Maurice Hammond's Harvard III is dedicated as a flying tribute to the 8th Air Force, USAAF, and in particular to the 100th Bomb Group, the "Bloody Hundredth", stationed at Thorpe Abbotts, Norfolk.
The markings carried by Maurice Hammond's Harvard III are those of B-17G 42-31066 'Fools Rush In', of the 351st BS, 100 BG, stationed at Thorpe Abbotts, Norfolk. The aircraft and crew were lost during a raid on Hamburg on New Years Eve 1944.
This former Kiwi Mustang (RNZAF serial NZ2427) is finished as 44-14419 "Janie", 350 FS, 353 FG of Major Bill Price, when based at Raydon. Restored by owner Maurice Hammond and based at the former USAAF bomber base at Hardwick in Norfolk.
44-13521 was assigned to the 504th FS, 339th FG on 30 June 1944 at Fowlmere. A mere 45 days later the P-51 was shot down over France. Beautifully restored by Eye Tech, the P-51 returned to her former base on 15 August with Maurice Hammond at the controls.
On 13 August 1944, Lt Myer Winkleman took off in "Marinell" for an area sweep over France and failed to return. The wreck was recovered in the 1990's and meticulously restored by Maurice Hammond's Eye Tech. "Marinell" returned to Fowlmere on August 15th.