Military Historical Collections and Research
I have been collecting militaria for quite some time now, my main focus, other than anythig that has to do with my M37, is collecting militaria from European Theater of Operations (the ETO) during World War 2, specifically that which has to do with or pertain to the US Army Air Forces.
I have been collecting militaria for quite some time now, my main focus, other than anythig that has to do with my M37, is collecting militaria from European Theater of Operations (the ETO) during World War 2, specifically that which has to do with or pertain to the US Army Air Forces.
Contact me at creinemann@crwdesigns.com
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OFF AIR
One of the things I have always wanted was a man-cave, not the typical sports
bar themed one, or one that looks like a badly paneled bar from 1975. So Pam
and I built into our basement, a 1940's themed pub that looks like it might have
been an Officers club bar at Thorpe Abbotts Air Field in England serving the fine
men of the 8th Air Force. I tried to be as authentic and realistic as possible, so
I'll try and describe some of the cool features as you walk in from an Aircrew
members point of view.
It's June 2nd 1944, your mission today, code named "COVER"was to pound coastal defences on the ground in Pas de Calais, France with a maximum effort, only 7 FW190's to deal with 219 B-17's, your wing has been pounding the beaches off and on for three weeks, you think that soon it will happen- "INVASION".
The weather is a hazy, rainy, foggy English day, sounds of trucks, jeeps, and a few of the cyclone engines being run up for testing. Fresh off the mission, boots still damp and muddy from the walk from the de-briefing room to the bar, the first thing you notice, as you pass through the vintage leaded glass double doors of the pub, is the what is written above the doors. "Through these doors pass the finest men in the Army Air Forces".
Music is playing from a 1939 Philco floor model radio, was that last song Glen Miller or Tommy Dorsey?, never mind because "Green Eyes" has started and you think of your gal back home in the states. As you head over to the bar, you warm your hands by the fire burning in the fireplace; you glance around, looks' like the crew from the photographic unit stopped here first, and left one of the monster K-24 aerial cameras and aerial comparographs sitting on the mantel. You think "the Old Man better not see that or they'll be hell to pay".
You turn around at the sounds of more boots coming in through the doors, looking up you see someone has written "Kilroy was Here" on the door frame, large enough to be noticed. On one of the tables is copy of Yank magazine, and a copy of LIFE with General Hap Arnold on the cover. Over by the wash basin and table is an old typewriter, and still fresh with ink is a half-finished letter from one of the boys, writing the parents of his buddy, a waist gunner, who didn't make it back this time. You can't remember his name, just his nickname, "Wart"...no? Maybe? You just hope Wart made it to the ground ok..maybe a POW, but alive.
One of the crew chiefs left his coat hanging on the back of the chair, this guy, poor guy, his plane "Miss Adventure" didn't come back today, and no 'chutes were seen..."tough luck" you think. The kid behind the bar is a Sergeant, but hell he doesn't look old enough to shave, shoulders all bandaged up, he took flak over Kiel, and now during his convalescence, he is serving drinks. You ask for a scotch, and before the kid finishes pouring, you grab the glass and down the whole thing, and ask for another.
This glass you raise high to all the boys, and calmly and sincerely you toast with the glass, simply and to the point...."Fuck Hitler".
Then from the back of the pub, not dressed in the USAAF uniform at all, is a soldier, looking lost, he takes a long pull from the bottle, and says, "Oh, don't worry, we will!"
It's June 2nd 1944, your mission today, code named "COVER"was to pound coastal defences on the ground in Pas de Calais, France with a maximum effort, only 7 FW190's to deal with 219 B-17's, your wing has been pounding the beaches off and on for three weeks, you think that soon it will happen- "INVASION".
The weather is a hazy, rainy, foggy English day, sounds of trucks, jeeps, and a few of the cyclone engines being run up for testing. Fresh off the mission, boots still damp and muddy from the walk from the de-briefing room to the bar, the first thing you notice, as you pass through the vintage leaded glass double doors of the pub, is the what is written above the doors. "Through these doors pass the finest men in the Army Air Forces".
