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Military site : airfield
Aerial photograph of Hethel airfield, looking south, the technical site with three T2 hangars is left, 16 April 1946. Photograph by No. 541 Squadron, sortie number RAF/106G/UK/1429. English Heritage (RAF Photography).
![Navigators of the 389th Bomb Group draw up a flight plan in the 'Peace Room' at Hethel, May 1944.
Image stamped on reverse: 'Keystone Press.' [stamp] and '323481.' [Censor no.] A printed caption was previously attached to the reverse, however this has been removed.](http://americanairmuseum.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/freeman/media-380331.jpg?itok=WUZBxAs8)
Navigators of the 389th Bomb Group draw up a flight plan in the 'Peace Room' at Hethel, May 1944. Image stamped on reverse: 'Keystone Press.' [stamp] and '323481.' [Censor no.] A printed caption was previously attached to the reverse, however this has been removed.
Personnel of the 492nd Bomb Group walk by P-47 Thunderbolts and a B-24 Liberator used as a flight assembly ship. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Parade Hethel.'
P-47 Thunderbolts, line up alongside a B-24 Liberator of the 492nd Bomb Group used as a flight assembly ship. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Parade Hethel.'
The wreckage of a crashed B-24 Liberator (serial number 44-40085) of the 389th Bomb Group at Hethel. Image via John Driscoll. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Radar hut Hethel. Hit by B-24 shot down intruder on 22/4/44.'
An airman of the 389th Bomb Group with the nose art of a B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-40506) nicknamed "Fightin' Sam". A B-24 used as a flight assembly ship is in the background to the left. Image via John Driscoll. Handwritten on reverse of duplicate print: 'Hethel Early 1944.'
Lieutenant-General Carl Spaatz, Lieutenant-General James Doolittle and personnel of the 389th Bomb Group, stood atop three B-24 Liberators, at a parade. 9th May 1944. Image via Robert Miller. Written on slide casing: '200 Missions review Doolittle & Spaatz, 389 BG.' The picture shows the presentation of the Distinguished Unit Citation to the 389th Bomb Group on 9th May 1944. The people shown are waiting for the display of colors and are from left to right: General Carl Spaatz, Commander US Strategic Air Forces in Europe; Colonel Robert Miller, Commanding Officer of the 389th Bomber Group; Lieutenant General James Doolittle, Commander 8th Air Force; Major General James Hodges, Commander 2nd Bomb Division; and Brigadier General Edward Timberlake, Commanding Officer 2nd Bomb Wing.
The nose art of a B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-50551) nicknamed "Delectable Doris" of the 389th Bomb Group Image via LR Ades. Written on slide casing: 'Fall of 1944, Hethel.'
Leon J Nowicki, and engineer of the 389th Bomb Group with the nose art of a B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-51233 nicknamed "The Bigast Boid". Image via LR Ades. Written on slide casing: 'Nov 1944 Leon J Nowicki.'
The nose art of a 389th Bomb Group B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-50452) nicknamed "Earthquake McGoon". Image via LR Ades. Written on slide casing: '389 BG Hethel, England. 1944'
Construction of Hethel airfield began in 1941, and was finished in late 1942. The number of hardstandings was increased from the planned 36 to 50 in 1942, in order to accommodate a full heavy bomb group. The 320th Bomb Group occupied the base for ten days in November 1942 before moving to North Africa. Elements of the 310th moved in in 1943, and in June that year, the 389th Bomb Group took up residence. Although assigned temporarily to North Africa and the Mediterranean, the 389th and its B-24 Liberators flew over 300 missions from Hethel. In May 1945, the airfield was handed over to the RAF, and it was closed in 1948.
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Group
The 389th Bomb Group, known in more familiar terms as "the Sky Scorpions", flew strategic bombing missions in B-24 Liberators from Hethel, England. They also sent detachments to join bases in North Africa at Benghazi No. 10, Libya, between 3 July 1943...
Group
HISTORY
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Squadron
Browse 18th Weather Squadron photographs and other documents in the 2nd Air Division Memorial Library digital archive here: www.2ndair.org.uk/digitalarchive/Dashboard/Index/60
Squadron
Squadron
Squadron
Squadron
Constituted 566th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 19 Dec. 1942. Activated on 24 Dec. 1942. Inactivated on 13 Sept. 1945. Campaigns: Air Offensive, Europe; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Air...
