And Somehow............They Still Flew On.......

[Persimmon]

View attachment 5076 Pictured here is the B-17 "Lazy Baby" after a crash landing. At a recent airshow I had the pleasure of meeting Robert Cinibulk, who was a waist gunner on the Lazy Baby. Robert recalled his 7th and final mission that was the Oct 1943 raid on the Schweinfurt ball bearing factory. This was the last deep penetration raid into Germany without the benefit of fighter escort. I listened for maybe 15 minutes absolutely riveted while he described the air battle that raged over Germany. Robert related that the Luftwaffe "threw everything they had at us" and only 3 aircraft of his original group of 14 B-17's were still airborne on the outward leg home. Ultimately the pilot, having lost 3 engines found a potato field just across the German border into Switzerland and put the Lazy Baby down. The surviving members of the crew were interned in Switzerland for the duration of the war. Robert however escaped and with the help of the French Resistance made it back to England. Here is a picture of Robert Cinibulk with his crew in 1943 (standing 2nd from left) and today at age 96. Sorry for the long post but it is an absolute honor to hear the stories of these men and what they did. View attachment 5078 View attachment 5077

Great story. Interesting in the group shot ... not a leather jacket in sight

 

[Silver Surfer]

outstanding, dover. thanx for the share.

 

[Pilot]

Watched these pics again over and over...
Hope my comming commercial flights can take as much burden ( in the unlikely event it happens...I wish it will not happen..) as these Boeing’s and others did...and made it back to the “cow planks “ or the deck.

 

[Flightengineer]

Il-2 landed after combat mission.

 

[Smithy]

This is a good one and demonstrates how tough the Jug was. Lt Canario of the 1st Brazilian Fighter Squadron hit a chimney during a strafing attack and knocked off over 4 feet of his starboard wing. Incredibly he made it back to base.

 

[B-Man2]

Surprisingly the landing gear, which was right near the damaged area was able to withstand the impact of the landing..... amazing!

 

[Smithy]

Surprisingly the landing gear, which was right near the damaged area was able to withstand the impact of the landing..... amazing!

The Jug is rightly remembered as one very tough aircraft Burt. I've got a few more pics of P-47s which have been through the wringer which I'll post up.

 

[Smithy]

Edwin L. King of the 347th FS got hit by flak which severed the main oil line which promptly caused the big, old Pratt & Whitney to spew oil all over the aircraft and pilot. King was able to make it back to base as well. Any other single engined fighter aircraft and the engine would have seized within a few minutes of something like this happening but that super big oil tank (nearly 29 gallons) on the Jug came in very handy.

King looks like he needs a bath and a couple of stiff drinks in the bar...

 

[B-Man2]

The look on this guys’ face says it all.
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot!!

 

[Smithy]

Utterly buggered Burt, that's what we'd call it back home.

After the terror of being shot at and then getting hit, and not knowing whether you could make it back. You can't see a thing because the engine is spewing out boiling oil over the aircraft and you have to open the hood and stick your head out in the hope of trying to see something, only to get hit by hot oil every time you try. The oil temp gauge is starting to climb alarmingly quickly, the revs don't look right and the engine is starting to make a sound you've never heard before. All the time trying to navigate back to base, and then to land in that kind of condition blows me away. And these guys did this with the possibility of this kind of thing happening, or worse, everyday.

I hope - and I'm very sure they did - that his squadron mates shouted him a lot of drinks in the mess afterwards.

 

[Pilot]

Utterly buggered Burt, that's what we'd call it back home.

After the terror of being shot at and then getting hit, and not knowing whether you could make it back. You can't see a thing because the engine is spewing out boiling oil over the aircraft and you have to open the hood and stick your head out in the hope of trying to see something, only to get hit by hot oil every time you try. The oil temp gauge is starting to climb alarmingly quickly, the revs don't look right and the engine is starting to make a sound you've never heard before. All the time trying to navigate back to base, and then to land in that kind of condition blows me away. And these guys did this with the possibility of this kind of thing happening, or worse, everyday.

I hope - and I'm very sure they did - that his squadron mates shouted him a lot of drinks in the mess afterwards.

They had balls like watermelons but made out of Rockwell steel...

 

[falcon_ib]

Some from the 350th Fighter Group in Italy

 

[B-Man2]

Every time I look at these photos I’m amazed that any of these planes could keep flying.

 

[falcon_ib]

That's the Thunderbolt for ya absolute tank

I'm sure everyone here has heard the story, but if not:

"Robert S. Johnson and the plane that simply refused to die" https://realhistory.co/2018/05/23/robert-s-johnson-p47-thunderbolt/

 

[tjoenn]

That's the Thunderbolt for ya absolute tank

I'm sure everyone here has heard the story, but if not:

"Robert S. Johnson and the plane that simply refused to die" https://realhistory.co/2018/05/23/robert-s-johnson-p47-thunderbolt/

Not me, thanks, what a story!!! Amazing!!!

 

[Pilot]

Wow!

 

[OperationCoffee]

Good thread! Hope it gets more contributions