ARCHIVE OF WORLD WAR II AIR TRANSPORT SERVICE

ARCHIVE OF WORLD WAR II AIR TRANSPORT SERVICE

Great archive of approx. 25 materials from the American Air Transport Command Group S-2, Hq. 15th Ferrying Group, Caribbean Wing, stationed at Morrison Field, Florida, all specifically related to one Lieutenant E. R. Oppenheimer, American Air Forces Ferry Pilot who ferried war planes for the R.A.F. across the South Atlantic to be delivered to British forces. INCLUDES: three "CONFIDENTIAL" pilot reports for southern Atlantic crossings, dated Dec. 1942 (4 pages with carbon copies), Jan. 1943 (3 pages with carbon copies), and Mar. 1943 with reports on each leg of the crossings (e. g., Belem-Natal, Ascension-Accra) of varying length and details on engine problems, weather, communication with ground radio contacts, landings, local facilities, personnel, etc. In part: "called Trinidad�never answered us�landed without any radio contact from anybody�Guarding of planes OK�fuel pump trouble�we lost that engine over the Atlantic later on�BELEM-NATAL, November 16, 1942�10 minutes after we passed the turning point, both engines quit�after that one the fuel burst the right engine was okay�I liked B-34's very well up until the time those engines starting quitting - it was just those engines; it isn't a characteristic of the airplane�I learned that General Arnold and Marshall [presumably 'Hap' Arnold and George Marshall] were expected through Belem that day and that was why they were in a hurry to push me out�they just didn't want the generals to see a ship on the ground even though this meant putting a ship which might be unfit to fly into the air�Briefing pretty good - they had a U. S. Army captain and flight lieutenant in the RAF.". WITH: folder titled "CONFIDENTIAL - United Nations Air Forces - Flight Forecast" and additionally marked "November 30, 1942�Ascension Island [to] Accra, British West Africa", containing a 16" x 9" surface map of South Atlantic with wings and isobars added in pencil, two 10" x 6" photocopies of the map, a confidential pilot forecast, Confidential United Nations Air Forces Vertical Cross-Section Forecast for the leg of a flight from Ascension Island to Accra with the cloud cover and the airplane altitude along the route filled in by hand. WITH: Four orders dated between Oct. 11, 1942 and Feb. 4, 1943, marked "Confidential" for picking up an identified plane at a U.S. airport to deliver overseas. WITH: 12 assorted official documents of varying sizes, many marked "Confidential", among them U. S. Department of State letter denying pilot's wife "passport facilities" to visit her husband then stationed in the Bahamas; a Western Union telegram to the pilot in New York City ordering him to report to Miami "for additional two weeks duty South Atlantic" Ferry Command; a Certificate of Employment In Essential Services of War�in the capacity of pilot" with photograph of the pilot and R.A.F. Ferry Command stamping and seals; and an inventory list for a plane for one of the delivery flights. WITH: Original Ferry Service patch, 4.75" diameter, showing a silver airplane with parrot's head and wings carrying a satchel with "RUSH!" in red against a dark blue background. Fine condition overall.