RAF Bovingdon - 1960s

[OUAQUKGF Ops]

Lt Col Cass Hough

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=...201944&f=false





Associated Press Photo August 1943. Captioned on reverse 'Faster Than Sound Pilot' Credit American Air Museum Roger Freeman Collection.



Hough, much photographed, at Bovingdon beside his P38 which sports his Skunk mascot.
One can speculate that this and the film clips were part of a small propaganda campaign centered on Hough's rapid descent from 43,000ft in a P38 near Bovingdon on September 27th 1942. Certain elements in the USAAF claimed incorrectly that in doing so Hough had broken 'The Sound Barrier'. Although dated 1944 on the titles the film footage was probably shot in 1943. Hough's featured P47d 42-7921 was written off at Bovingdon on December 20th 1943.
Several publications in the USA carried the Sound Barrier story. This one continues on page 26.