The Grease Monkey Set #2--single standing and three standing U.S. aircraft ground crew figures
$169.00

King & Country

Item Number: AF049

The Grease Monkey Set #2

Another very useful four man set comprising three sitting mechanics in more relaxed poses perhaps awaiting the return of their aircraft from a dangerous mission somewhere over occupied Europe.
The fourth member of the set is on his feet and looking into the distance... perhaps he has heard or seen the first approach of a returning aircraft.

“COMIN’ IN ON A WING AND A PRAYER”

While the most obvious components of the U.S. Air Force in WWii were the pilots, navigators, bombardiers, engineers ,and other aircrew who flew the aircraft, there were also many hundreds of ground units and organizations to support and supply the men in the air. 
These ground crews were responsible for keeping the aircraft in safe flying condition.  Ground crew members made repairs to aircraft as well as handling routine maintenance such as checking landing gear, refilling fuel tanks, rearming all weaponry on board, examining the wings and fuselage of every aircraft, and making any repairs when necessary.  Ground crews were highly trained in mathematics, mechanics and all kinds of machine shop skills.  Their job was deceptively simple:  “Keep ‘em flying!”
            At the end of WWII, the U.S. Army Air Force possessed almost 64,000 aircraft of all types and sizes including 14,000 heavy bombers such as the B17 ‘Flying Fortress’, the B24 ‘Liberator’, and the mighty B29 ‘Super Fortress’.  Other medium bombers included the B25 ‘Mitchell’, the B26 ‘Marauder’, and the A26 ‘Invader’.  Add to that over 17,000 fighter aircraft of all descriptions operation out of 1,895 air bases spanning the world and you have a huge multi-faceted force of over 2,000,000 men and some women, the majority of whom never left the ground!
             These latest figures are a welcome addition to our long-running series of U.S. Army Air Force pilots and aircraft and will look particularly at home on any collector’s airfield display or diorama…  Check ‘em out!

Special Uniform Note:
               All nine ‘Grease Monkeys’ are wearing the standard U.S. Army Air Force herringbone twill, one-piece overalls with brown boots and various ‘ballcaps’--both official and unofficial of different baseball teams depending on individual personal choice.
 
*” Comin’ In On A Wing And A Prayer”
               The expression became popular during WWII, when it was widely used to describe doing something under extremely difficult or dangerous circumstances and hoping that by sheer luck, determination, and maybe divine intervention it will be successful.
               It was particularly associated with Allied airmen flying back to their bases in damaged aircraft hoping and praying that they are all going to make it in one piece!
                The phrase also inspired a very popular WWII song of the same name written in 1943 by Harold Adamson and Jimmy McHugh.
                One of the best versions was recorded by a black vocal group called The Four Vagabonds.  My own personal favourite version is by Ry Cooder on his 1972 album ‘Boomer’s Story’.

Due to be released in JUNE 2025.