Music is playing from a 1939 Philco floor model radio, was that last song Glen Miller or Tommy Dorsey?, never mind because "Green Eyes" has started and you think of your gal back home in the states. As you head over to the bar, you warm your hands by the fire burning in the fireplace; you glance around, looks' like the crew from the photographic unit stopped here first, and left one of the monster K-24 aerial cameras and aerial comparographs sitting on the mantel. You think "the Old Man better not see that or they'll be hell to pay".
You turn around at the sounds of more boots coming in through the doors, looking up you see someone has written "Kilroy was Here" on the door frame, large enough to be noticed. On one of the tables is copy of Yank magazine, and a copy of LIFE with General Hap Arnold on the cover. Over by the wash basin and table is an old typewriter, and still fresh with ink is a half-finished letter from one of the boys, writing the parents of his buddy, a waist gunner, who didn't make it back this time. You can't remember his name, just his nickname, "Wart"...no? Maybe? You just hope Wart made it to the ground ok..maybe a POW, but alive.
One of the crew chiefs left his coat hanging on the back of the chair, this guy, poor guy, his plane "Miss Adventure" didn't come back today, and no 'chutes were seen..."tough luck" you think. The kid behind the bar is a Sergeant, but hell he doesn't look old enough to shave, shoulders all bandaged up, he took flak over Kiel, and now during his convalescence, he is serving drinks. You ask for a scotch, and before the kid finishes pouring, you grab the glass and down the whole thing, and ask for another.
This glass you raise high to all the boys, and calmly and sincerely you toast with the glass, simply and to the point...."Fuck Hitler".
Then from the back of the pub, not dressed in the USAAF uniform at all, is a soldier, looking lost, he takes a long pull from the bottle, and says, "Oh, don't worry, we will!"
Flying Fortress Inn and Pub
HISTORICAL NOTE:
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): The role of the heavy bombers from 2-5 Jun in preparation for the invasion of Normandy on 6 Jun includes continuation of attacks against transportation and airfield targets in N France and the institution of a series of blows against coastal defenses, mainly located in the Pas de Calais coastal area, to deceive the enemy as to the sector to be invaded (Operation COVER).
Mission 384: In the morning, 521 of 633 B-17s and 284 of 293 B-24s hit V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais area; 11 B-17s are damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 1 WIA and 1 MIA.
Mission 385: In the afternoon, 242 B-17s are dispatched to railroad targets in the Paris area; 163 hit the primaries, 49 hit Conches Airfield, 12 hit Beaumont-sur-Oise Airfield and 1 hits Caen/Carpiquet Airfield; 77 B-24s are dispatched to Bretigny Airfield in France; 13 hit the primary target, 47 hit Creil Airfield and 14 hit Villeneuve Airfield; 2 B-17s and 5 B-24s are lost, 2 B-24s are damaged beyond repair and 90 B-17s and 37 B-24s damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 4 WIA and 68 MIA.
3 of 7 P-38s hit the Ostend Bridge, Belgium without loss.
3 B-17s fly weather reconnaissance over the Atlantic. During the evening, 5 B-17s drop leaflets on targets in Belgium and France; and 18 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER operations.
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): The role of the heavy bombers from 2-5 Jun in preparation for the invasion of Normandy on 6 Jun includes continuation of attacks against transportation and airfield targets in N France and the institution of a series of blows against coastal defenses, mainly located in the Pas de Calais coastal area, to deceive the enemy as to the sector to be invaded (Operation COVER).
Mission 384: In the morning, 521 of 633 B-17s and 284 of 293 B-24s hit V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais area; 11 B-17s are damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 1 WIA and 1 MIA.
Mission 385: In the afternoon, 242 B-17s are dispatched to railroad targets in the Paris area; 163 hit the primaries, 49 hit Conches Airfield, 12 hit Beaumont-sur-Oise Airfield and 1 hits Caen/Carpiquet Airfield; 77 B-24s are dispatched to Bretigny Airfield in France; 13 hit the primary target, 47 hit Creil Airfield and 14 hit Villeneuve Airfield; 2 B-17s and 5 B-24s are lost, 2 B-24s are damaged beyond repair and 90 B-17s and 37 B-24s damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 4 WIA and 68 MIA.
3 of 7 P-38s hit the Ostend Bridge, Belgium without loss.
3 B-17s fly weather reconnaissance over the Atlantic. During the evening, 5 B-17s drop leaflets on targets in Belgium and France; and 18 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER operations.