Richard H Spingler

Dick retired a USAF Lt. Col. Richard Spingler !   How proud we are of our Vets !  -B

Dick Spingler was born in New York, in 1918.  He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in May of 1942, but long before that he attained his private pilot's license.  Wanting to continue, with War looming large, he applied for, and recieved paperwork and a train ticket to Canada.  He Joined the RCAF early in 1941 and was in the Process of Flying the "Fleet Finch", a Canadian Trainer when Pearl Harbor happened and War was declaired.

  The Government "ransomed-back" their Canadian trained pilots and Dick was sent to Montgomery Alabama.  Montgomery had a Pre-flight school, and although already qualified, they were ordered to the U of Ala., AAC Vandegraff Field,  at Tuscaloosa, Ala. for Flight Training.  Dick was commissioned in Jan. 1943 and sent to B-25 Combat Transition Training, a "Crash Course" (pun intended) just prior to going over-seas.  The 334th Bomb Group, at Greenville SC.

   We flew the Southern Route across to Africa, I had been assigned to the 321stBG, and as the 1st Replacement Crews, we were assigned then as needed.  I was assigned to the 447th BS, as well as my ship, the Lady Luck #42-64600, Lt Henry W "Steve" Stephenson, Pilot and many of our Crew.  They were surely happy to see us !  Combat since Feb, and we were needed.  We flew Mission across Africa, closing off supplies to Rommel, chasing him up into the boot of Italy.

   I flew many different ships, had many different crew, although some were more regular then others, and the Lady Luck remained my favorite ship.

(More to come, Barbi Ennis Connolly, 321st BG Historian)

Lt Dick Spingler was in the very 1st Replacement Crews, flew the Lady Luck across the Atlantic and on into Combat Missions.  #42-64600 was a Lucky Lady ! 

The subject of this model was built 12 March 1943 in Inglewood, Ca. One of 1625 C's built at that plant.  The aircraft had 14 hours on the meter when Lt. Richard Spingler picked it up from the 334 bomb Group / 470th Squadron in Greenville, South Carolina. Lt. Spingler and his crew ferried the B-25 to the 321st Bomb Group / 447th squadron in North Africa where they went on to fly 53 successful missions

 
Nearly 10,000 B-25 medium bombers were built by North American Aircraft in defense of America during WWll. Models B through H were built under different contracts from the U.S. Government. Production plants were in Kansas City, Mo. and Inglewood, Ca.

Pilot.................. Richard Spingler Co-Pilot............. Henry Fallone Navigator........... Arthur Holloway Engineer............ Frank Early Turret Gunner..... Raymond Hoskins Radio................  Boyd Tracy Bombadier......... Joe Boyle The Nose Art on this B-25 was painted by the aircrafts navigator.
The navigator also made this drawing of the Nose Art on the B-25. Lt Col. Spingler (retired) allowed me to scan this drawing. It will be used to create the graphics for the finished model.