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a brown leather book with a rope on top of itblack and white photo of a group of men standing in front of an airplanea book with a picture of a black hole in itblack and white photo of a group of men working on a planea picture of a black and white picture of a spirala black and white photo of an old airplaneblack and white photograph of an airplane on a runway in the middle of a fielda lot of airplanes flying in formation in the skyan old photo of airplanes flying in formation in the skyblack and white photograph of a plane on a runway with clouds in the backgroundmany airplanes flying in formation in the skyblack and white photo of a plane with a bunch of bags on itblack and white photo of a group of men in uniform walking towards an airplaneblack and white photograph of a man standing in front of an airplaneblack and white photograph of a group of people riding motorcycles down a streetblack and white photograph of an aerial view of a cityblack and white photograph of a group of planes flying over a body of waterseveral black and white photos of a group of people in front of an elephantseveral old black and white photos of men in military uniformsan old black and white photo of a group of people in front of a buildingan old black and white photo of a group of men standing next to each otherblack and white photograph of a man working on a propeller planean old black and white photo of two women in front of a gravean old photo of a young woman smiling for a picturetwo old black and white photos of a woman sitting on a benchtwo old black and white photos of a woman and a man in front of a housean old black and white photo of a group of people standing in front of a housean old black and white photo of a family sitting in front of a housean old black and white photo of a group of people sitting on a porchseveral old black and white photos of people on steps with umbrellasa black and white photo of a group of people posing for a picturetwo old black and white photos of a man and a woman standing in front of a housetwo old black and white photos of a man in a hat and a man in a suita close up of a plaque on a white surface with a blue backgroundan old document with a picture of a man ' s name on it
Maître Lydie BRIOULT

Photograph album of Staff Sergeant Edward E.
See original version (French)

Estimate €300 - €400
Sale commission
Description
Photograph album of Staff Sergeant Edward E. Masters, 390th Bomb Group – 8th Air Force – England (64 original photographs) Staff Sergeant Masters was posted to the 390th Bomb Group as a navigation radar mechanic from July 1943 to May 1945. His album begins with two rare photographs of the radar screen from a B-17 ‘Pathfinder’ dated 26 November 1944. The on-board radar, housed in a radome in place of the belly turret, was a major innovation that enabled bombing even in cloudy weather, whilst improving the accuracy of navigation and the location of ground targets. The album contains a whole series of large-format photographs (8 x 10in. – 20x25cm) of excellent quality and taken relatively early on, as it includes several images featuring B-17Fs and even a B-17E named ‘YANKEE DOODLE’, which was one of the first B-17s sent to England to take part in the 8th AF’s very first raid on 17 August 1942 against the Rouen-Sotteville marshalling yard as part of the 97th Bomb Group. The following photograph shows the B-17G ‘HEY MABEL!’ of the 447th BG after a forced landing on 9 March 1944. The following photograph shows a B-17F of the 390th Bomb Group (unit marking ‘J’ in a square on the vertical stabiliser) taking off. This aircraft, named ‘SEQUATCHIEE’, was assigned to the 570th Bomb Squadron and was shot down by anti-aircraft fire on 22 June 1944. The aircraft crashed near Dreux; nine crew members managed to parachute out and were captured by the Germans. The following photograph shows the crew of the ‘CABIN IN THE SKY’ standing beside their aircraft (B-17F). This aircraft was assigned to the 571st BS/390th BG. This photograph, of rare quality, shows the variety of flight equipment and the modifications made in the field (an M-41 jacket with the sleeves cut off, a mix of flight gear – helmet and flak jacket – and paint on the back of an A-2 jacket). The following photographs show a formation of B-17s returning from a mission, high-altitude flight formations with contrails, a B-17F taxiing, armourers busy loading bombs onto trolleys in front of the open bomb bay of a B-17F, a crew returning from a mission (early markings on the fuselage of their B-17F), mechanics working on one of the engines of the B-17F ‘MISS CARRY’ assigned to the 570th BS/390th BG. This aircraft was severely damaged on 29 January 1944 during a mission, following an in-flight collision with another aircraft in its formation: its co-pilot was killed. The photographs continue with the dropping of a bomb load as the aircraft dives towards a German airfield. One striking photograph shows a formation of B-17s breaking through a barrage of flak amidst exploding anti-aircraft shells. The album continues with photographs of mechanics gathered around a B-17 – amongst whom Masters must be present, although no specific caption mentions him – soldiers in dress uniform visiting London, men posing on the bonnet of a lorry whose bumper bears the markings of a vehicle assigned to the 390th Bomb Group (8* for 8th Air Force and 390BG), mechanics posing in fur-lined jackets at the back of a lorry. A large-format photograph shows the mechanics working on the B-17F ‘STELLA’, whose engines have been removed. The album concludes with photographs of a woman in uniform, presumably a relative, and family photographs featuring another man in a Marine uniform: possibly Masters’ brother and sister. Masters’ demobilisation card, in a smaller, laminated format, accompanies the album. (Grégory Pons Collection)
See original version (French)
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About the sale Sale of the Grégory Pons collection and miscellaneous items (Aviation and WW2 Militaria)
Auction location
Auction time 11/14/2026 at 1:30 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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