226 articles
Squadron Leader Edward ‘Jack’ Charles (commander of No 611 Squadron) chalks up the Biggin Hill Sector’s 1,000th downed enemy aircraft, following a successful sweep over Normandy on 15th of May, 1943.
Charles shot down two FW190s, [...]
Beautifully shot image of US tanks of the 755th Battalion, awaiting the call to enter Coreno Ausonio, near Lazio, Italy, on the day of the town’s capture, May the 14th, 1944.
Rarely photographed Focke Achgelis Fa223 ‘heli-thing’ on [...]
On May 13th Ken Walsh of VMF-124 became the first Corsair ‘ace’.
Later that year he received the Medal of Honor. Citation below...
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in [...]
Salvage crews working on a Junkers Ju 88, brought down during the the Luftwaffe’s attacks on RAF airfields in France on 10th May, photo taken 12th of May 1940.
Hurricanes of British No. 237 (Rhodesian) Squadron RAF in the Middle East, [...]
Only in England...part one. In one of the more unusual ‘OTD...’ entries, two London firemen practice evacuation of animals in London Zoo in the event of being bombed; May 11th, 1940.
The Battle of Attu was the only land battle fought [...]
A definite theme running through the thread today.
Hill 937, so named because it is 937 metres above sea level, was the setting of a 10-day battle between US forces and the North Vietnamese beginning on 10th of May, 1969.
Better known [...]
This Blenheim MkIV (RAF 53 Squadron) was shot down 9th May 1940. The Blennie lost bearings due to ground mist on return from reconnaissance over Hamm and the Ruhr Valley. She was unable to locate the airfield and forced-landed at [...]
A real ‘OTD...’ favourite, the Brewster, here in Suulajarvi, Finland, 8th May, 1944. This BW 374 had 11 confirmed ‘kills’ and was shot down on 12th June 1944. Lt. Taisto Mattila (below) was killed in the crash.
Victory in Europe [...]
Republic P-47D-11-RE Thunderbolt coded T9+LK, a captured US fighter. This aircraft was flown by Zirkus Rosarius (special test pilot of the Luftwaffe, specifically of the Luftwaffe High Command, tasked with testing captured British and [...]
RAAF Lancaster (RF270 JO-V, slightly amended) taking off for a POW airlift to Juvincourt, France, 6th May 1945. It’s worth having a zoom in to some of the ‘graffiti’. Below, picking up some of the (now ex) prisoners.
On May 6th, [...]