Staff Sgt.Pilot
Much has been said about the B-26 and the bad labels attached to them at the beginning of their use. I would like to tell about a B- 26 that gave us a dandy flight, dropping our bombs and getting all of us back to our base.
I was a Staff Sgt. Pilot, Class 42H, having graduated from Moody Field, Georgia, on September 6, 1942. Four days later, 16 other Sgt. Pilots and I were sent to Barksdale Field, into B-26's. When we arrived at Barksdale, we heard of crashes, loss of crews, planes, etc. After a few days of familiarization, we began flying. I don't recall too much trouble - and these were the original B- 26's, not the added wing model - although one did go into the Gulf. I considered myself an average pilot and I loved the airplane. It was a fun airplane, especially flying formation and landing. The 2000 HP engines served it well.
On December 20, 1942, while at Barksdale, all Sgt. Pilots were given the rank of Flight Officer. We were later promoted to 2nd Lieutenants.
I was assigned to a crew headed by Lt. Bob Schultz and, after considerable training, we were assigned overseas. Our crew picked up a B-26 in West Palm Beach, Florida, and we headed for the southern route. Our first stop was Borinquen Field, Puerto Rico. While there, I broke my leg and was held back.
Lt. Schultz got a new co-pilot and recommended I return to the States and get checked out as a 1st Pilot. After a couple of months, I returned to Barksdale and got my own crew. We left for England on the Queen Mary on October 27, 1943. From England, we went to Andrews Field in Ireland, about 30 miles out of Belfast. We practiced flying for about three months at Andrews until they needed us in England. On February 9, 1944, we were assigned to the 450th Bomb Squadron, 322 Bomb Group, and into combat.
My first mission was on February 14, 1944, as co-pilot for Pilot Alan Ladd. Our target in Cherbourg, France, was what was called a "noball" site, thought to harbor the big guns that would later lob shells over to London. A truck hauled us to where the plane was parked. The '26 was named "Rainbow Corner." As we were readying ourselves, a Sgt. Supply Officer came over and took our picture. The Rainbow Corner had been on more missions than any other on the field and had 53 bombs painted on the fuselage . The pilot taxied to the proper runaway and took off at the appointed time. We reassembled above the cloud cover and were on our way to Cherbourg. I believe we carried 6-500# and 2-600# bombs. Our altitude was near 11,000 feet. Before long we saw the coast of France and huge black clouds of smoke in the sky - at about our level. We all put on flak jackets and helmets. The shelling got much heavier as we hit the coast. The proposed plan was to get in, drop our bombs and head back out. We were not too many miles into France when, with the sky almost black with shells bursting, my forward windshield and right window were blown out. Shell fragments pounded our ship like hail and then there was a dull thud and our right engine stopped. The pilot called the bombadier to salvage the bombs since we were near the target. I was able to feather the prop as we lost altitude quite fast. Our waist gunner was wounded and the turret gunner went to give him help. We couldn't get the bomb bay doors to close. We left France at about 7500 feet. Our escort had left and the formation was pulling away. A B-26 in a flight ahead saw we were in trouble and came back and flew around us and on our wing for protection. Had fighters come up we both probably would have been doomed. At about 3500 feet, we were able to hold our altitude. We crossed the channel, hit England and headed for our base.
Our base was partially covered with fog, so we went around once and then headed in high - I lowered the landing gear and we headed for the runway. We landed a bit far down the runway and I happened to see the air speed was about 170. We had no brakes and went off the end of the runway, into a field, hit a ditch that our speed carried us across and then a second ditch that tore off our landing gear and ripped the right engine off the wing. (I never gave windmilling the prop a thought on the way down.) The plane slid on its belly and came to an abrupt stop without any fire. We all had a few cuts and bruises and crawled out as fast as we could. An ambulance took us to the hospital where we were treated and rewarded with TWO shots of whiskey - if we wanted it.
The Supply Sgt. who took the picture before we left come over and took 7 or 8 pictures on the same film, There were proximately 50 holes in the ship without checking the underside. This was real performance: the Rainbow Corner dropped bombs close to the target, flew back on one engine with bomb bay doors open, and returned the crew. All made easier by a great Pilot, Alan Ladd, and the crew. On my 10th mission, I was again co-pilot for Alan Ladd - in Rainbow Corner
Lloyd J. Hoffmann