted by his wife and the Generals D.C. Buurman van Vreden and E.t. Kengen. August 24, 1946. Indonesia, Kemajoran, Dutch East IndiesThe Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" "Flyin' Hobo" Of The 381St Bomb Group Stationed At An 8Th Air Force Base Near Ridgewell, Essex County, England, 8 August 1943.Aircraft, Burma, India &MEDICAL,MISCELLANEOUS WarM/Sgt. Herbert H. Roberts, Rosebud, Texas Is Typical Of The Crew Chiefs Of The Eto. England.England - Smashing All Scoring Records For The 8Th Af And The Eto In The Individual Shooting Department, Capt. Robert H. Ammon Of Reading, Pa., A North American P-51 Mustang Pilot In The 359Th Fighter Group Commanded By Lt. Colonel William C. Clark Of RicChalles Les Eaux, Air Cadets Center. Photographs of Marshall Plan Programs, Exhibits, and PersonnelUS Air Force, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS & ALASKAPortrait, three lieutenants and a dog in front of aircraft portrait of three lieutenants and a dog in front of airplane Phönix C.i. on the ore.The aviator Francesco de Pinedo with the flight engineer Ernesto Campanelli in Rome at the end of a long trip, in 1925L to R.H.F. Broadbent and J.G. Croudace. January 01, 1931.A Pilot Of The 94Th Fighter Squadron, 1St Fighter Group, Poses By His Lockheed P-38 Lightning At An Air Base Somewhere In Italy.Crewmates Help Wounded Crewman From Turret of AirplaneThis portrait shows the German combat pilot Eduard von Schleich posing in flying suit in front of his aircraft albatros d.v.This portrait shows the German combat pilot Eduard von Schleich posing in flying suit in front of his aircraft albatros d.vA Pilot Of The 94Th Fighter Squadron, 1St Fighter Group, Stands Beside His Lockheed P-38 Lightning At An Air Base Somewhere In Italy.Pilot Major Cecil Powell and the X-24ABrig. General Gordon P. Saville, Commanding General of the XII Tactical Air Command helps American ground crewmen load aviation gasoline into a tank car that will take it to our most advanced air bases in Southern France.Men Of The 386Th Bomb Group Clean Snow From The Martin B-26 'Florida Fox' At Their Base In Beaumont, France, 14 January 1945.Detachment 101, an enigmatic Allied intelligence and special operations unit during World War II, played a pivotal role in the Burmese theater. Operating deep in the jungles of Burma, their mission was multi-faceted, encompassing guerrilla warfare, espionage, and sabotage against Japanese forces. Comprising a diverse group of individuals, from OSS agents to indigenous fighters, they effectively disrupted Japanese supply lines, gathered critical intelligence, and supported resistance movements.A plane director signals to the pilot of an Attack Squadron 122 (VA-122) A-7E Corsair II aircraft. Base: Naval Air Station, Lemoore State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)Insignia Of The China Air Task Force Fighter Command Is Being Painted On A Plane By Sargeant Larue. It Shows The Flying Tiger Of The American Volunteer Group Now Wearing Uncle Sam's Hat To Show He Is Fighting For The United States Army Air Force. The ChinTuskegee Airmen, African-AmericansFrancesco baracca. 1915-18. Lt. Miles E. Elliott, 604 Franklin St., Shelton, Wash., examines his North American P-51 where pieces of an exploding locomotive which he had shot up ripped it.Royal Air Force- Operations in the Middle East and North Africa, 1939-1943. Wing Commander R G Yaxley, Officer Commanding No. 117 Squadron RAF, seen here at El Adem, Libya. Yaxley was awarded an MC while serving with an RAF armoured car company before the war. By December 1940 he was a Squadron Leader, commanding No. 252 Squadron RAF flying Bristol Beaufighters in the Western Desert. When 252 Squadron aircrews merged with No. 272 Squadron RAF, he also commanded that unit until February 1942 and was awarded the DFC. Following his promotion to Wing Commander he was given the command of No. 117 Squadron in July 1942, flying Lockheed Hudsons in North Africa and along transport routes to Malta and West Africa. By the end of 1942, the