Squadron
567th Bombardment Squadron, 24 December 1942 - 13 September 1945
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Headquarters
Headquarters
Military | Lieutenant | Bombardier | 389th Bomb Group
'Little Gramper' B-24J/44-40085/EE:Z involved in accident at Hethel airfield described in Sky Scorpions p. 110-113
Military | Staff Sergeant | Gunner | 389th Bomb Group
Crew member B-24 Liberator 42-40773 564th BS, 389th BG, 8th AF, flew on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid piloted by Capt Edward L Fowble, returning safely to Libya. (**** This needs verifying as there is no evidence in any reviewed source...
Military | Technical Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 389th Bomb Group
Involved in a mid-air collision with a UC-78 while returning from an operational mission on 15 Mar 1944, B-24J #42-100351 was able to land at Hethel. RTD.
Damaged by flak and landed in Sweden on 6/20/44 in B-24 #4128787 INT
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 389th Bomb Group
Shot down by fighters and crashed at Uklei on 6/21/44 in B-24 #42-95145, Killed in Action (KIA).
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Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 389th Bomb Group
Prisoner of War (POW) Shot down by flak at Braunschweig on 8/5/44 in B-24 #4295184
POW
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 389th Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA). B-24J #42-51343 'Shazam'. Crashed after takeoff in cloudy weather with heavy icing. Cause not determined. No one survived .
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Co-Pilot, Bomber Pilot, Fighter Pilot | 389th Bomb Group
Edward Appel was one of the few Pilots who completed tours both in a Bomber Group (30 missions) and as a fighter pilot (17 missions) in the European Theater of Operations (ETO). His bomber was the B-24 Liberator the Latrine Rumor, B-24 (Number 42...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 389th Bomb Group
Homer Badgett was co-pilot on B-24 Serial 41-28713 of 389th Bomber Group / 564th Bomber Squadron, short on fuel on return from Badgett's 17th mission on 11 July 1944 to the Munich marshalling yards.
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 389th Bomb Group
Assigned to 566BS, 389BG, 8AF USAAF. TDY to 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Romania in B-24 42-40115 'Boomerang' 1-Aug-43; crash landed Romania. Prisoner of War (POW) MACR 159
Awards: POW, WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner | 389th Bomb Group
Irvine Balsam was Left Waist Gunner on B-24 #42-40747, shot down on 7 January 1944 on the mission to Ludwigshafen, Germany. Hit by fighters and with the cockpit on fire, some of the crew baled out before it exploded and crashed 1km NE of Vrigny (Loiret...
B-24 Liberator
Assigned to 566BS, 389BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) mission to Bremen, A/C severely hit by flak crew baled out 20-Dec-43. 10 x POW. MACR 1972.
B-24 Liberator
Assigned to 564BS, 389BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) mission to Berlin. Attacked by 15 E/A over Bremen on return journey. Lost about 10ft of port wing with both port engines knocked out and a fire started in the bomb bay, crew baled out, with...
B-24 Liberator
B-24 Serial 41-28713 of 389th Bomber Group / 564th Bomber Squadron, short on fuel on return from the mission of 11 July 1944 to the Munich marshalling yards. The plane exploded and crashed near Noyelles-lès-Seclin, about 5km southwest of Lille, France ...
B-24 Liberator
Assigned to 564BS, 389BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) mission to Bohlen. Hit by flak over target, #4 engine afire, ship dropped out of formation then set upon by 7 x Fw190's. Crew baled out. 13 x POW. MACR 5217.
B-24 Liberator
Assigned to 564BS, 389BG, 8AF USAAF. PFF A/C Leading 389BG. Failed to Return (FTR) mission to Pforzheim hit by flak, crash landed Arras. 1-Apr-44. 3 x EVD, 8 x POW, 1 x KIA. MACR 3596.
B-24 Liberator
Assigned to 564BS, 389BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) mission to Berlin, generator problems soon after take off compromised electrical system, on return leg noted fuel shortage, preparations for ditching carried out. Plane ditched in North Sea. 7...
B-24 Liberator
Assigned to 564BS, 389BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) mission to Ludwigshaven. Hit by flak just after bombs away, causing a fire in the bomb bay and taking out #3 engine. A/C edged out of formation and dove straight down exploding in mid air and...
B-24 Liberator
Assigned to 564BS, 389BG, 8AF USAAF. This was a "pathfinder" aircraft equipped with Aps-15 radar.
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B-24 Liberator
Damaged by flak over Politz, Germany and landed in Sweden on 6/20/44. Crew interned.
B-24 Liberator
On 7 July 1944, B-24 #4128824 'Sackwarmer' was involved in a mid air collision and crashed near Brumby, Germany.
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 27 September 2014 18:02:16 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Barry Anderson, Army Air Forces Stations (Alabama, 1985) / Roger Freeman, Airfields of the Eighth Then And Now (London, 1978). |
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