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B-24H Liberator   42-51118
Manufacturing Data
Serial Number 42-51118
Model B-24H
Manufacturer Douglas - Tulsa, Oklahoma
Production Block B-24H-25-DT
Color Olive Drab
Group Data
Date Assigned to 492nd Replacement aircraft for the 857th BS
Flew first mission 2 Jun 44
Obtained From Repacement Depot
Flyover Pilot unknown
Total Missions w/492nd 23
Total WWII Missions unknown
Notes
This a/c has been confused with 44-40118 since they both had the same last three digits. This one came into the group as the other was leaving. Therefore the records on "118" appeared to have been referring to the same plane, but were not. For over sixty years no one knew that there were two planes in the 492nd with serial numbers ending in "118". Documented evidence has proven that there were two distinct planes as presented here. See Footnotes.
Received late during May from the replacement depot
857th Squadron Code: 9H
Tail Code: V (overlined)
Transferred to the 392nd BG, 577th BS in August
577th Squadron Code: DC
Tail Code: Y+
Returned to the US after the war
More Info
(No photos yet)
Skorupan Crew 703
Koltun Crew R-10
Gaines Crew 715
Wolf Crew 911
Bridges Crew 702
Hamilton Crew 604
Rusden Crew R-29
Sheffield Crew R-22
Menweg Crew 908
Foster Crew R-20
Links to missions
flown by this plane
are below in the
Mission Record
392nd BG site
Mission Record
Documented Missions with the 492nd BG, 857th BS
Date Mission Mission # Pilot Crew Notes
2 Jun 44 Burck-sur-Mer, France
 Link to Mission 15 page 15
Skorupan 703 Target: Tactical
4 Jun 44 Avord, France
 Link to Mission 16 page 16
Koltun R-10 Target: Airfield
6 Jun 44 invasion coast, France
 Link to Mission 17 page 17
Koltun R-10 Target: Tactical
Bombed with another group
6 Jun 44 Vire, France
 Link to Mission 19 page 19
Skorupan 703 Target: Tactical
Failed to hit target
8 Jun 44 Angers, France
 Link to Mission 20 page 20
Koltun R-10 Target: Tactical
10 Jun 44 Boulogne, France
 Link to Mission 21 page 21
Gaines 715 Target: Airfield
14 Jun 44 Emmerich, Germany
 Link to Mission 26 page 26
Koltun R-10 Target: Oil refinery
17 Jun 44 Melun, France
 Link to Mission 29 page 29
Wolf 911 Target: Airfield
a/c lent to the 859th
Bombed with a B-17 group
18 Jun 44 Bremerhaven, Germany
 Link to Mission 31 page 31
Koltun R-10 Target: Airfield
Bombed Nordenham
4 Jul 44 Beaumont, France
 Link to Mission 44 page 44
Foster R-20 Target: Airfield
Aborted, uncredited
6 Jul 44 Kiel, Germany
 Link to Mission 45 page 45
Koltun R-10 Target: Shipyard
7 Jul 44 Bernburg, Germany
 Link to Mission 46 page 46
Bridges 702 Target: Aircraft factory
11 Jul 44 Munich, Germany
 Link to Mission 48 page 48
Hamilton 604 Target: Railroad station
a/c lent to the 856th BS
Bombed w/44th BG
12 Jul 44 Munich, Germany
 Link to Mission 49 page 49
Koltun R-10 Target: Railroad station
13 Jul 44 Saarbrucken, Germany
 Link to Mission 50 page 50
Koltun R-10 Target: Marshalling yard
Aborted, credited
Landed at Manston, landing gear would not retract
24 Jul 44 St Lo area, France
 Link to Mission 56 page 56
Rusden R-29 Target: Tactical
25 Jul 44 St Lo area, France
 Link to Mission 57 page 57
Wolf 911 Target: Tactical
a/c lent to the 859th BS
29 Jul 44 Oslebshausen, Germany
 Link to Mission 58 page 58
Koltun R-10 Target: Oil refinery
31 Jul 44 Ludwigshafen, Germany
 Link to Mission 59 page 59
Sheffield R-22 Target: Chemical plant
1 Aug 44 Anizy, France
 Link to Mission 60 page 60
Menweg 908 Target: Railroad bridge
a/c lent to the 859th BS
6 Aug 44 Hamburg, Germany
 Link to Mission 65 page 65
Koltun R-10 Target: Oil refinery
Aborted, credit undetermined
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