B-24 radio operator's in-flight doodles and radio messages

[Bob Hudson]

 

This is an interesting stack of documents from a B-24 radio operator who apparently served in the 528th Bomb Squadron, 90th Bomb Group. The few documents that are dated span April to Sept. 1945 in the Philippines.

 

Although this is post combat (mostly) in the PI, the same type of documents and notes would have been used in combat.

 

The images are very light so I have darkened a few after scanning.

 

The first two ID the units and the soldier:

 

 

[Bob Hudson]

These doodles give an idea about how he spent long periods of radio silence:

 

 

 

[Bob Hudson]

This notepaper tells about dumping stuck bombs during the Battle of Labuan, an engagement fought between Allied and Imperial Japanese forces on the island of Labuan off Borneo during June 1945. It formed part of the Australian invasion of North Borneo

 

[Bob Hudson]

Lots of note with operations info including radio frequencies and call signs for everything from PT boats to other aircraft and fields. Here's a few

 

 

 

 

[Bob Hudson]

Some have cryptic incoming radio messages, others have what look to be morse code practice, detailed area flight information for their part of the Phillippines, "Q" codes, etc

 

 

 

 

[Bob Hudson]

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[Bob Hudson]

I was assuming the dated documents were from non-combat flying but I just realized they were flying in the Battle of Labuan in June 45 - how about April 45, what kind of missions might they have flown then?

[phantomfixer]

The guy has talent...proportions are pretty darn good.....wonder if he ever followed up on his doodling...the Wildcat is cool...drawn from an odd angle...not the typical front side view...like a takeoff or landing

[WAHOOMAN]

Interesting read. I noticed on post #4, the writer wrote what I believe to be his his total flying hours of 9:10 for the mission. I have a diary from a former Jolly Roger that wrote all of his flying hours. He wanted to accumulate the required hours so he could go home. Thanks for sharing.

[Lee Ragan]

 

 

This is an interesting stack of documents from a B-24 radio operator who apparently served in the 528th Bomb Squadron, 90th Bomb Group.

 

:The 528th Bomb Squadron was assigned to the 380th Bomb Group, NOT the 90th. (Ref. " Combat Squadrons of the Air Force in WW2", by Maurer Maurer.

 

 

[phantomfixer]

I think he was reading the memo left to right, instead of as a column heading...in this pic from the first post

 

[EdwardJReed]

amazing! Great stuff, thanks for sharing!

[Bob Hudson]

 

One of the first pieces posted above shows Kussmann serving as radio operator aboard B-24 plane number 450405 (the aircraft'scall sign is same as last 4 of the number). At first I couldn't find any info on that airplane number, but I realized it was missing the first numeral, a "4" so the serial number is 44-50405, a B-24M-1-FO made in 1944. Her name was TEN HIGH. After the war it sold for salvage in the Philippines.

 

 

 

Chart from http://380th.org/HISTORY/PDF/aircraft-M-Types.pdf

[manayunkman]

I love the Hellcat drawing!

 

Very nice Bob

[Lee Ragan]

I love the Hellcat drawing!

 

Very nice Bob

That's a Wildcat. Hellcat's landing gear folded into the wings, not the fuselage.

[Bob Hudson]

Here's a note and operations info for a non-stop flight from Mindoro Philippines to Darwin Australia. It looks like they got lost and almost ran out of fuel. He writes:

 

Navigator miscalculated lost for 1 1/2 hr, Used all fuel 1/2 hr. left. Many storms, Islands, 1 plane sighted. Had upper turret pos. Very cold uncomfrtable. Would have been OK with warm clothes.

 

 

[Bob Hudson]

He served in three squadrons in the group: 528, 529, 530

 

[USARV72]

Bob, very nice group, guy was an artist.

[Dave]

That's a really neat bunch of paper...no doubt this was something that most aircraft had, but was probably all burned/shredded/tossed at the end of their time overseas or even after most missions.

[USCapturephotos]

Really interesting group!

Paul