Photos of the Army Air Base in Mountain Home, Idaho 1940s

These towers housed instrument flight simulators.

The flight simulator carried a pilot, navigator, bombardier,

and radioman. The pilot would fly the aircraft while the

navigator used sky or ground references to reach an objective.

The bombardier would then take over to complete the

simulated mission. The simulator created different

flying conditions that the crew may encounter.

The A-2 bombing trainer but it was better known to the men

as the "bug chaser". The trainer simulated actual bombing

missions while the bombardier learned to operate the sight.

While at Mountain Home Army Air Base aircrews were

instructed in how to use small arms weapons.

Here the gunners practice shooting skeet in the open fields

at the Mountain Home Air Base. The simulator was

designed to replicate the top turret on a B-24.

A typical barrack at the Mountain Home Army Air Base. Notice the
potbelly stove in the middle of the barracks.

This is a photo of the PX at the Mountain Home Army Air Base.

I'm sure it was a popular spot for the crews and instructors.

* * *

I'd like to thank Lynn Beahm

with Arcadia Publishing who

provided these photos for me

to use in my blog. Many thanks!

Reprinted with permission from

Mountain Home Air Base by

Yancy D. Mailes. Available

from the publisher on line at

http://www.arcadiapublishing.com/

or by calling 888-313-2665.

http:www.arcadiapublishing.com/

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