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Maître Lydie BRIOULT

41 - Historical book from the period: ‘401st Bomb Group’ – 8th Ai…
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Estimate €100 - €150
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Description
Historical book from the period: ‘401st Bomb Group’ – 8th Air Force A historical work devoted to the 401st Bomb Group, which was equipped with B-17 Flying Fortresses. This is a copy of the first edition. The book was printed in the United States in 1946 under the supervision of Captain Gordon R. Closway (the unit’s public relations officer) by the renowned publishing house Newsfoto Publishing Co., based in San Angelo, Texas, which specialised in publishing this type of book for veterans and their families. This type of book was produced specifically for veterans and their families. The first edition can be recognised by its padded cover featuring laminated designs; the cover of the 401st BG edition is adorned with the tail fin of a B-17 bearing the unit’s combat markings. The 401st Bomb Group was a particularly active unit within the 8th Air Force. This book brings together the insignia of each squadron, a large number of period photographs, notably featuring the senior officers in command, photographs of the B-17 crews, as well as a whole series of images illustrating the designs on the backs of the unit’s airmen’s flight jackets, alongside photographs taken in flight during combat missions and scenes of daily life at Deenthorpe Air Base. This historical volume is accompanied by a booklet in landscape format, published in England to mark the 200th mission of the 401st Bomb Group. This historical account of the 401st Bomb Group stands as the most comprehensive historical work of its time and is a ‘must-have’ amongst the works devoted to units of the 8th Air Force published in the immediate post-war period between 1946 and 1950. These works are rare in their first editions. Approximately 300 pages for the history, with the booklet on the 200th mission comprising around fifteen pages. The book is in English. These vintage books are particularly sought-after and, in the United States, they are very often sold for several hundred dollars. (Grégory Pons Collection)
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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 modified on 09/26/2026 at 11:39 AM
Lot description modified on 09/26/2026 at 11:40 AM
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