Photos Colour and Colourised Photos of WW2 & earlier conflicts
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The Crew of the B-17F "Hells Angels"
Left to right: M/Sgt. Fabian Folmer, Sgt. John Kosilla, Capt. Irl Baldwin, T/Sgt. Edward West Jr., Capt. John Johnston, Sgt. Wilson Fairfield and S/Sgt. Kasmer Wegrcyn.
Hell's Angels was a Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress used during the Second World War. It was one of the first B-17s in the 8th Air Force to complete 25 credited combat missions in the European Theater. Ultimately, Hell's Angels would go on to complete 48 missions without any crewman injured or being forced to turn back.
Hell's Angels was often considered the first 8th Air Force B-17 to complete 25 credited combat missions. However, recent research by Mick Hanou, president of the 91st Bombardment Group Memorial Association and historian Jeff Duford, a curator at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, has confirmed that a B-17F of the 323rd Bombardment Squadron, 91st Bombardment Group, serial number 42-5077 and nicknamed Delta Rebel No. 2, completed 25 credited combat missions on 1 May 1943, becoming the first B-17 in the European Theater to complete the feat, two weeks before Hell's Angels. Delta Rebel No. 2, was shot down during the 12 August 1943 mission to Gelsenkirchen, Germany, with six of its crew captured as prisoners of war and four killed in action.
Left to right: M/Sgt. Fabian Folmer, Sgt. John Kosilla, Capt. Irl Baldwin, T/Sgt. Edward West Jr., Capt. John Johnston, Sgt. Wilson Fairfield and S/Sgt. Kasmer Wegrcyn.
Hell's Angels was a Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress used during the Second World War. It was one of the first B-17s in the 8th Air Force to complete 25 credited combat missions in the European Theater. Ultimately, Hell's Angels would go on to complete 48 missions without any crewman injured or being forced to turn back.
Hell's Angels was often considered the first 8th Air Force B-17 to complete 25 credited combat missions. However, recent research by Mick Hanou, president of the 91st Bombardment Group Memorial Association and historian Jeff Duford, a curator at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, has confirmed that a B-17F of the 323rd Bombardment Squadron, 91st Bombardment Group, serial number 42-5077 and nicknamed Delta Rebel No. 2, completed 25 credited combat missions on 1 May 1943, becoming the first B-17 in the European Theater to complete the feat, two weeks before Hell's Angels. Delta Rebel No. 2, was shot down during the 12 August 1943 mission to Gelsenkirchen, Germany, with six of its crew captured as prisoners of war and four killed in action.
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A photo of Italian MC.200s on the Eastern Front in 1942. What is interesting is not only the camouflage and weathering but also the wall behind the second Mc.200 made of what appears as sticks and thick black plastic-like material which appears was being used as a form of blast wall, camouflage, and possible way to help reduce blowing dust and dirt that could damage engines or reduce visibility during maintenance and takeoff.
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Soviet mechanics service the engine of an ISU-3 heavy tank, 1945.
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German prisoners, some of them wounded, and British infantrymen resting on the roadside in Bouzincourt, Somme.
26 March 1918.
One of the German prisoners wears an M1915 Feldbluse and the same boots as the other three .... but oddly - a British Brodie helmet.
Bouzincourt was originally billeted by French troops but the British arrived in early 1916. Most farming families left in order to escape the bombardments that preceded the Allied offensive of July. They came back in the relative peace of 1917 but fled again with the German attack of early 1918 when Bouzincourt was once again on the front line.
German Spring Offensive 1918
On 21 March 1918, some 6,500 German guns and 3,500 heavy mortars opened up a terrifying five-hour barrage against the British Third and Fifth Armies on the Western Front. These armies were positioned to the left of the French front stretching for 70 miles from the Somme sector northwards to Flanders. Although the Allies knew an attack was imminent, where and how the main assault would occur remained unknown.
The German ‘Michael’ operation aimed to break through at the weakest point of the British Front, where Gough’s Fifth Army of 13 divisions (plus 3 cavalry divisions), would be overwhelmed by 43 divisions. Simultaneously 19 German divisions would attack General Byng’s Third Army of 12 divisions, which covered 42 miles of front on Gough’s left flank. On 21 March the ‘hurricane’ barrage was followed by mass infantry attacks spearheaded by fast-moving storm troopers who penetrated the weakened British defence. The Germans exploited the re-organisation of the British Army following the huge losses of 1917; divisions had been reduced in strength, and many battalions disbanded. Moreover, the Fifth Army had only recently taken over its sector and had little time to build adequate defences in depth.
