Scrounging around on ebay and came across this photo. Whats going on here?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lockheed-P38-Lightning-on-Barge-off-Normandy-Coast-1944-/171072320463
No idea why , but it is being ferried between two DUCKS. Interesting question, as it is doesn’t look like it is coming off a ship. And why carry the aircraft when it could just as easlily be flown.
Now that’s something you don’t see very often. If it was being brought over on a ship for some reason, wouldn’t they just land it on the Mulberry harbour.
One query, if this is off the Normandy coast in summer 44, shouldn’t it have D-day stripes.
Something to do with Peleliu according to this link;
http://chindits.wordpress.com/2011/06/13/peleliu/
“Here, two DUKWs perform a new role — as the pontoon propellants for an “aircraft ferry.” Under a system developed by the US Office of Scientific Research and Development, two DUKWs were joined at the center, allowing an aircraft (in this case a P-38 Lightning) to be positioned on the center span. Obviously the system could only work on calm seas. (Military History Institute)”
Another image here;
Is it possible that there wasn’t anywhere adequate or deep enough for them to be unloaded in the normal fashion?
That might make a bit more sense, especially if the nearest friendly air field was to far away.
If you look closely, it has the 42-43 stars, not the stars and bars, and the serial number looks closely to be 41-7511 which corresponds to a P-38F according to Joe Baugher. So it looks like 42-43 Pacific or Med delivery from ship to shore.
It is a picture of the testing of using the DUKW for a dry ferry. It was tested during Sept-Nov 1943. It was not used operationally. The new DUKW book by David Doyle covers these tests pretty extensively.
Seems like the seller needs to change his add a touch.
Cool thanks! I thought something wasn’t right when it mentioned Normandy. anything could fly from Britain to France.
Especially the P-38, because by then with the leading edge fuel tanks and drop tanks it had as long of, if not longer legs, than the P-51.
Another clue may be no invasion stripes.
Would make an interesting model though.
Yes certainly an intersting model… especially using the Italeri 1/35 DUKWs! But that is an early model P-38 with the more sharply angled chin intakes, and nobody does a large scale one of those…
World’s smallest aircraft carrier…
Mustangs as well.
“But that is an early model P-38 with the more sharply angled chin intakes, and nobody does a large scale one of those…”
Probably because they weren’t as good as the later models? Dive instability, compression, and all that.
Yeah, but those are the ones that flew the most famous P-38 mission, shooting down Admiral Yamamoto… they also participated in the Palm Sunday Massacre of the Luftwaffe transports to Tunisia… were the mounts where Bong & McGuire started their climb to the top… it was not as good as the later models, but it was a very good fighter and better than anything else in the AAF inventory in early 1943.
That’s partially becaues my grandma helped make them at Lockheed. [;)] My mom has this really cool pinkish heart-shaped medallion with a gold P-38 inside that her mom gave her.
Nice!
Clearly it’s designed to make the Ducks go faster.