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B-24J Liberator   44-40130
 44-40130
44-40130 in the hands of the Axis after being forced to land at Ghedi Airfield, Italy
Manufacturing Data
Serial Number 44-40130
Model B-24J
Manufacturer Consolidated - San Diego, California
Production Block B-24J-145-CO
Color Silver aka NMF (Natural Metal Finish)
Group Data
Date Assigned to 492nd Original aircraft for the 859th BS
Obtained From Consolidated
Flyover Pilot Capt Louis Jaques Crew 909
Total Missions w/492nd 20
Total WWII Missions 20
Notes
859th Squadron Code: X4
Tail Code: Q+
To our knowledge this aircraft was never given a nickname or had any nose art painted on it.
12 Jul 44: Lost w/Smith Crew 906
On approach to the target, they were hit directly by a flak shell. It entered through the ball turret, killing the gunner inside, and then bounced around inside the plane but failed to detonate. The damage began an oxygen fire on board, disabled some of the hydraulics and knocked out communications.
Heavily damaged, Smith tried to make it to Switzerland. They didn't have any maps with them to navigate to Switzerland by. Using what they could, they found the Alps poking through the heavy cloud layer. They found a break in the clouds over what they thought was Switzerland but it turned out to be the Italian Alps instead.
Luftwaffe pilot Ewald Schummer, flying with 5/JG 77, was given credit for forcing down the Smith Crew at Ghedi Airfield, Italy.
1 KIA, 10 POW, MACR 7563
Two days later, 14 Jul 44, the 15th Air Force dispatched 13 P-38s from the 82nd FG with an escort by the 14 FG to destroy the plane. At 1830 hours they demolished it with 12,500 pounds of bombs.
Aircraft was replace with 44-10496 PURITANICAL BITCH from the replacement depot.
More Info
(No other photos)
Jaques Crew 909
Uebelhoer Crew 904
Smiley Crew 910
Harding Crew 902
Wolf Crew 911
Prewitte Crew 916
Jacks Crew 918
Bowman Crew 914
Smith Crew 906
44-10496
PURITANICAL
BITCH
Links to missions
flown by this plane
are below in the
Mission Record
Mission Record
Documented Missions with the 492nd BG, 859th BS
Date Mission Mission # Pilot Crew Notes
12 May 44 Zeitz, Germany
 Link to Mission 02 page 02
Jaques 909 Target: Oil refinery
15 May 44 Siracourt, France
 Link to Mission 04 page 04
Uebelhoer 904 Target: Crossbow (V-1 rockets)
24 May 44 Melun, France
 Link to Mission 08 page 08
Smiley 910 Target: Airfield
29 May 44 Politz, Germany
 Link to Mission 12 page 12
Uebelhoer 904 Target: Oil refinery
w/Green
30 May 44 Rotenburg, Germany
 Link to Mission 13 page 13
Smiley 910 Target: Air depot
31 May 44 Brussels, Belgium
 Link to Mission 14 page 14
Uebelhoer 904 Target: Marshalling yard
Aborted
4 Jun 44 Avord, France
 Link to Mission 16 page 16
Harding 902 Target: Airfield
Deputy lead w/Taylor
6 Jun 44 Invasion coast, France
 Link to Mission 18 page 18
Wolf 911 Target: Tactical
8 Jun 44 Angers, France
 Link to Mission 20 page 20
Uebelhoer 904 Target: Tactical
Led D section
14 Jun 44 Emmerich, Germany
 Link to Mission 26 page 26
Prewitte 916 Target: Oil refinery
15 Jun 44 Tours, France
 Link to Mission 28 page 28
Jacks 918 Target: Railroad bridge
Bombed target in Le Mans
19 Jun 44 Courbronne, France
 Link to Mission 33 page 33
Prewitte 916 Target: Crossbow (V-1 rockets)
20 Jun 44 Politz, Germany
 Link to Mission 34 page 34
Prewitte 916 Target: Oil refineries
21 Jun 44 Genshagen, Germany
 Link to Mission 36 page 36
Bowman 914 Target: Aircraft industry
22 Jun 44 Crepy, France
 Link to Mission 37 page 37
Prewitte 916 Target: Crossbow (V-1 rockets)
23 Jun 44 Juvincourt, France
 Link to Mission 39 page 39
Bowman 914 Target: Airfield
25 Jun 44 La Vaupeliere, France
 Link to Mission 40a page 40a
Bowman 914 Target: Tactical
27 Jun 44 Creil, France
 Link to Mission 41 page 41
Prewitte 916 Target: Marshalling yard
Shown on the mission log, but not on the formation sheet. A hard-to-read note said something about them landing at Kings North
29 Jun 44 Magdeburg, Germany
 Link to Mission 43 page 43
Harding 902 Target: Aircraft industry
12 Jul 44 Munich, Germany
 Link to Mission 49 page 49
Smith 906 Target: Railroad station
Led B Section
Lost, 1 KIA, 10 POW, MACR 7563
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Page last modified Wednesday, June 13, 2012.