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43-34316, B-26G-5, 496th BS/344th BG,
Cormeilles-en-Vexin, France, September 1944
44-68171, B-26G-25, GB 1/22 Maroc, Riedlingen,
Germany, May 1945
The 496th Bomb Squadron was activated in late
1942 as a training unit of III Bomber Command.
It was converted to operational status late in
the year and deployed to Europe as part of IX
Bomber Command in February 1944. After the
war it remained as part of the Occupation Forces
in Europe and was inactivated on February 15,
1946. Named Cleveland Calliope II, the aircraft
carried “Broken Line” camouflage, consisting
of Olive Drab paint on the upper surfaces and
upper fuselage, the rest of the aircraft was left in
natural metal finish.
The Free French Air Force acquired its first
Marauders in late 1943 and eventually units
GB I/11 Maroc, GB II/20 Bretagne, GB I/19 Gascogne,
GB II/52 Franche-Comte, GB II/63 Senegal and
BG I/32 Bourgogne acquired these aircraft.
Initially, the French received the older, war-weary
machines for training purposes, after which
newer ones were supplied. Initial operations
by French B-26s targeted enemy positions in
Italy and southern France. They took part in the
invasion of France on August 15, 1944 and then
gradually moved north with the advance of the
Allies. They completed their last mission on April
25, 1945 and were inactivated in June. The aircraft
shown here completed 55 bombing missions,
according to the symbols under the cockpit.
KITS 06/2024
INFO Eduard40
Červenec 2024