USAAF - Col Balchen Bernt Projects

Beskrivelse

"The "Carpetbaggers" Started flew sorties to Norway (and Europe) in January 1944. First flight France 4th January 1944, and forst to Norway, 5th February 1944. In February - March - April and May, 9 flights done to Norway. ALl this from RAF LEUCHARS.

The "Ball Project" began in 16yh July 1944, with one modified B-24 painted a dull anti-searchlight black and equipped with special navigational instruments. A Joe-hole was used for dispatching agents, and the planes were fully armed.
Total 6 Liberators was into this project.
Serialz:

Douglas-Tulsa B-24H-5-DT Liberator 41-28654,
Consolidated B-24H-1-CF Liberator 41-29163,
Ford B-24H-10-FO Liberator 42-52196,
Consolidated B-24J-50-CO Liberator 42-73477,
Ford B-24H-1-FO Liberator 42-7563,
Ford B-24H-1-FO Liberator 42-7612,

After "Ball Project finished, it was silent until 22nd January 1945, when Carpetbaggers made 137 flights more.

These crews wore USAAF uniforms and were trained by the Carpetbaggers
at RAF Harrington. When fully equipped with aircraft and combat crews, the unit was split into two groups:

Black-painted airplanes were used to fly agent and supply drops into Norway.

Green-painted airplanes made the civilian flights from Sweden.

The civilian flights soon began carrying cargo for OSS to Sweden, consisting of small white sacks of a newly perfected plastic explosive which were consigned as medical supplies.

When the final "BALL" mission was flown on September 27, 1944, sixty-four missions had been flown in the "Ball Project."

"SPECIAL OPERATIONS" by Balchen

"Where and When Project" to transport Norwegian Police troops and to fly
war materiel and food into the Norwegians when the Germans moved out.

"Sepal Project," utilizing C-47s to carry saboteurs and equipment into Norway in February 1945.

"SONNIE Project". The first of these operations was known as “Operation
Sonnie,” which was set up under the auspices of the Air Transport Command to transport 2,000 Norwegian male subjects from Stockholm to England by air and was to be completed as soon as possible after March 17, 1944. Seven crews from Heflin’s Carpetbaggers flew war-weary B-24s which had been
modified at Burtonwood by sealing the bomb bays, installing seats for thirtyfive passengers, painting out the army insignia, and installing special navigational equipment. The crews wore civilian clothes and the B-24s were not armed. "

The first flight was made on March 31, 1944. Many complications were overcome to carry out this opcration, including the necessity of obtaining passport visas for each flight. Even though their agreement with Sweden allowed only three flights in any twenty-four-hour period, about 5,000 individuals were brought out of Sweden in this operation.

27/3 and 29/3 Pilot DYKES made test runds with G-AG-FO Consolidated Vultee LB30 LIBERATOR MKIII C/N FL918.

From 31/3-44, 6 Liberator's; G-AFYO (After 3rd trip renamed NC18618) - NC18643 - NC18649 - NC19936 - NC38939 - NC38942 (Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express. )

43-30619 crashed near Goteburg in Sweden Oct 20, 1944 wearing civil registration NC18618. All 6 onboard killed. This was some sort of secret operation. It seems that the plane was a part of Operation Carpetbagger, which was a special program to deliver supplies to resistance groups in enemy-occupied countries, to deliver personnel to the field, and occasionally to bring back personnel from the field. It is believed that this plane was being used to fly back to the UK Norwegian aircrew trainees and American internees from Sweden. (USAAF Serial number Liberators)

Registration codes was fake, they wasnt registered in any A/C register, just made for this event.

Col Balchen flew at 31/3 - 2-3 & 5 April the four first trips.

1. Ref: Log for March 29th/April 26th, received from Special Collections, McDermott Library, U.S. Air Force Academy

2. "Carpetbaggers" America's Secret War in Europe 801st/492d BG, Ben Parnell. ( If your patience is big enough, you can DL here). Connection extremely bad to this site.

Galleri

PreviousNext

Nyttige lenker