My Grandfather, Frank Bradstock, flew on this B-29 as a flight engineer, he's on the left
He was in the 19th bomb squadron 22nd bomb group. March of 45 is when he went overseas and that's when Slave Girl was stationed at Tinian with the paint job along with Lady in Waiting.
Some of the planes were in the units with the 20th air force.
Also Slave Girl was even used with the 461 squadron 346 bomb group.
The last time he was on the plane is when the engines were on fire and with luck made back to the island of Guam.
Slave Girl and Lady in Waiting didn't fly any combat missions. They started arriving on Okinawa on Aug 8, 1945. This was between the time of the 2 atomic bombs being dropped.
If you want to see the incredible nose art far better: https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2019/09/interesting-lettering-choice-whoever.html
Frank Bradstock sent the Air Force Archives the crew photos.
They were staging for the mainland invasion of Japan. All the 316th wing aircraft were moved to Tinian to make room for the troop transport aircraft on Okinawa.
If you want to see the incredible nose art far better: https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2019/09/interesting-lettering-choice-whoever.html
Slave Girl? Oh, how times have changed!
ReplyDeleteYes, times have changed. There is no longer a genocidal war to eliminate the Japanese empire, we no longer throw nuke bombs, shall I go on? But you are wrong about the slave girl issue, though not in your neighborhood, the slave trade in young women is still going on. Hell, slave workers are building the middle east by attracting Indian labor, and taking away their passports. Not that you're supposed to be aware of world events, but, there it is
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