Crew member sweeping ashes off a B-25 of the 340th Bomb Group at Pompeii Field, Italy. Ash came from an eruption of Mt Vesuvius on 23 March 1944 that rained hot ash and brimstone on the area damaging several aircraft. Note the front wheel above the ground.
taken fromfb/Love WW2 planes

Vesuvius

Thunderbolt Ace with a unusual gun :-)
 Maj. David Carl SCHILLING (15th December 1918-14th August 1956) an ace P-47 Thunderbolt the C.O. of 62nd Fighter Squadron, 56th Fighter Group, 8th AF USAAF holds a heavily modified Army Colt 45 pistol. The addition of a forward hand-grip and the fact that three magazines have been welding together, likely providing a 21 round capacity, suggest the pistol was possibly modified for full automatic fire. Schilling was Commanding Officer of the 56th FG between 12th August 1944 and 27th January 1945.
taken from fb/Jaroslaw Gwardys

Maj. David Carl SCHILLING 

416th BG deputy lead goes down during strike on V-1 site.