Eye

Airfield
Eye, home of the 490th Bomb Group, photographed from the air. Image via Mark Brown, AFA. Written on slide casing: 'Eye from air.' media-395641.jpg FRE 6819 Eye, home of the 490th Bomb Group, photographed from the air. Image via Mark Brown, AFA. Written on slide casing: 'Eye from air.' Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 6819 - Eye, home of the 490th Bomb Group, photographed from the air. Image via Mark Brown, AFA. Written on slide casing: 'Eye from air.'

Eye air base was not a Class A base but was constructed to a less demanding standard by the 827th and 859th Battalions of U.S. Army Engineers in 1943 and was finished in early 1944. Unusually, a group of its hardstandings were on the other side of the road that serviced the base and so local traffic had to be stopped whenever aircraft were moving to and from those hardstandings. The B-24 Liberators of the 490th Bomb Group, and then their B-17s had to be mindful, when approaching the NW-SE runway from the south, of the ancient church at Eye, which carried a red obstruction light. NOTE: sold 1962-63; returned to agriculture and new industrial estate and business park since 1960s; Bomb Group natural gas pumping Station 1970s-date; EPR world's 1st poultry-litter fuelled power generating plant 1992-date; PP natural gas fired power Station being planned 2014. Second World War aircraft: B-24 1943-44; B-17 1944-45.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 490th Bomb Group 851st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 37127442
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 490th Bomb Group
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 353rd Fighter Group 490th Bomb Group 352nd Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18161871 / O-2062429
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 490th Bomb Group
  • Service Numbers: 12024433 / O-431241
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: IP
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 490th Bomb Group 851st Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier, Enlisted, Nose Gunner

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 338th Bomb Squadron
The nose art of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-38047) nicknamed "Fever Beaver" of the 100th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '238047.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Fever Beaver
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 490th Bomb Group 351st Bomb Squadron
A bomber crew of the 379th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-0003) nicknamed "Ol' Gappy". Printed caption on reverse: '.'70915 AC A crew of the 379th Bomb Group poses in front of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress "Ol' Gappy" at an 8th Air Force base in England on 12 June 1944.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: TOPPER/ Ol Gappy
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 490th Bomb Group 524th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Round Trip

Revisions

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Connected up all of the aircraft record that have 'Eye 490BG' in their biography field.

Date
ContributorJMMortenson
Changes
Sources

Family photo collection.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Barry Anderson, Army Air Forces Stations (Alabama, 1985) / Roger Freeman, Airfields of the Eighth Then And Now (London, 1978)

Eye: Gallery (87 items)