351st Bomb Group
351st Bomb GroupRelatively speaking 8th Air Force pilots and crews stationed at Polebrook in Northhampshire, England were better off than their 15th Air Force counterparts in Italy. There were paved runways, hardstands, enclosed hangers, warm barracks, heated Nissen huts, an Officers Club, base hospital, firefighter unit, base bar, theatre, gym, PX, mess halls and a station chapel. In times of war a lack of creature comforts can become a negative morale factor. It fell to the base CO to see that his men were well fed, properly clothed and housed to ensure the maximum effectiveness of the combat unit.
An overseas Army Air Corps station in 1942 was a version of little America. It took a lot of supplies and properly trained USAAF specialist personnel to fuel and arm 72 B-17s, issue their needed parts, dispatch aircraft and crews, perform critical repairs, pay, feed and clothe base personnel from the lowliest private to the base CO. Altogether Polebrook had over 7,900 personnel at its heighth.
SOCIAL LIFE
While overseas life
in war time cannot be called ordinary being stationed in England offered
many young men their first opportunity for travel and adventure. An Air
Corps station had its peculiar rituals, particular charms, its great challenges
and rewards. Some of the greatest unsung heroes in the war were the technical
specialists, aircraft
mechanics and armorers who worked 14 to 18 hr. days repairing, arming
and preflighting "their" planes.
Station social life
while relatively low key compared to civilian standards consisted of station
dances, parties, attending the base bar, weekend passes, festive holidays
and Squadron stand downs with time spent writing letters, listening to
music and playing cards. Those with money to burn spent time in Polebrook
at the King's Arms, Norwich in Norfolk, or taking jaunts to surrounding
Northants Air Corps stations both British and American (time permitting).
According
to a U.K. web source
"On 15 January 1943, the 304th Service
Group arrived at Polebrook and began preparing the airfield for the arrival
of the 351st Bomb Group. They were assisted by the 320th Service Squadron,
1052nd Ordnance Squadron and 166th Quartermaster Squadron. An advance party
of the 351st arrived on 15 April 1943, when a B17 landed with Major Milton,
Group Deputy CO, Major Bowles, Group Executive Officer, Captain Scott,
Group Intelligence Officer and other key personnel. The main force air
crews arrived the following day.
Prior to the start of the 351st's
operational missions, Colonel Hatcher, the Group Commander, and other senior
staff flew their first combat missions as observers with the 303rd Bomb
Group from Molesworth."
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Each combat air squadron
consisted of 18 B-17 "Flying Forts"
The 351st's Four Squadrons
equaled 72 aircraft
A B-17 had 10 crew
stations; four officers and six enlisted men
A typical medium range
mission involved flying 8 to 9 hrs, covering 1,300 miles @ 200 knots
How
much fuel did it take for a combat mission?
A typical mission
of 70 to 72 aircraft would consume 72,000 gallons of 140 octane avgas.
Most stations had two fuel tank farms in order to have sufficient quantities
on hand should the need arise.
How
much .50 Cal. ammo could a B-17 expend on a mission?
B-17G Model had 13
M2 BMGs which burned up 300-500 rounds each = 5,500 rounds
Each M2 weighed 128
lbs. and was made by AC Sparklite Division under license.
How
much engine oil could a B-17 use?
4
-1823 Wright Cyclone engines had a tank capacity of 37 gals. each =
148 US gallons
Many B-17 engines
were built by Buick Motor Div. of General Motors
Station Activities
Duties also consisted
of photo interpretation, additional crew training, gunnery practice, instrument
calibration, orientation, resupply, meal preparation, personnel evaluation,
visits to the Dispensary, refurbishing and maintaining station hacks, servicing
station vehicles, installing radios, changing tires, cleaning weapons.
It wasn't unusual for some crews to lend a hand in making needed alterations
like installing gun mounts, armor plate and new accessory parts e.g. aircraft
updates at the 447th
Sub Depot.
Support Units at Polebrook
11th Station Complement Carpenters, electricians, handymen maintained base buildings
This unit's sections also ran the radio shop, barber shop, gym, and base telephone system
201st Finance Section kept the pay and allotments flowing
252nd Medical Dispensary provided much needed medical care
304th Service Group presumed to have provided aircraft maintenance
447th Sub Depot performed miracles of aircraft maintenance and urgently needed repairs
854th Chemical Company issued gas masks, maintained oxygen, the fuel farm
1052nd Ordnance Squadron maintained .50 cal. machine guns and armed the aircraft
1061st Military Police Company kept order, provided base security, issued / checked passes
1629th Ordnance Supply & Maintenance Company kept bomb / munition supplies flowing
2098th Aviation Fire Fighting Platoon saved many a B17 crew from certain death
American Red Cross + Volunteers served coffee and donuts, good cheer, liaison w/ home
This was a very popular magazine at the PX
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Major Glenn Miller
POPULAR WWII SONGS Comin In On a Wing and a Prayer Shoo Shoo Baby White Cliffs of Dover Buy a Bond Song When the Lights Come On Again Station Images
A Precious Weekend Pass Coca-Cola at the PX Cooks in Mess Hall USAAF ambulance wagons 351stBG-Polebrook Memorial Ft. Lee Quartermasters School Red Cross Cards
A "Typical" Mission Day at Polebrook
01:30 to 02:15 Aircraft mechanics preflight engines, then ordnancemen load bombs.
01:30 At the mess hall cooks are preparing the morning breakfast meal.
02:45 Orderlies come round barracks to rouse assigned aircrew for the day's mission.
03:00 to 03:30 Mess Halls are open for a hot meal of pancakes, eggs, bacon, coffee, tea*
04:00 to 04:30 Target Briefing; "Admittance By Pass Only" with an MP at the door.
04:30 to 05:00 Pilots and Crew inspect aircraft, don flight gear, start engines,check radios.
05:30 to 06:00 Flight Leaders then Elements take off at close intervals & assemble.
Ground Personnel nervously watch their aircraft take off.
06:15 to 06:37 Box Formation is complete, all squadrons enroute to mission target.
07:00 to 07:30 Distance depending gunners man and test fire their weapons.
07:15 Unable to gain or maintain altitude two B-17s drop out of formation & return.
08:45 The first fighters attack from 3 and 12 o'clock, the ship fills with the smell of cordite as the TT gunner snaps off bursts from his twin .50s* most crew avoided liquids for obvious reasons
Duece and a Half 
BMG Manual
IMAGINE SOME GUY WAKING
YOU UP AT 2:45 A.M.!!
Briefing Room
These pics were sent to
me by a 351st member [ 351st in flight ]
351st BG Mission Related Links
508th
CO James Stewart Bio
Map
of Post-War Europe ETO [large file loads slowly]
The
Story of the Spot Jammers
Stress
on Aircrews in WWII
An
early war B-17 olive drab
Airman
wearing flak gear
Books
on Flak and Flak Towers [in English or German]
Luftwaffenflakhelfer
in Hamburg [flak gunner's assistant]
1942-44
Pilot-Airmen Training
Modern
era B-17 Restoration
Air
Combat and Battle Damage
History of the B-17 Model 299
Rob's 351st BG Unit History
Rob's
351st BG Links Page
