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340th Bomb Group 488^th and 489^th Bomb Squadron

B-25 Photos from Charles Cook’s Photo Collection

(unless noted otherwise)

Edited by his son Doug Cook (Last Update Sept. 27, 2014)

My father was a B-25 pilot in the 487^th Squadron. I have always assumed that my father personally took these photos since I remember him saying that he mixed his photo chemicals in unlabeled wine bottles. One time he used the wrong bottle confusing developer for fixer and ruined a roll of film. I have seen some of these photos in other collections (http://www.warwingsart.com/12thAirForce/planes13.html ) so I have to assume that Dad shared them or the men swapped photos.

References:

http://warwingsart.com/57thWing/340thBG/489BS/index.htm

http://members.northrock.bm/~ehetzel/b25names.html

These B-25 Bombers were primarily B-25 J Models.

340TH BG 488TH BS SN 43-27622 – 8A

(photo from Dominique Taddei /NARA)

340TH BG 488TH BS SN 43-33990 – 8B and 8P

(photo from Dominique Taddei /NARA)

340TH BG 488TH BS SN 43-27(312?) – 8D Belly landed

340TH BG 488TH BS SN 43-27551 – 8H

(photo Dan Setzer via Dominique Taddei: “1^st Lt William B. Pelton died with his crew March 16th 1945 just after the take-off of the 8H 43-27551.

Only the body of the tail gunner S/Sgt Lawrence W Kahl was found. The plane is under the sea at 90m deep.”

340TH BG 488TH BS SN 43-4055 – 8M

(photo from Dominique Taddei /NARA)

340TH BG 488TH BS SN 43-4025 – 8Q

Madge

(photo from Dominique Taddei /NARA)

340TH BG 488TH BS SN 43-4023 – 8U

P-47 escorts from 345^th FS

(photo from Dominique Taddei /NARA)

P-47 Thunderbolts from 350^th FG 345^th FS Corsica

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Da_gbVd6nzM

340TH BG 488TH BS SN 43-4023 – 8U

(photo from Dominique Taddei /NARA)

340TH BG 488TH BS SN 43-4023 – 8U and 8P “Old Ironsides”

(photo from Dominique Taddei /NARA)

340TH BG 488TH BS SN 43-27708 – 8V

BATTLIN’ BETTY

340TH BG 488TH BS SN 43-27708 – 8V and 8J

(photo from Dominique Taddei /NARA)

Battlin’ Betty in flight formation (photo from Dominique Taddei /NARA)

340TH BG 488TH BS SN 43-327703 – 8W

DURATION PLUS

340TH BG 488TH BS SN –327630 – 8Y

LIL SCOOPER

This photo credit Dominique Taddei and Joe Kline (his father under the star)

b25_belly_landing_Lil_Scooper

Charles Cook’s photos

B25_belly_landing_8Y

From Dominique Taddei and Franck Allegrini: Calvi Ile Rousse, Lozari Beach- The pilot was Lt Charles Horton from the 488th BS 340th BG , he was carrying the 340th BG musicians band Orchestra to the Napoleon Bonaparte Hotel for a ball at ïle Rousse North West coast of Corsica. He made a mistake and was thinking that the field was the Calvi landing strip, so when he realized that it was only a plowed field, he put the wheels up and unfortunately the speed was not enough to climb, he had to belly land.

340TH BG 488TH BS SN UNKNOWN

LIL’ CRITTER FROM THE MOON B-25J

The original name was Milk Run, but the CO had a fit because of the implications, so he changed the name to go with the Andy Cap character. This plane actually went down and the next one he named after my mom: Arlene. Sent from Gordon R. Ainsworth (son of S/Sgt Gordon Ainsworth)

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340TH BG 489TH BS - SN 43-35984 - 9B

LEGAL EAGLE

340TH BG 489TH BS - SN 43-27653 - 9C

RUTHIE

With 108 missions completed, this aircraft was one of the survivors in the 489th BS, 340th BG. Losses during the battles over the Po River Valley and Brenner Pass were high during the interdiction campaign these units conducted. The 489th BS lost 75 aircraft (three times its assigned strength) while was flying out of Alasan, Corsica, either because they didn’t return from missions or couldn’t be repaired after limping back.

340TH BG 489TH BS - SN 43-27638 - 9D

BRIEFING TIME