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"Waltzing Matilda" Australian Victory Loan Tour, Photos & Papers


rrobertscv
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Got this with the large grouping a couple of weeks ago. Lots of ID'd stuff. It is photos, papers and the itinerary of the "Waltzing Matilda's" Victory loan tour in Australia

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  • 11 months later...

Author Ray Bowden has a website titled USAAF-Noseart.co.uk with pages for a variety of aircraft name themes. He lists the City of Knoxville in the "City of" section but he does not have a photo of the plane. You might consider contacting him through his website to send him a copy to post there as well. I don't believe he is ne who would take a photo from this site and repost it without your permission.

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Author Ray Bowden has a website titled USAAF-Noseart.co.uk with pages for a variety of aircraft name themes. He lists the City of Knoxville in the "City of" section but he does not have a photo of the plane. You might consider contacting him through his website to send him a copy to post there as well. I don't believe he is ne who would take a photo from this site and repost it without your permission.

 

Yes, I have known Ray for years and I have been most cooperative in regard to providing him any 314th 'City of' that he needs.

 

Many thanks!

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Nice lot of 'stuff'! Always like to see anything from B-29s. Nice collection here.

 

I have a grouping from a 330th BG crewmember, and the 330th BG website is pretty jammed packed with information. Interestingly enough, they have the B-29 K38 "City of Knoxville" listed as Ernie Pyle as the other nose art.

 

Check it out here: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ny330bg/crews458.htm#810

 

Crew 810 - K-38 (44-69995) "City of Knoxville" aka "Ernie Pyle" completed 21 missions and multiple Air Medals. Here is the crew in Kansas. Front Row (L to R): FO Clinton Bailey Jr.(B), 1LT Robert Grady (Rad Ob), 2LT David Wohlgamuth (N), 2LT Donald Dubbins (P), 1LT James Walker (A/C) Back Row: SSGT Robert Reynolds (RO), TSGT Lauren McKenzie (CFC), SSGT William Millar (LG), SGT John Bauer (TG), MSGT Roy Jordan (FE), SSGT Carl Apostol (RG).

 

Maybe they renamed it for the tour?

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I am guessing you are right that the plane was re-painted for the Australia tour. If these are all the same plane, the photos show the US map with City of Knoxville in some and a map of Australia with the V on another. Waltzing Matilda would probably be a lot more popular among the Australians than Ernie Pyle.

 

Its also interesting to me that the only evidence of the plane's serial number is what was marked on one of the front tires.

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I am guessing you are right that the plane was re-painted for the Australia tour. If these are all the same plane, the photos show the US map with City of Knoxville in some and a map of Australia with the V on another. Waltzing Matilda would probably be a lot more popular among the Australians than Ernie Pyle.

 

Its also interesting to me that the only evidence of the plane's serial number is what was marked on one of the front tires.

 

i am the admin and historian for the 330th Bomb Group. The aircraft that became 'Waltzing Matilda' had a composite crew of mostly K-38 (44-69995) "City of Knoxville" aka "Ernie Pyle" personnel, but flew in a repainted K-54 (44-69774) "City of Patterson, nj" aka "Keohane's Kulprits", that was repainted for the tour. Not sure why.. maybe she had less mileage?

 

Here is the story, as I have it.

 

After the end of World War Two, under the authority of General Douglas MacArthur, General Jimmy Doolittle was charged with handpicking a crew to take a B-29 to Australia, so that Australians could see what the famous plane looked like and also donate to the War Bond drive.
They subsequently took an existing 330th Bomb Group B-29, B-29-60-BW of the 459th BS, K-54 "City of Patterson, NJ" aka "Keohane's Kulprits" (SN:44-69774). She was a war hardened veteran, then scrubbed her free of any of her 314th BW markings.
Then they repainted the aircraft “Waltzing Matilda” on the port side and in place of the ‘City of’ globe on the starboard side, they painted a blue globe with a map of Australia and of course, a kangaroo.
Next she needed a fine crew. They consisted entirely of 314th Bomb Wing personnel, with the exception of a PR Liason Officer from the RAAF, Flight LT Halse.
The crew of “Waltzing Matilda” was:
MAJ George A. Simeral (Officer In charge) 29th BG
1LT James. W. Walker (A/C) 330th BG
1LT Donald. G. Dubbins (P) 330th BG
1LT H. D. Price (FE)
1LT David A. Wohlgamuth (N) 330th BG
1LT J. J. Allen ( B)
1LT Maynard W. Almelling (Rad Ob)
SGT Romane (RO)
SGT Grant (LG)
SGT Basuiam (CFC)
SGT Pittenger (RG)
SGT William H. Harter (TG) 39th BG, 61st BS (P-32)
MSGT James M.Horst (Crew Chief) 330th BG
CPL Warren E. Nelson (Astnt Crew Chief) 330th BG
MSGT Horst has been with the Superfort since she left it's factory in America in January 1945.
Now ready to go by late September, they began their 42 day journey down south. Way down south. All the way down under.
The itinerary included every major city in Australia as well as many smaller ones. Even all the way to Hobart, Tasmania. Once in Australia they were feted by the dignitaries of all the cities they visited.
The tour began on October 5, 1945 in Perth and ended on October 31st in Garbutt, Townsville in Queensland.
The local newspapers in Townsville stated:
“The aircraft was stationed at Guam and from this base took part in 38 operational missions on large cities of Japan, including Tokyo, Osaka, Kobe, Nagoya as well as many of the small islands. She also took part in one P.O.W. Supply Mission and, on the occasion of the signing of peace at Tokyo, "City of Patterson" provided a portion of the air cover for that historic event.
In her flights over Japan, the Fortress had been damaged both by flak and also by enemy fighters.
Now renamed, “Waltzing Matilda”, she had a length of 98 feet, wing span of 141 feet, height to top of rudder 80 feet and a fully loaded weight of over 70 tons. She was equipped with four, 2,200 H.P. engines.
After completing her loan work at Cairns “Waltzing Matilda” would be flown back to Guam, but would first report to Brisbane where certain minor repairs would be carried out. Their takeoff point back to Guam will be was Garbutt.
This was the first visit of the crew to this country and they enjoyed their stay immensely.
Members of the crew— all of whom were eligible for return to service—were hoping that on reaching Guam they would receive orders to continue the journey to their heartland
For a detailed Google Map, i put together their journey;
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