"Pretty Planes" AN INVITATION If you have a color slide of a beautiful 13th plane and would like to share it with the world, have a copy of it made or lend it to us for scanning. We prefer slides rather than color photos, but will consider photos if that's all you have. Email us at: info@3thbombsquadron.org 6th Chadwick 44-34364 The 13th always had a Chadwick starting in Australia in 1942. The 6th Chadwick, here, was badly damaged when the Commander flew through his own rocket blast, punching many holes in the nose and wings of the airplane on February 8, 1952. The airplane was repaired and put back in service. Later on April 7, 1952 while returning from a mission, the pilot, with a show of exuberance, proceeded to do a barrel roll. Noting that he had lost several hundred feet in the maneuver, he proceeded to do another barrel roll in the opposite direction to gain back the altitude he had lost. These maneuvers came as a surprise to the gunner who reported the activity to his boss. An examination of the aircraft determined that the wings had been bent and the aircraft was class 26ed (junked). The pilot in question was sent home in some disgrace without finishing his tour, but went on to become a M/Gen in the Air Guard. "Wheel" 44-34481 "Wheel" 44-34481 was lost on a night mission on February 20, 1952. The 13th always had a plane designated "Wheel" -- supposedly the Squadron Commander's plane. Others flew the plane. Nothing was heard from the crew of this "Wheel" after checking inbound to the target. Crew consisted of Warren Wisdom, Dave Sullivan and Charles Billingslea. 7th Chadwick 44-34698 In this case the 7th Chadwick was also the Wheel airplane. When the previous "Wheel" went down on February 20 and the "6th Chadwick" was wiped out, the new "7th Chadwick" was so pretty that the Commander had it designated as the new "Wheel". The series ended at the "request" of 5th Air Force when the "7th Chadwick" went down on August 8, 1952 with crew Robert Neighbors, William Holcomb and Grady Weeks. Able 44-34287 Able was the oldest and most loved airplane in the fleet, having served in combat in WW II. It received major battle damage several times and on one occasion was designated for the "Bone Yard". In late 1952 it was retired and returned to the states. Later it was rebuilt and given to Columbia, eventually being abandoned at the airport at Cartagena. Read "Old Able's" story. Baker 44-34309 A SHORAN equipped aircraft, identifiable by the round upper turret without guns and the post on top of the vertical stabilizer. This SHORAN bird is bombed up, safely secured, for the mission. Maybe expecting snow. Note the wing covers. Charlie 44-35939 Named "Noop Gnat II" by some comedian, Charlie was lost October 2, 1951 during a landing accident at Kunsan. Making a single engine landing, the nose gear warning light went red and the pilot attempted a single engine go-around. Asymmetrical thrust wrapped the airplane up and it cartwheeled, throwing Instructor pilot Jesse James from the airplane and killing passenger Richard Lang. Dog - "Brown Nose" 44-34552 In early 1952 "Brown Nose" was "class 26ed" (damaged beyond repair) when Harold Anderson, with the crew of Ed Lombard and Lucien Thomas, got into a hammerhead stall pulling off a target into the clouds. The airplane fell out of the stall and did a loop, and in the process bent the wing spars and twisted the fuselage. It was returned to the states, rebuilt, and served in Viet Nam as a B-26K. Fox 44-34374 Fox was lost on July 3, 1951 on a night mission. Donald Tegt had just checked in with a controller and gave his position. Other aircraft crews reported a crash in the area. There was no further contact with Donald Tegt, George Senior or William Watson. Fox 44-34316 When 6-gun Fox was lost on July 3rd, 1951 we got another Fox, this one with a glass nose. It isn't properly dressed yet... the background for Oscar on the right nose is prepared but Oscar hasn't arrived yet. No trim on the engine nacelles, but it does have the color on the tips and is a proper 13th plane. Item 44-35777 LeRoy Bain claimed Item as his own, with some help from navigator Donn Slocum. Too many of the aircraft had only a top turret -- nice for warding off attacking aircraft, but that just wasn't done in Korea. Well, maybe it was done a few times. Still, an upper turret could be used effectively when the plane was making evasive maneuvers departing from the attack. Able was the classic attack B-26 with both uppers and lowers. The gunner's job was to suppress anti-aircraft fire, usually after the attack had begun and the ground gunners learned the attack was in progress. Bain named the airplane "Devil Cat." Return to Planes Home Next