Here's a few "War Bond" bombers other than the Memphis Belle ... Photo source U.S. Air Force photos Fold3 archives
B-24D "The Squaw" ...
"In August 1943, a combined Liberator force from the Ninth and Eighth Air Force left North Africa destined for the giant German refineries at Ploesti, dedicated to destroying as much of these as possible and handicapping the German ability to fuel its combat forces. Despite suffering heavy losses the mission was a massive success and inflicted vast amounts of damage on major portions of the oil fields. Of the one hundred and seventy nine Liberators that left forty three were lost and a further fourteen aborted. Five hundred and thirty two aviators lost their lives.
B-24D "The Squaw" 98th BG, 343rd BS survived Ploesti and other combats, eventually returning to the United States for a promotional tour. Rather than giving the aircraft a fresh paint job, the aircraft was used to pay tribute to the bravery of those still flying and fighting with the US armed forces. Both sides of the nose were adorned with details of the battles in which the aircraft had flown while red arrows drew attention to the un-painted, patched areas of battle damage sustained by the aircraft.
Right click properties for info.
(Duggy Axis & Allied Paintworks)
B-24D "The Blue Streak" ...
"B-24D 41-11613 "The Blue Streak" of 514th Bomb Sq, 376th BG. "The Blue Streak" was originally named "Florine Jo Jo", SN# 411163. She was a member of the HALPRO group that eventually became the 376th Bomb Group. The aircraft was a veteran of the first high level Ploesti mission in 1942. It was not part of the 1943 low level raid. The Blue Streak went on to survive 110 missions with the 376th bomb group and was sent home for a war bond tour. She survived 19 months of battle overseas, and 1,058 combat hours. Her scoreboard reads one destroyer, one merchant vessel, one tanker, and 23 enemy aircraft destroyed. She dropped 297 tons of bombs, and never lost a man. The ship required 19 engines, two new wings, one new rudder, and many aluminum patches during her career"
(Duggy Axis & Allied Paintworks)
B-24D 41-11613 The Blue Streak of 514th Bomb Sq, 376th BG
B-24D 41-11613 The Blue Streak of 514th Bomb Sq, 376th BG
B-24D The Blue Streak Lt Thomas W Mcgrain
B-24D The Blue Streak Maj Ralph P Thompson at Fort Worth TX
B-24D The Blue Streak Maj Ralph P Thompson at Fort Worth TX
B-17F "H*lls Angels" ...
"The original 303rd crews received new B-17F aircraft at Kellogg Field, MI and were given the opportunity to name their new Flying Fortresses. The flights to Gander Field, NF allowed crews to check their aircraft for deficiencies before making the over-the-water flight to the UK.
The Group's most famous B-17, H*ll's Angels was not named when Captain Irl E. Baldwin and his crew flew her from Kellogg Field, MI to England. On their B-17s 4th or 5th mission, Captain Baldwin remarked on interphone that he was thinking about a name. He asked, "How about 'H*ll's Angels' from the movie of that name. One of the crewman, commenting on the mission being flown stated, "This is the closest to hell that angels will ever get!" The crew then agreed that Hell's Angels would be a good name for their B-17.
The H*ll's Angels nose art was designed and painted on the right side of the fuselage by PFC Bernard K. Kastenbaum in late November or early December, 1942. Eighth Air Force Headquarters later issued a directive that squadron and aircraft Ietters would be painted on the side of the fuselage of all bombers. Bernie K. Kastenbaum was transferred to the 1st Bomb Wing Headquarters at Brampton Grange on 19 December 1942 and was promoted to S/Sgt as a draftsman. His original nose art was removed to permit the painting of the squadron and aircraft letters (VK-D). The art work was then repainted on the nose by S/Sgt Harold E. Godwin, Tail Gunner on the Captain Baldwin crew. S/Sgt Godwin completed his 25th mission tour on 25 May 1943 and departed the 358th BS for the USA on 2 June 1943.
On 07 January 1944, following several weeks of suggestions, debates and arguments, and by a vote of the 303rd BG(H) staff and Squadron commanders, the name H*ll's Angels was adopted by the 303rd Bombardment Group (H). At that time the numerical designation of bomb groups in England was still on the secret list, and the men of the 303rd wanted some name that was simple, descriptive and appropriate for one of the Eighth Air Force's top organizations. The name was taken from the old B-17F Hell's Angels, one of the group's original planes that had already made an impressive record of dependability, endurance and mechanical efficiency.
The old Fortress had helped make the group famous by running up a total of 25 missions without returning early (the first heavy bomber in the Eighth Air Force to reach that mark) and went on to the 40th mission before a slight mechanical failure forced an early turnback.
At 48 missions Hell's Angels and her ground crew of six men were selected from the Eighth Air Force to return to the U.S. for a tour of the war factories. On hand for the sendoff ceremony was Ben Lyon, then a Lt. Col. in the USAAF on the staff of Gen. Ira Eaker, commander of the 8th AF.
On this tour H*ll's Angels, both as an airplane and as a Bomb Group, became famous all over the entire United States. The crew told hundreds of thousands of war workers of the trials and hardships of the early days of daylight bombing missions and pointed out the patches that covered the old Fort from nose to tail. They were very proud of the fact that no member of its aircrew was ever wounded in action.
Although this record was surpassed many times by many aircraft during the later years, H*ll's Angels was the champion of the early days and will always be the champion in the eyes of the 303rd"
(Duggy Axis & Allied Paintworks)
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