8th USAAF Association?

[Gilles F.]

Hello,

 

I'm looking for a site of the 8th USAAF or the 56th Fighter Group Association.

Unfortunately, I can't find any. Does someone know one?

I need it for my research on Lt. Robert M. Stultz of the 62nd Squadron, 56th FG, 8th USAAAF.

 

Thanks,

Gilles

[kklinejr]

Gilles,

 

Here is ARMYAIR FORCE.com's forum on the 56th. There are a bunch of wonderful people on these boards who are usually more than willing to set you up. The associations are usually listed as well.

 

Ken

 

56th FG Forum

[2ad82recon]

Gilles my father is the 8thUSAAF Historical Societys UK President here in the England

 

Contact him at

 

Mr Gordon Richards

8th USAAF Historical Society UK Office

26 Chapelwent Road

Haverhill

Suffolk

England

CB9 9SD

 

He will send you all the details you need for membership and also the UK 56th FG contact details.

 

Regards

 

Lloyd

[Gilles F.]

Thanks for the information!

 

Gilles

[Hawk914]

my father is the 8thUSAAF Historical Societys UK President here in the England

Lloyd, I've been trying to find photos of two P-40Es which were supposedly used by the headquarters flight of VIII Bomber Command. Do you think your Dad would be able to help me out or point me in the right direction?

 

 

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[2ad82recon]

8th AF HQ....The one at "Pinetree" Buckinghamshire Steve ? or were they at an Air Division HQ ?

 

any further info on this ?

 

and i will get dad to check his resources..he is retired now so that will give him something to get his teeth into.

 

Regards

 

Lloyd

[Hawk914]

I dug out the info that I've collected on these P-40s... I should have done this to begin with!

 

This quote is from Mighty Eighth War Manual by Roger Freeman

 

No USAAF units sent to the UK were equipped with P-40s. Fifteen arrived in March 1943 for transfer elsewhere, but no other batches were received. Two P-40Es were acquired by VIII BC and used for fast liaison by the Hq Flight. One, 41-36028, crashed near Berkhamsted on 23 Sept 1942 killing the pilot. The other, 41-35934, remained with VIII BC during 1943.

 

 

It seems that both aircraft were destroyed in crashes. Here's some info compiled from various sources:

 

P-40E-1 41-36028 (originally RAF ET674)

 

Crashed near Berkhamsted, England Sep 23, 1942, killing the pilot William L. Knowles. Structural failure is cited as the cause. The aircraft is stated in one source as being based at Bovingdon.

 

P-40E-1 41-35934 (originally RAF ET580)

 

Used by Royal Aircraft Establishment, returned to USAAF Aug 10, 1942. Crashed at Bovingdon Oct 9, 1943. The pilot, Major Glenn E. Hagenbuch, was killed in the crash.

 

Major Hagenbuch had previously been Squadron CO of the 427th BS, 303rd BG. More info about him HERE, including a photo of the P-40 crash site.

 

 

Here's a photo and caption from the February, 2003 ish of Aeroplane...

 

 

This Warhawk is believed to be 41-35934, one of two P-40Es that served the Headquarters Flight of VIII Bomber Command, Eighth Air Force, based in East Anglia.

 

This is undoubtedly 41-35934, as the style of national insignia on the ship in this photo was not in use when 41-36028 was destroyed.

 

 

I hope this proves helpful, and I thank you for passing my request on to your Dad!

 

 

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