March 17, 1943

Dear Mother,
          I received your letter you wrote Sunday
today. Gee was I surprise. Most usually
it is on Wednesday that I never receive any
mail. Irene's letters don't come on that day even.
I think it is because Sunday holds them up.
Irene's and your letter must have come through
on a fast train. Both were mailed Monday.
          I was going to write before this but
I really have been to busy. Monday we
started on the day shift on the repair line.
We get up at 5:00 A.M. and have to be at the
hangers at 7 o'clock. Saturday night there
was a B-24 and a B-26 bomber came in
for a general overall job. This morning there
were 5 A.T.18 twin motor transports come
in for a complete overall job. This is really
looking like an airport now. So many big
ships all around. The B-24 is so big we
can't get it in our hangers here. It is
warm enough to work outside on them anyway.

     
We really have been haveing some hot days
here this week. Just like summer. Monday
is was 87 degrees inside the barracks, and
out in the sun it was really hot. I don't
know what it will be in the summer time
here.
          Next week there is another big gang leaving
on furloughs. I may be able to get one soon. I
hope so, about the latter part of May or in June.
Gee it seems like it has been a long time
since I have been home, and yet it seems
like the months are going by fast.
          I got a card from Mr. Meyer. He told me
about the funeral. Irene told me about the
fire in Sylvania. It was the man who use
to run the bowling alley in Sylvania.
          Well news is scarce for now. So I guess
I will have to close. I hope spring does get
up there to you pretty soon. You really have
had a tough winter. I don't know who will be
sent to Dayton yet. Maybe none of us. Goodbye
for now and thanks for the money. Write soon.
     
                                    Love Ralph.

The next letter will be posted on March 21st.

Background Information (and comments):

•  Here's some details on the B-24, the B-26, and the AT-18:

B 24 - LIBERATOR 

• 
   
  The B-24 was employed in operations in every combat theater during the war. Because of its great range, it was particularly suited for such missions as the famous raid from North Africa against the oil industry at Ploesti, Rumania on August 1, 1943. This feature also made the airplane suitable for long over-water missions in the Pacific Theater. More than 18,000 Liberators were produced.
  The B-24D on display flew combat missions from North Africa in 1943-44 with the 512th Bomb Squadron. It was flown to the U.S. Air Force Museum in May 1959. It is the same type airplane as the Lady Be Good, the world-famous B-24D which disappeared on a mission from North Africa in April 1943 and which was found in the Libyan Desert in May 1959.
  
  
  SPECIFICATIONS
  Span: 110 ft. 0 in.
  Length: 66 ft. 4 in.
  Height: 17 ft. 11 in.
  Weight: 56,000 lbs. loaded
  Armament: Ten .50-cal. machine guns and 8,000 lbs. of bombs
  Engines: Four Pratt & Whitney R-1830s of 1,200 hp. ea.
  Cost: $336,000
  Serial Number: 42-72843
  PERFORMANCE
  Maximum speed: 303 mph.
  Cruising speed: 175 mph.
  Range: 2,850 mph.
  Service Ceiling: 28,000 ft

MARTIN B-26G MARAUDER

Although the Marauder did not make its first flight until November 25, 1940, its design showed such promise that 1,131 B-26s were ordered by the Air Corps in September 1940. The airplane began flying combat missions in the Southwest Pacific in the spring of 1942, but most of the B-26s subsequently assigned to operational theaters were sent to England and the Mediterranean area.

Bombing from medium altitudes of 10,000 to 15,000 feet, the Marauder had the lowest loss rate of any Allied bomber--less than one-half of one percent. By the end of WW II, it had flown more than 110,000 sorties and had dropped 150,000 tons of bombs, and had been used in combat by British, Free French, Australian, South African and Canadian forces in addition to U.S. units. In 1945 when B-26 production was halted, 5,266 had been built.

The Marauder on display was flown in combat by the Free French during the final months of WW II. It was obtained from the French airline Air France training school near Paris in June 1965.

SPECIFICATIONS
Span: 71 ft. 0 in.
Length: 58 ft. 6 in.
Height: 20 ft. 3 in.
Weight: 37,000 lbs. loaded
Armament: Eleven .50-cal. machine guns; 4,000 lbs. of bombs
Engines: Two Pratt & Whitney R-2800s of 2,000 hp. ea.
Cost: $227,000
Serial Number: 43-34581
Displayed as (S/N): 42-95857

PERFORMANCE
Maximum speed: 285 mph.
Cruising speed: 190 mph.
Range: 1,100 miles
Service Ceiling: 19,800 ft.

The Lockheed AT-18 was an advanced trainer based on the Lockheed Hudson. The USAAF placed an order for 300 AT-18s on 8 May 1942. All 300 aircraft were powered by 1,200hp Wright R-1820-87 engines. Production was split into two blocks. 217 aircraft were produced as AT-18-LO gunnery trainers, equipped with a Martin dorsal turret armed with twin 0.50in machine guns, while the remaining 83 aircraft were produced as AT-18A-LO navigational trainers. These aircraft had the turret removed and had space for the pilot, the instructor and three students.