https://www.flickr.com/photos/dougsheley/5904053970/
The dragon is the 676th BS logo, the 1941 Disney feature "The Reluctant Dragon"
Why the binocs? Above them is the Camera symbol for photo recon
http://history.blogs.delaware.gov/2015/09/03/world-war-ii-mission-symbols/
From India, the 676th planned to fly missions against Japan from advanced airfields in China.
However, all the supplies of fuel, bombs and spare parts needed to support operations from the forward bases in China had to be flown from India over The Hump. For this role, one aircraft from the squadron was stripped of combat equipment and used as a flying tanker. Each aircraft carried seven tons of fuel, but the amount that was delivered to China depended on weather, including headwinds and aircraft icing which increased the fuel consumption of the "tankers."
Thanks for the key to the mission symbols. I was wondering what the camel and top hat symbols meant.
ReplyDeleteMe too! I was thinking there ain't no way it's for shooting camels in the African campaigns... but I still haven't learned what the binocular and the parachute symbols mean (these might be a bit obvious, but it would be nice to get the accurate description) . Another symbol I'm wondering about (on another post) is the windmill. This symbol key doesn't even mention the purple heart under the bomb symbol (I already found out) so, it's clearly not complete on the common symbols.
DeleteThe insignia over the binoculars isn't a parachute, but an old-timey camera. You see the same insignia used by the Navy on their rank/rate patches for photographer's mates. I'd say it had to do with aerial recon photographing before or after bombing missions. Not sure what the binoculars mean exactly, but they would have to be related to recon.
ReplyDeletethe binoc are recon mission symbol, the camera then is photo mission symbol. Thanks!
DeleteI just found this page and I am so pumped about it ! My Grandfather Andrew (Dutch) Dombroskie flew on this plane ! I have a notebook he kept on him and wrote in everyday. I found a comment saying " we bombed the piss outta them today , with the H bomb " Yes an H bomb. If you never seen a video or photos of on, check it out
ReplyDelete