WW2 1st Fighter Group Bases
Tafaraoui, Algeria, 13 Nov - Dec 1942
(click on images to enlarge)
Present Day satellite image of Tafaraoui airfield, Algeria(courtesy Google Earth) |
 Jake Moutier's battle-damaged P-38 "Dot", crashed by Lt Roy Russell at Biskra, 1943. An unamused Lt Moutier investigates. Courtesy Roy Russell |
 Tafaraoui, Algeria, Nov 1942 photo by Donald Brenden
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 Ellis and Elliott trading with local residents at Tafaraoui, Algeria, 1942
photo by Donald Brenden |
A 1st FG P-38 finds a bomb crater after deploying from England and landing at dusk at Tafaroui, 1942 |
Closeup of P-38 in bomb crater at Tafaroui, 1942 Courtesy Roy Russell |
 Brenden and Elliot (71st) with local Arab merchants, Tafaraoui, 1942 courtesy Donald Brenden |
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Tafaroui, Algeria was reportedly a nice looking field considering the terrain. Runways were quite short. The new desert Spitfires of the 31st were also here. Other aircraft at the field included P-38s of the 14th, B-26s, B-25s, A-20s, Gen. Doolittle's B-17-G, some {Amiat} French bombers around, and some old wrecks fixed up as dummies.
Frequent trading and bartering was reported with local merchants and farmers. Americans traded clothes and dollars for various fresh food items. |
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Nov 25, 1942: Rained hard off and on all day. Weather closed in on a B-25C + B-17E and they dropped in here. Had to dig ditches around the tent. some guys got flooded out and had to go mile up the hill to a chapel in the base and sleep on the floor. Tent just started to leak after 3 days + nites. Mud is ankle and shoe deep everywhere.