44-23614 | American Air Museum

44-23614 Hellza Dropin

French countryside, photographed through the nose of a P-38 Lightning of the 367th Fighter Group on landing. Image stamped on reverse: 'Not to be published 30 Aug 1944.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 31 May 1945.' [stamp] and '354528 .' [censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'P-38s over the Seine. No.1 of a series of pix taken through the nose of the P-38 as it comes in to land. Scherschel LIFE.'

media-456843.jpg FRE 10110 French countryside, photographed through the nose of a P-38 Lightning of the 367th Fighter Group on landing. Image stamped on reverse: 'Not to be published 30 Aug 1944.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 31 May 1945.' [stamp] and '354528 .' [censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'P-38s over the Seine. No.1 of a series of pix taken through the nose of the P-38 as it comes in to land. Scherschel LIFE.'

The view of the bombardier through the plexiglass nose of a Droop Snoot P-38 coming in to land. Note the bombardiers feet at bottom of frame. Roger Freeman Collection

Roger Freeman Photo.

Object Number - FRE 10110 - French countryside, photographed through the nose of a P-38 Lightning of the 367th Fighter Group on landing. Image stamped on reverse: 'Not to be...

P-38J Lightning field modified to 'Droop Snoot*' configuration. Assigned 97th FS, 82nd FG, 12AF, transferred to 393rd FS, 367th FG, 9AF, transferred to 392nd FS, 367th FG, 9AF.

* The 'Droop Snoot' field conversion entailed the removal of the nose armament and associated equipment to make room for a prone bombardiers position with the installation of a plexiglass nose, a Norden bombsight, side windows and an emergency hatch. The theory was for a formation of P-38's to drop their bombs on the formation lead 'Droop snoots' signal with the precision of the Norden bombsight ensuring the accuracy of the formations bombing. An idea championed by Lt Col Cass Hough and Lt Col Dan Ostrander.

Connections

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Units served with

367th Fighter Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Ninth Air Force
Type Category: Fighter

392nd Fighter Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Air Force: Ninth Air Force
Type Category: Fighter

393rd Fighter Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Air Force: Ninth Air Force
Type Category: Fighter

82nd Fighter Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Twelfth Air Force
Type Category: Fighter

Base Air Depot 3

People

Robert E Douglas

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 361st Fighter Group 374th Fighter Squadron
Highest Rank: Major

Events

Event	Location	Date	Description
Crashed	Cretteville, France	4 August 1944	Killed in Crash Cretteville/7mi NW A-14, Cat 5 damage, pilot Lt John R Northrop, 4-8-44.
Crashed	Cricqueville-en-Bessin, France	4 September 1944	Landing accident Criqueville/A-2 Cat 3 damage, pilot Lt Robert E Douglas, 4-9-44.
Manufactured	Burbank, CA, USA		Built by Lockheed as a P-38J.
Delivered	Long Beach, CA, USA		Delivered to USAAF.
Other Field modified			P-38J Lightning field modified to 'Droop Snoot*' configuration.