Flak-Bait at Beauvais, France in March of 1945. This plane now hangs in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC. It became the B-26 with the most missions flown in WWII. It was at the same base in France where dad was stationed and he believes he flew one mission on this plane with most of it's crew.
Pappy's Pram - This was Dad's plane and is believed to be the B-26 with the second most missions in WWII. This photo is at Beauvais, France; at the base where they were stationed. Having the second most missions does not get you into the Smithsonian, but instead, this plane was destroyed at the end of the war, just like most of the B-26s in Europe.3/15/1945
Saturday
Mission #28 - Flying constantly these days. Pathfinder is trying to develop a new technique for bombing so six of us were sent out today on an experimental mission. We bombed just behind the Remagen bridge head. We were only a small flight with no escort but managed to come back without being attacked. They always pick this sqdn. for pioneering every new development in bombing. That is a compliment to our record but also pretty dangerous.
Hi Mike, thanks for the info here about Pappy's Pram. I am researching this plane as I intend to build a large scale RC flying model of it, and was wondering if you had any more photos or information about the plane and the crew apart from what is written in the diaries here? It's amazing your dad was one of the crew!
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting your dad's war diaries, an amazing read...
Simon, thanks for your comments. I have more journal entries and photos that I hope to get posted real soon. I have been sidetracked with another project and need to get the rest of the journal typed and photos scanned.
ReplyDeleteDidn't know that about Grandpa's plane. That's saying something! Like he said, a compliment, but it's unbelievable any survived that many missions.
ReplyDeleteMy Dad, Lt. Richard Bailey, flew several of his 65 missions in Pappy's Pram when stationed in Europe in 1944 as a member of the 450th Sqdn, 322 Bomb Group. The 322nd moved from Braintree to an airfield in Beauvais, France, approximately 30 miles north of Paris, where they flew a number of missions in support of General George Patton’s breakout and surge through France. The 322nd was the original B-26 group of eight B-26 groups in the 9th Air Force. Although hesitant to talk about the war for many years, he now enjoys speaking to many different organizations, including veteran's groups and schools. My Dad would appreciate hearing from other members of the 322nd Bomb Group and/or the 450th Bomb Sqdn. I am fortunate he is still alive and kicking, living with me in Georgia.
ReplyDeleteI saw Pappy's Pram in a you tube video and wondered what the hell is a Pram. So I Googled it up and found this blog. I thought you might enjoy these videos. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_V3GLDdCb_g and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TJk1jqzjYU
ReplyDeleteThanks for the video links. So sad that such great planes ended up as scrap. By the way, a Pram is an English baby buggy.
ReplyDeleteI just found this wonderful blog today. I hope that all is well since it appears the entries stop in 2013. I have a photo of my late Father in law standing with another man "next to his ship" Pappy's Pram. I don't know what year it was taken or who the other man was but from the hash marks it appears to be earlier in the war. I do know that my Father In Law was stationed in both England and France and that he hated Orange Marmalade because everywhere they went in the war people would offer them orange marmalade as a treat.
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