Us Official Photographs

USAAF airmen and air crews in battle

The daily communique from the various battle fronts over the world invariably tell of the accomplishments of the USAAF. Subsequent news stories have developed tales of the deeds of individual airmen and air crews. But little publicity has been a afforded to the men who actually keep the planes in the air--the maintenance forces who disassemble, clean, repair, test and reassemble USAAF planes on a regular scheduled routine. All of these men are experts in their various technical phases of the work in which they are engaged. These photos show but a few of the operations necessary to "keep 'em flying". All these pictures were made at a USAAF depot in Australia. General view of the instrument repair shop, where all the fine work on aircraft instruments is done. GHQ-SWPA-SG-42-6977 May 20, 1943 General view of Instrument Repair Shop at R-8 Hanger, (Garbutt Field, Townsville, Queensland, Australia) It is in this shop that all fine work on airplane instruments is done. (19S-146E) Photographer: T/4 Joel Horowitz.