Squadron was heavily involved in resupplying forward Army units in Libya as part of No. 216 Group's Mobile Operations Force and Yaxley was instrumental in resupplying a force of fighters at a landing ground within enemy territory (LG 125), from where they conduThe Shell-Scarred Tail Of This Lockheed P-38 Of The 339Th Fighter Squadron, 12Th Fighter Group, Verifies The Experiences Which Lt. D.W. Livsey Of El Cajon, California, Is Relating To Men Who Have Crowded Around The Crashed Plane At Vella Lavella, SolomonColonel Paul W. Tibbets, Pilot Of B-29 Superfortress, 'Enola Gay', Standing By His Plane Which Bombed Hiroshima, Japanesean. Marianas Islands.He Will Make Air Record Attempt -- Pictured in the cockpit of the Hawker Fury fighter which tomorrow (Thurs) takes off from London Airport in an attempt to smash the London-Rome and London-Karachi records, is 27-year-old Mr. Neville Duke, who will pilot the aircraft. The plane left langley airdrome, near Slaugh to-day, for London Airport, where it will be given a final check before leaving on the record bid. Mr. Duke if Hawker's Ne. E test pilot and holds the D.S.O., D.F.C., and two bare, A.F.C. and Czeeh Military Cross. The trip from London-Karachi is expected to take about 15 hours, but the pilot hopes to reach Rome two hours after leaving London. May 11, 1949.S/Sgt. Casimer A. Nastal, 4936-28th St., Detroit, mans a waist gun of the Boeing B-17 Flying ofrtress "Memphis Belle".Anefo photo collection. Colonel Poutchoulidzen (with hat) to Paris. March 4, 1964. France, ParisBenito mussolini. 1943The Australian Fighter Squadron in Action during greatest Daylight offensive since war started.Flight-Lieutenant "Paddy" Finance climbing from his spitfire after returning form the afternoon's after returning from the afternoon's operations during which he brought down three enemy fighters.These pictures taken at a fighter command station in England show the actual scenes as an Australian fighter squadron returned after taking part in the greatest daylight operations over enemy occupied territory since the war started. September 21, 1941.Close-Up Of Lt. Colonel Francis (Gabby) Gabreski, 25, Of Oil City, Pa., Who Shot Down 27 German Aircraft To Tie TheAll-American Record. In Addition To His Other Duties, He Is Commanding Officer Of His Squadron.Three women shipyard workers on their lunch break in Texas. Ca. 1940-44. World War 2. (BSLOC_2014_10_218)Rigged out in a complete winter outfit, Sgt Sydney S. Gash, Brevard, N.C., a combat crewman, plows through Italian mud on his way back to his tent. He is wearing two pairs of gloves and he needs them-in "Sunny Italy." Sgt Gash says he doesn't knowAmerican explorer, Admiral Richard Byrd, using a sextant aboard his flag ship, CITY OF NEW YORK. Photo was probably taken on the return from his First Antarctic Expedition in 1930 (BSLOC_2018_2_35)Detachment 101, an enigmatic Allied intelligence and special operations unit during World War II, played a pivotal role in the Burmese theater. Operating deep in the jungles of Burma, their mission was multi-faceted, encompassing guerrilla warfare, espionage, and sabotage against Japanese forces. Comprising a diverse group of individuals, from OSS agents to indigenous fighters, they effectively disrupted Japanese supply lines, gathered critical intelligence, and supported resistance movements.Britain to keep the Schneider Trophy - Flt. Lt. Boothman. October 23, 1930.England - Lt. Colonel John C. Meyer, Of Forest Hills, Long Island, New York, Sitting In His Plane. Note 26 Kills On His Plane - One Of The Highest In The 8Th Air Force.1st Lt. Richard M. Wright, fighter pilot for the 9th U.S.A.F., enjoyed Christmas in April, when he received gifts from his wife in Richmond, Ind. The pile of packages awaited him when he landed after participating in the history-making aerial battleMaj. Richard E. Turner, Shawnee and Okla. City, Okla., shown with his plane, "Short-Fuse-Sallee," with 9 1/2 enemy planes to their credit, scores again. Col. James H. Howard ofrmer "Flying Tiger," selected