"Bonnie Lee" of the Martin B-26 Marauder 456th Bomb Squadron, 323rd Bomb Group, escorted by a Republic P-47 Thunderbolt from 377th Fighter Squadron, 362nd Fighter Group.
Grumman completely rebuilt the prototype as the XF4F-3 with new wings and tail and a supercharged version of the Pratt & Whitney R-1830. Testing of the new XF4F-3 led to an order for F4F-3 production model. Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation factory, Bethpage, Neew York.
A lineup of airplanes at the 1932 National Air Races in Cleveland, Ohio. Wedell-Williams #92 at the left was flown to victory in the 3-Kilometer Dash by Mary Haizlip and the Bendix Trophy by Jimmy Haizlip. Some of the other aircrafts in the photo to right is another Wedell-Williams, a Bellanca Skyrocket, Pitcairn Mailwing, Keystone-Loening K-84 Commuter.
Mary Haizlip standing in front of Wedell Williams #92 flown and raced by both her and her husband James. Mary was the second woman in the United States to earn her commercial pilot's license. She also held the speed record for a woman for seven years. This photo was taken at the 1932 National Air Races in Cleveland.
A Curtiss P-40A Warhawk at Luke Field, Arizona, 1942. The mechanics at Luke asked for and received permission to paint a sharks mouth on the aircraft to honor the American Volunteer Group, or who were more commonly known as the “The Flying Tigers.”
Martin B-26 Marauder “Secksma Sheen” (41-31647) of the 558th Bomb Squadron, 387th Bomb Group. The aircraft was named after the aircraft’s pilot Lewis B. Sheen. This photograph was taken in 1943 after the unit’s arrival in England.
Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress "Suzy-Q" from the 93rd Bomb Squadron, 19th Bomb Group on a war bond tour. Photo taken at Ardmore Army Air Field, Oklahoma.
Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress 42-3374 after landing and taxi accident at a stateside airfield. This aircraft survived the war and is currently on display as a gate guard at Offutt AFB.
Harlingen Army Air Field. On a clear, 1943 morning in Dodge City, Kansas, Edna Modisette Davis became the first woman to solo pilot the twin-engine Martin B-26 Marauder. Davis was a member of the Women Air Force Service Pilots (WASPs), the first female pilots to serve in the U.S. military. With thanks to Andrew Boehly Archivist.
