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B-24J Liberator 44-40068 UMBRIAGO
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| Manufacturing Data |
| Serial Number |
44-40068 |
| Model |
B-24J |
| Manufacturer |
Consolidated - San Diego, California |
| Production Block |
B-24J-145-CO |
| Color |
Silver aka NMF (Natural Metal Finish) |
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| Group Data |
| Date Assigned to 492nd |
Original aircraft for the 859th BS |
| Obtained From |
Consolidated |
| Flyover Pilot |
2nd Lt Ernest Haar Crew 912 |
| Total Missions w/492nd |
30 |
| Total WWII Missions |
56 |
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| Notes |
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859th Squadron Code: X4
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Tail Code: P+
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Transferred to 467th BG, 788th BS
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17 Feb 45: Lost w/467th, 788th BS, MACR 12431
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| Note from Ernie Haar |
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While most of our missions were flown in UMBRIAGO, we were assigned to a brand new B-24H sometime after arriving at Rackheath. The UMBRIAGO, a B-24J, was a difficult machine to fly, primarily due to an unusually slow response to controls at altitude. A number of pilots, when assigned to UMBRIAGO, aborted because they thought the aircraft was malfunctioning. During the time I was assigned to it, engineering could not solve the mystery. In flying UMBRIAGO at altitude you could, all of a sudden, find yourself a quarter mile behind the formation or ahead of it! Another characteristic of the craft was that it would not get up "on the step" until we had at least 185 MPH air speed.
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Given all this, you know we had a lot of fun in the lead element position.
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Mission Record
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Documented Missions with the 492nd BG, 857th BS
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| Date |
Mission |
Mission # |
Pilot |
Crew |
Notes |
| 11 May 44 |
Mulhouse, France |
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Roads |
915 |
Target: Marshalling yard |
| 12 May 44 |
Zeitz, Germany |
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Haar |
912 |
Target: Oil refinery |
| 24 May 44 |
Melun, France |
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Haar |
912 |
Target: Airfield |
| 27 May 44 |
Saarbrucken, Germany |
|
Wolf |
911 |
Target: Marshalling yard |
| 28 May 44 |
Zeitz, Germany |
|
Haar |
912 |
Target: Oil refinery |
| 30 May 44 |
Rotenburg, Germany |
|
Haar |
912 |
Target: Air depot |
| 31 May 44 |
Brussels, Belgium |
|
Bowman |
914 |
Target: Marshalling yard |
| 2 Jun 44 |
Burck-sur-Mer, France |
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Haar |
912 |
Target: Tactical |
| 6 Jun 44 |
Invasion coast, France |
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Uebelhoer |
904 |
Target: Tactical |
| 8 Jun 44 |
Angers, France |
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Haar |
912 |
Target: Tactical |
| 10 Jun 44 |
Bricy-Orleans, France |
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Haar |
912 |
Target: Airfield |
| 11 Jun 44 |
Monfort, France |
|
Paul |
917 |
Target: Montford Bridge
Aborted, credited |
| 12 Jun 44 |
Dreux, France |
|
Haar |
912 |
Target: Airfield |
| 17 Jun 44 |
Tours, France |
|
Smith |
906 |
Target: Airfield |
| 18 Jun 44 |
Bremerhaven, Germany |
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Haar |
912 |
Target: Airfield
Bombed Nordenham |
| 19 Jun 44 |
Courbronne, France |
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Haar |
912 |
Target: Crossbow (V-1 rockets) |
| 20 Jun 44 |
Politz, Germany |
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Haar |
912 |
Target: Oil Refineries |
| 25 Jun 44 |
La Vaupeliere, France |
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Haar |
912 |
Target: Tactical |
| 27 Jun 44 |
Creil, France |
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Haar |
912 |
Target: Marshalling yard |
| 28 Jun 44 |
Saarbrucken, Germany |
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Menweg |
908 |
Target: Marshalling yard |
| 4 Jul 44 |
Beaumont, France |
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Prytulak |
907 |
Target: Airfield
Aborted, uncredited |
| 6 Jul 44 |
Kiel, Germany |
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McGowan |
R-08 |
Target: Shipyard |
| 8 Jul 44 |
Alost, Belgium |
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Prewitte |
916 |
Target: Railroad bridge |
| 13 Jul 44 |
Saarbrucken, Germany |
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Hudson |
R-25 |
Target: Marshalling yard
Bombed w/44th BG |
| 16 Jul 44 |
Saarbrucken, Germany |
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Schulze |
R-39 |
Target: Marshalling yard |
| 18 Jul 44 |
Troarns, France |
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Schulze |
R-39 |
Target: Tactical |
| 19 Jul 44 |
Koblenz, Germany |
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Schulze |
R-39 |
Target: Marshalling yard |
| 3 Aug 44 |
Mery-sur-Oise, France |
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G Miller |
R-37 |
Target: Crossbow (V-1 rockets)
Damaged by flak |
| 4 Aug 44 |
Kiel, Germany |
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Menweg |
908 |
Target: Submarine base |
| 5 Aug 44 |
Brunswick, Germany |
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Dunnam |
R-46 |
Target: Aircraft manufacturing |
| 6 Aug 44 |
Hamburg, Germany |
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Morgan |
R-49 |
Target: Oil refinery |
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