Republic P47 Thunderbolt fighter aircraft of the United States Army Air Force (USAAF), which were ...

Accession Number P03372.023
Collection type Photograph
Object type Negative
Maker Hadfield, William
Place made Italy: Cutella
Date made January 1944
Conflict Second World War, 1939-1945
Copyright

Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain

Public Domain Mark This item is in the Public Domain

Description

Republic P47 Thunderbolt fighter aircraft of the United States Army Air Force (USAAF), which were used to escort bombers over Yugoslavia and Austria, at an airfield on the Adriatic coast of Italy. The aircraft in the foreground, 'Martha Darling', serial no. 226706, is being refuelled. The Thunderbolts were about 80 miles behind 450 Squadron (Sqn) RAAF. On 29 April 1944 on their way back from one of their trips, three US Thunderbolt pilots mistook 450 Sqn for the enemy and strafed the airstrip on the beach, destroying two aircraft and killing four men.

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