Maj. Turner to take over his squadron whenArmy Soldier Standing Guard during Nike Missile Installation, Lorton, Virginia, USA, photograph by Thomas J. O'Halloran, May 1955Group Captain Sir Douglas Bader, (1910 - 1982) was a Royal Air Force flying ace during the Second World War. He was credited with 22 aerial victories, four shared victories, six probables, one shared probable and 11 enemy aircraft damagedWorld War II (WWII) era photograph of US Marine Corps (USMC) Major (MAJ) Donald H. Sapp, taken at Russell Islands September 15, 1943. MAJ Sapp is an Ace Pilot credited with 11 kills. (Substandard image). State: Russell Islands Country: Solomon Islands (SLB)1930S 1940S Smiling Woman Airplane Pilot Mechanic In Coveralls Stand Working On Propeller Engine Looking At CameraCrack Shot -- Flight-Lieutenant John Adams, of Cheltenham (Vic.), who is with the RAAF 77th Mustang Squadron in Japan, has won two gunnery competitions against American airmen in the last nine months. He was described by US Far East Air Force Commander, Lieut.-General Stratemeyer, as being "the best shot in my command". July 07, 1950. ;Crack Shot -- Flight-Lieutenant John Adams, of Cheltenham (Vic.), who is with the RAAF 77th Mustang Squadron in Japan, has won two gunnery competitions against AmWorld War II, original caption: 'The Flying Fortress being admired here is the Yankee Doodle, Jr., which has the enviable record of having sunk a Japanese cruiser and a transport. The flags indicate Zeros shot down in the South Pacific combat', circa 1942.Man in a pilots helmet and goggles (EV005100_H)Close-Up Capt. Don S. Gentile Beside His Plane Somewhere In England.World War II, bomber pilot, Captain in a bombardment squadron, just before he climbs aboard his YN-17 bombing plane, from original caption: 'The kind of man Hitler wishes we didn't have.' photograph by Alfred T. Palmer, May, 1942.Artwork: "CAPT. Hank" Artist: Paul Calle. Country: UnknownA Nurses' Aid Who Also Flies And Parachutes -- Ann Cutler, 22, of Needham, Massachusetts, in the northeastern section of the United States pulls on the cords of her parachute during training. She not only is a licensed flyer but also a nurses aid, and one of the first candidates for the newly organized Massachusetts Civil Air Patrol's parachute corps of doctors and nurses. November 16, 1942. (Photo by Interphoto News Pictures, Inc.).The North American B-25 Mitchell Bomber 'Sweet Lorraine' Of The 81St Bomb Squadron, 12Th Bomb Group Stationed Somewhere In India.French Nurse Parachutists. Photographs of Marshall Plan Programs, Exhibits, and PersonnelThe Schneider Trophy Flight Preparations - Flight-Lieut. Boothman (on right) with Flight. Leiut. Stainforth. The pilots have been allotted to their respective tasks in the Schneider Trophy Flight. The 350 kilometres course will be flown by Flight-Lieut. J.N. Boothman in the S.1595 (S.B.6). Flight-Lieut. G.H. Stainforth has been selected to fly the S.6.B. seaplane, which will make the attempt to break the world's speed record over the course at the earliest possible date after the Schneider contest has taken place. October 23, 1930. (Photo by Central News).Pilot in a warplane during World War II.Leaving Kuala Lumpar by helicopter to see operations in the Malayan Jungle: Mr Duncan Sandys, Minister of Supply. En route to his visit to Australia, Sandys spent three days at the end of August visiting Army and Air Force units engaged in operations in Malaya. In Australia he visited the Woomera Rocket Range, a uranium mine in South Australia and had discussions with the Australian Prime Minister, on joint defence problems and sharing the cost of the atomic and rocket experiments in Australia021206-M-3031H-009. Base: Naval Air Station, Miramar State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)Cpl. Ruby I. Newell, Long Beach, Calif., selected as the most beautiful Wac in England in a contest sponsored by the Army newspaper "Stars and Stripes," stands beside the Boeing B-17 Flying ofrtress "Ruby's Raiders," named for her by the 385th