Alfred C H Sharp CBE DSO AFC
Military* The 'Droop Snoot' field conversion entailed the removal of the nose armament and associated equipment to make room for a prone bombardiers/observers 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.
RAF: - Plt Off (Probation): 16 Jul 1924, Plt Off: 16 Jan 1924, Fg Off: 18 Jan 1926, Flt Lt: 8 Oct 1930, Sqn Ldr: 1 Apr 1937, (Temp) Wg Cdr: 1 Mar 1940, (Temp) Gp Capt: 1 Mar 1942, Wg Cdr: 20 Nov 1942 [1 Oct 1941], Acting A/Cdre: 1 Feb 1943.
Appointed Deputy Chief of Staff, HQ 8th USAAF. 1-2-43.
Served as waist gunner on B-17 whilst 1st Air Division attacked Villacoublay. 14-7-43.
Served as waist gunner on B-17 whilst 1st Air Division attacked Hannover. 26-7-43.
On his return to RAF posting was gifted a new P-47 as a personal A/C, finding this not to his liking, managed to 'trade' it in for a new P-38 which he kept till 1947.
Awards CBE, DSO, AFC, SS, LoM[Cmdr]
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Division
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Combat organisation
- Unit Hierarchy: Headquarters
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Combat organisation
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
- Unit: Base Air Depot 3 Headquarters (Eighth Air Force)
Missions
- Date: 26 July 1943
- Date: 14 July 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India | 13 November 1904 | Born in Bangalore, India 13th Nov 1904. |
Other Retired |
1 February 1953 | Retired: 1 Feb 1953 | |
Died |
Baltimore, MD, USA | 1 February 1956 | Died: 1 Feb 1956 Baltimore, USA, having suffered a heart attack. |
Other Post RAF Career |
Boston, MA, USA | Executive Vice-President of Industrial and Management Associates Inc. in Boston, Mass. He later became Director of Sale for the Glenn L Martin Corporation. |