Spotted Ape – 458th Assembly Ship

Spotted Ape in Flight and in Color

Spotted Ape leading three AZON ships in a publicity photo

Photo: FOLD3.com

July 12, 1944: Assembly on the mission to Evreux/Fauville.  Two 466BG Liberators are at lower left.

On the hardstand

Photo: Karl Lake

The white band in the red circle on the fuselage contained lights making identification that much easier in the dark.

Photo: George Reynolds

Captain Rodney Freeman (center), 752nd  Squadron Operations Officer and an assembly crew

AN EIGHTH AIR FORCE LIBERATOR STATION, ENGLAND
BACK FROM A MISSION OVER THE INVASION COAST OF FRANCE, FOUR FLIERS ARE INTERROGATED ON THEIR OPERATION AS THEY LISTEN TO THE RADIO BROADCAST OF THE PROGRESS OF ALLIED LANDINGS.  LEFT TO RIGHT ARE CAPT. VALIN R. WOODWARD, PILOT, OF ARLINGTON, TEXAS; LT. COL. PAUL SCHWARTZ, A WING OPERATIONS OFFICER OF 1720 WATROUS AVE., TAMPA, FLA.; CAPT. RODNEY FREEMAN, PILOT AND SQUADRON OPERATIONS OFFICER, OF XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX FREDERICKSBURG, VA.; CAPT. CHRISTOPHER HARRIS, INTELLIGENCE OFFICER, OF 206 E. 44TH STREET, KANSAS CITY, MO; AND CAPT. FRED J. VACEK, GROUP BOMBARDIER, OF 721 SOUTHCOTE ROAD, RIVERSIDE, ILL.

Photos: Stephen Legg

Spotted Ape bellied in with Lt William B. Cheney at the controls

Photo: Mike Bailey

STATEMENT of 2d Lieutenant WILLIAM B. CHENEY, JR, Pilot, 753rd Bombardment Squadron, 458th Bombardment Group (H), AAF 123, APO 558.
“I returned to the field in the assembly ship on 9th March 1945 and entered a normal traffic pattern at 1400 feet, airspeed 150.  Turned on approach and started descent.  Touched down near end of runway and ballooned slightly.  Last airspeed that I heard engineer call out was 125.  When the plane settled to the ground there was about 5 degrees crab to the left.  The plane was edging near the side of the R/W.  I tried to kick out crab with rudder without success.  I applied right brake and the brake pedal snapped off.  My right foot slipped up and over the pedal.  I yelled to Lt. Gilbert to get on the brake because mine was broken.  At first he did not understand what was wrong.  By the time he applied brakes we were well off the R/W headed about 10 degrees from R/W 05.  Marks in the dirt show that right brake was applied about 100 feet before the left brake.  Marks showed that both wheels were locked and sliding on damp grass.  The track of the nose wheel was in the center of the [main] wheels when the plane left R/W, but as the plane moved on the nose wheel track came closer to left wheel track.  The course of the plane was in a straight line from the R/W to an old dispersal area 150 feet from where the airplane came to rest.  When the plane’s left wheel hit the pavement of the dispersal area the course of the plane was altered due to the increased friction on the left side.  The plane turned sideways and both main gear snapped off. “

/Signed/
WILLIAM B. CHENEY, JR
2d Lt, AIR CORPS.

Full Accident Report

Photo: FOLD3.com

Salvaged

Photo: Brendan Wood