The German assault tactics had succeeded so well that British casualties on the first day were enormous: 38,500 men, of whom 7,000 were killed and 21,000 captured.
(Photo Source - © IWM Q 8634)
McLellan, David (Second Lieutenant) (Photographer)
Colourised by Doug
26 March 1918.
One of the German prisoners wears an M1915 Feldbluse and the same boots as the other three .... but oddly - a British Brodie helmet.
Bouzincourt was originally billeted by French troops but the British arrived in early 1916. Most farming families left in order to escape the bombardments that preceded the Allied offensive of July. They came back in the relative peace of 1917 but fled again with the German attack of early 1918 when Bouzincourt was once again on the front line.
German Spring Offensive 1918
On 21 March 1918, some 6,500 German guns and 3,500 heavy mortars opened up a terrifying five-hour barrage against the British Third and Fifth Armies on the Western Front. These armies were positioned to the left of the French front stretching for 70 miles from the Somme sector northwards to Flanders. Although the Allies knew an attack was imminent, where and how the main assault would occur remained unknown.
The German ‘Michael’ operation aimed to break through at the weakest point of the British Front, where Gough’s Fifth Army of 13 divisions (plus 3 cavalry divisions), would be overwhelmed by 43 divisions. Simultaneously 19 German divisions would attack General Byng’s Third Army of 12 divisions, which covered 42 miles of front on Gough’s left flank. On 21 March the ‘hurricane’ barrage was followed by mass infantry attacks spearheaded by fast-moving storm troopers who penetrated the weakened British defence. The Germans exploited the re-organisation of the British Army following the huge losses of 1917; divisions had been reduced in strength, and many battalions disbanded. Moreover, the Fifth Army had only recently taken over its sector and had little time to build adequate defences in depth.
The German assault tactics had succeeded so well that British casualties on the first day were enormous: 38,500 men, of whom 7,000 were killed and 21,000 captured.
(Photo Source - © IWM Q 8634)
McLellan, David (Second Lieutenant) (Photographer)
Colourised by Doug
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In my opinion - Marines watch F4U Corsairs drop napalm on Chinese positions. Chosin Reservoir, Korea, 1950
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26 March 1945, Wesel forest, Germany.
GI's of the 1st Battalion, 120th Regiment, 30th Infantry Division pass a M24 Chaffee, probably of the 744th Tank Battalion, in pursuit of the fleeing 116th Panzer Division.
The front hull of the M24 is covered with dirt from burst sandbags, indicating it had engaged the enemy.
Note the M7 rifle grenade launcher the soldier on the right is carrying. The M7, was a 22 mm rifle grenade launcher attachment for the M1 Garand rifle and saw widespread use throughout World War II. The M7 could fire grenades up to 200 metres (220 yards), compared with the maximum of 30 metres (33 yards) achieved by a hand-thrown grenade.
Colourised PIECE of JAKE
U.S. Signal Corps - U.S. National Archives
File:111-SC-270975 - A
GI's of the 1st Battalion, 120th Regiment, 30th Infantry Division pass a M24 Chaffee, probably of the 744th Tank Battalion, in pursuit of the fleeing 116th Panzer Division.
The front hull of the M24 is covered with dirt from burst sandbags, indicating it had engaged the enemy.
Note the M7 rifle grenade launcher the soldier on the right is carrying. The M7, was a 22 mm rifle grenade launcher attachment for the M1 Garand rifle and saw widespread use throughout World War II. The M7 could fire grenades up to 200 metres (220 yards), compared with the maximum of 30 metres (33 yards) achieved by a hand-thrown grenade.
Colourised PIECE of JAKE
U.S. Signal Corps - U.S. National Archives
File:111-SC-270975 - A
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Agree thats from Korean War
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Battle of Rosières (Operation Michael).
A 6-inch Mark VII gun of the Royal Garrison Artillery in action near Hédauville, Somme. 26 March 1918.
(Photo source - © IWM Q 8629)
McLellan, David (Second Lieutenant) (Photographer)
Colour by Doug
A 6-inch Mark VII gun of the Royal Garrison Artillery in action near Hédauville, Somme. 26 March 1918.
(Photo source - © IWM Q 8629)
McLellan, David (Second Lieutenant) (Photographer)
Colour by Doug
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That would be tough duty re-laying the gun after every shot... assuming any kind of accuracy was expected.
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