shelter in place attic find - Eagle Squadron

[Randy]

There is always the possibility he was at more that one training base, there were quite a few back then and most flew T-33s at one time. Here's a period 3560th PTW patch if there wasn't one with the rest of his things.

 

Randy

[Scarecrow]

Noticed in one of your photos of his training days in Canada the "Nuts To Nazis" plaque.  Here is a photo of Bob Mannix of 71 Eagle Squadron who has this same artwork on the back of his life jacket.  Bob, an American, also joined the RCAF and then posted to 71 Eagle Squadron.  Later he stayed in the RAF while most of his mates transferred to the USAAF and the 4th Fighter Group.  Bob was subsequently posted to 127 Squadron and later after attaining the rank of Squadron Leader, in October 1942, became the commanding officer of 33 Squadron. Unfortunately Bob was shot down and killed over Benghazi Libya in November 1942.  I had never seen this art work elsewhere before and had thought it was unique to Bob Mannix, until I saw the photo you posted.

 

[soninlaw71]

Awesome !!!

I as pointed out in my write up of Max’s time in the 71. Max had said that he and Bob were friends, and when Bob said he was volunteering for “overseas” duty,  Max volunteered too.

I had wondered if they had made the epic trip down and through Africa to Cairo together. 

When I posted the leopard kilt picture, I wanted to say that Bob is standing next to Max on the left in their stop over in Lagos, and now that I see your picture, I'm going to make the call that they did make the trip together. Max transferred out of the 33 to the USAAF shortly after Bob was lost and Lance Wade was called back to the States.

 

Max looked so young in that picture holding Bob’s shield I thought he was in Canada and missed the 33 on top ! 

 

They are most likely  in North Africa and possibly Cairo for the shield picture, as that does not look like the desert behind him. 

 

Thanks for seeing that detail !

[soninlaw71]

New find:

 

Max in love with his first airplane and flying, Washington DC.  1939/40

Back of photo, "There's nothing I can do about it"

Same photo session, Max with his collar up.

Also Max tailored-up for his job at the power plant.

[soninlaw71]

New wallet finds:

 

A bed  and entertainment, in Kartoum on his trek across Africa, 6/3/1942.  He was traveling in a DC-3

Also, trying to stay out of trouble in Cairo. 7/1942

[soninlaw71]

 

 

Just a heads up - The Maxwell collection is on auction at Bonhams as of July 28th:

 

Conflicts of the 20th Century

Online

Ending from: 7 Aug 2020 at 12:00 EDT.

 

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/26461/

 

Lot #24 Maxwell 

 

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/26461/lot/24/?category=list&length=101&page=1

 

Lot#13  His father’s gas mask

 

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/26461/lot/13/?category=list&length=101&page=1

[JakeTheSnake]

I'm a little late to this stream, wanted to make contact. After your father in law George Maxwell left the Royal Air Force, he joined up with the US Army Air Corps 79th Fighter Group, 86th (Comanches) Fighter Squadron. - There he met my dad, Everett (Jake) Chamberlain, ("Jake The Snake") and was assigned to the same group and squadron as my dad. In the 1990's, I joined the 79th Fighter Group Association, and met George at Andrews Air Force Base for lunch a few times. He was a great guy, and he told me many stories about my dad, and others about his own experiences. I've recently joined another online group dedicated to the history of the 79th Fighter Group, and found several photos of George there. These may have been posted by you, I don't know, but I thought I'd post them here too. - George Maxwell with his Crew Chief, in and on his P-40.