K-26through K-43

Here is Stowell piloting her just off the coast of Guam.

MAJ John P. Wells (A/C)

Here are a couple of amazing shots of 'Ol Boomerang' on Iwo. She apparently lost an engine coming back from the Empire and ran out of runway coming into Iwo. She was later repaired and flown back to Guam to fly on through the war.

Here you can easily see the 'feathered' #3 engine. I do not see how any other props were not damaged in this overshot landing. But as you can see..,they all look perfect.

According to the Bombardier (Neil Gwyn) this happened August 8th, 1945. "The only casualties were the TG (Russell Wolverton) and me. The TG had come forward to start the Putt-Putt and since there was no communication, he was standing when we crashed and suffered a fair sized head wound. My only damage was a finger mashed between the bombsight and the nose structure. We all crawled out the windows and walked away from a new plane that had flown only 3 missions. God was with us, as always!!

This is a GREAT shot of K-27 as provided by the LG of an unknown 330th Aircraft.Photo provided by the Grandfather of Eddie Saunders. He was the photographer for the 314th BW and has provided me with many AMAZING photos to enhance this site. Thanks!

Gorgeous color shot of MAJ Howard W. McClellan's bomber. This photo was probably taken in early August 1945 when K-28 and her crew flew stateside for a War Bond Drive. McClellan commanded her to his hometown of Omaha, NE amid a flurry of publicity. This was also the aircraft and crew that made an historic Live Radio Broadcast in July 1945 on one of her missions. The broadcast was beamed LIVE from over the Empire, back to Guam and back to three networks stateside. It was concocted by Ray Clark a W.O.W. Omaha NE, radio man who went to Guam to do a story on McClellan's crew. (I am in the process of possibly acquiring either a transcript or an actual recording of the event. I will post any findings on this site). So Tune In! Oh by the way that is the 330th's logo on the left and the 458th BW's logo on the right.

This aircraft, commanded by CAP Ray B. Smisek, was a "Lead" plane.

Here is 44-69800 just after she was handed over to Crew 813. That is, from L to R, SGT "Black" Bart Klinger (RG), CAP Al Escalante (B) and SGT Marion "Dutch" Kinsell (TG)

Here is CAP Ray Smisek (A/C) proudly leaning on his new aircraft at Walker. Photo courtesy of the family of Al Escalante (B)

Crewmen and groundcrew alike buzzing around plane after mission to Gifu.

CAP Alfonso Escalante (B) with gear before a mission

On K-29's nose was "Ozelle".CAP Al Escalante's wife.

CAP Smisek just after the mission to Gifu on 10 July 1945.

That is K-29's CAP Richard Flanagan (Rad Ob) handing some equipment down to an unkown gentleman after the Gifu mission.

K-29 being greeted by CAP Paul Schade (Group Chaplain) after mission to Gifu, July 1945. That is the Co-Pilot Robert Woolson waving out the window.

CAP Smisek in center holding parachute after mission to Gifu in July 45.

Here she is again during the Korean War.(No she is not on the bottom of Lake Mead.., that is SN 45-21847)

Her Crew during this time was the following:98TH BG/344TH BS: WING LEAD CREW #40-AO OF B-29 A/C No.9800 "BEETLE BOMB" CAP Arthur [Art] Hughes (A/C), CAP Paul Hessler (P), 1LT Theodore [Ted] Black (N), CAP Roger [Mac] McMacken (B), 1LT Robert [Toby] Toburen (Rad Ob), SGT Edgar Curtis (RO) TSGT Elwood Edwards (FE), SSGT Marshall Peabody (CFC), SSGT Gerald Hintz (RG), SSGT Chester Sheets (LG), CPL Robert Iseman (TG). SQUADRON OPS OFFICER MAJ Albert Toney GROUP/WING COMMANDER COL Richard Carmichael (THANKS TO MR. CURTIS FOR THIS INFO!)

Nice couple of shots taken from a "Buddy"ship

"IDA LOU" resting comfortably between missions. This was her 'new' name after VJ day, when SSGT Francis Cetta became her Crew Chief. Now, this may be a poor quality photo, but that is a color on the tip of the vertical stabilizer. I have never seen before, at least not in the330th. Any ideas?A/C CAP Duwayne Baker and Crew Chief TSGT Clifford Evenden

Here is the proud new Ground Crew of K-31.

This aircraft commanded by CAP Carl R. Bauer crash landed on Guam in the early morning. Take off was at 0210 Guam time. The mission was to Tamashima. Shortly after takeoff the No. 1 engine overheated. A brief time later the decision was made to feather and abort. Bombs were salvoed in the ocean. The aircraft asked for landing instructions at about 0315 and began to let down. N. Field tower called for landing on the south runway, but Bauer lined up on the north runway. Simultaneously, a heavy rain squall hit the island. About half way down on her final approach and perhaps 100 feet above, the aircraft made a sudden turn to the left, evidently to try a go around. She never completed her full turn and stalled out above the cliff edge near the radar antennas and went over. She crashed and burned 500 feet below. The only survivor was Lt. Wallace Howard, 458th squadron gunnery officer who replaced CFC gunner Sgt Henry Mathis on that one mission. Interestingly, the crash investigation committee recommended that in the future, any B-29 aircraft capable of remaining aloft on less than four engines should remain aloft until daylight and under no circumstances attempt a night landing. MACR # 14915.

The wreckage for this aircraft was discovered in 1997. Recently the A/C's daughter and brother visited the site.

Here she is early on with two of her sister ships over the Empire.

CAP Bauer bringing her back home to North Field as smooth as silk.

Here is an amazing shot of the horizontal stabilizer (or what is left of it) after a mission on 26 June 1945 to Nagoya. This particular mission was crewed by Crew 815 of K-32.That is L to R: Richard Knipp (A/C), Bill Dolan (B), Harold Sams (CFC), Francis Cichocki (TG) and Jack Shade (P). (Thanks to Mr. Shade for the photo)

CAP Frederic A. Rice, Jr. (A/C)

That is the A/C Frederic Rice in the window. (Photo Courtesy of Ron Branson http:/www.greatwhitefleet.org)

Crew 802

A/C CAP Jerome Blanchard of K-34 shadowing K-62 of the 459th. Notice different RADAR units protruding from the bottom of each fuselage. That is one of the differences between the 42 and 44 SN's.

These two photos courtesy of the Bombardier Charles R. Fox.

SGT Charles C. Brown (TG)

Here is a shot that shows the Pilot, 2LT Donald Dubbins proudly peering out his window. As you can see, the 'City of..' flag is in place and pointing to 'Knoxville', but it has yet to be completed. Many thanks to the family of Donald Dubbins for this photo.

1LT Richard B. Brown (A/C)

Here she is over Mushashino with a few holes in the #4 Engine cowling and losing fuel behind #3. Looks like a mission that was talked about back at Guam?

In formation for another trip over the Empire.

Here she is now.., Home Sweet Home.., in Tucson. She looks Brand New!

1LT Lester E. Gilbert (A/C)

Great formation photo provided by Guy Shine's son, Carl, of five 330th Aircraft over North Field in mid 1945. Piloting K-41 could either be MAJ John Vick or 1LT Clyde Higginson of Crew 804. They shared this aircraft among others.

An interesting angle of K-41. Provided by Clyde Higginson. Thanks!

1LT Walter Ormand (A/C) and SSGT Henry Hanas (Crew Chief).It should be noted that Ormand and crew flew only 1 combat mission in K-42 even though it was their "assigned"aircraft. The remaining missions were flown mostly in K-30. Actually K-30was named City of Portsmouthdue to the fact that was Ormand's hometown.