Warbird Information Exchange

Hello everyone I have a question someone here will know. This photograph is one of eleven I have on loan from a friend. He thinks his dad took them, has anyone seen this before? Are they maybe a PX bought item? They seem more like a set of photos than photos you or I would take. Anyway I have a total of about 75 I will post once I get them scanned... just curious

I doubt they were bought in a PX, AJ. Some of the bomb groups did a pretty good job of documenting their nose art, either by design or just because someone in the Photo Lab took photos on their own initiative. A fair number of guys had cameras and took shots of nose art "just because!"

That is 42-24627 of the 870th Squadron, 497th Bomb Group, 73rd Wing, and the photo was taken on Saipan. Her tail code was A Square 27 and she survived the war. I've seen photos of her before, I think in Steve Birdsall's book, but not from this exact angle. At least my feeble memory doesn't remember this exact shot. The art was also painted on the right side of the airplane. I really, really can't wait until you're able to post the others--I've been trying to wean myself off the B-29 for a couple of years, but photos like this make that pretty hard.

A little detail on that photo--notice that it appears that the airplane commander's name has been removed and "Cutler E.W." painted in its place. Perhaps the Cutler crew was the second to take her to war.

Thanks,
Scott

thanks a bunch, I will get to them in the next day or so. they all seem to be from the same angle, his Dad went on to fly POW supplies, then maybe? air-sea rescue. Funny how many folks have no idea what dad did during the war, my friend has just a vague idea.

We'd like to help fill in the blanks if your friend wants to know! If his dad flew POW Supply missions and Air/Sea Rescue he might have been part of a later replacement crew.

I did a little more scratching on Texas Doll, and the Cutler crew was flying her in April of '45. That would almost certainly mean that they had been assigned to her after her original crew finished up.

His Dad's name was West and he crewed Ben's Raiders

That helps a bunch. Ben's Raiders was B-29-60-BW 44-69725 and was assigned to the 883rd Squadron of the 500th B.G. Her tail code was Z 43 and she survived the war. What aircrew position did your friend's father fly? Being a replacement crewman might make it a little tougher to find him in the 73rd Wing crew lists. They did a really good job in the 500th of listing original crews but not quite so hot on replacements.

That's one of the clearest photos I've seen of Texas Doll. Can't wait to see the rest!

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this thread is definetely going somewhere!! can't wait to see the pics!! i doubt those pics were bought at a px as well, as some nose art was altered or band due to heat from upper brass cleanie weinies!! i doubt the px would have been be promoting a taboo out of military regulations circles.

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

To add a little to Tom's post---these photos may have been taken after the order came down from HQ to remove all artwork from the 73rd Wing aircraft. This is the Wing that ended up with the "barb and ball" after April of '45, and the photographer may have been trying to document the art before it had to be removed.

Scott

Those are really, really nice photos. Here's a quick run-down on serial numbers and Group assignments:

1. 42-24451, 73rd Wing/500th Group/???Squadron/??Tailcode/?Final Disposition. I've seen the right side of this airplane and it has similar noseart. I can't find her in the 73rd Wing listing as yet, but as popular is she was there must be a record somewhere.

2. 42-24614, 73w/498g/873s/T5/Ditched returning to CONUS

3. 42-24544, 73w/498g/875s/T49/Survived War

4. 42-24643, 73w/500g/881s/Z5/?

5. 42-63469, 73w/498g/874s/T33/? She is a B-29-21-Bell Atlanta. This group of airplanes was normally Block 20, leading me to think she might have been a photo ship. Several airplanes in this serial number block were assigned to the 73rd Wing. I'll do more research on this one.

6. 42-24627, 73w/497g/870s/A27/Survived

7. ????? I can't make out the data block on this one. More later.....

8. 42-63510, 73w/498g/874s/T38/Written Off 1 April 45

9. 42-24632, 73w/497g/870s/A21/Returned to CONUS

10. 42-24657, 73w/500g/883s/Z45/Lost in Combat, 9 January 45

11. 42-24597, 73w/497g/869s/A10/Survived

Since Mustn't Touch was lost on 9 January of '45 we may assume that your friend's father was in the Marianas by then. I'll do some more digging on the missing links to see what turns up.

Scott

Armyjunk,

Thanks for posting those photos, they are invaluable and I will be studying them. We really appreciate your efforts in sharing history. I have been glued on the Grumman thread for some time.

Tim

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Searching for B-29A-55-BN 44-61966 photo and history!

Scott, do you have any info on this B-29/F-13:



Taken at the B-24 base at Puerto Princesa - had engine trouble on its way to the combat zone. According to my uncle it was the first one most of the personnel had ever seen.

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Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

Thanks to Steve Birdsall, the identity of Stripped for Action is 42-63466, 73w/497g/870s/A32/Survived the War.

Chris, the only thing I've found on '968 is what you've already probably discovered. She was a Renton F-13A and had an in-flight fire ten miles west of Herington on 23 March 1945. The fire was probably of a fairly minor nature if she was photographed on the way to the combat zone, but maybe that is the reason she was at Puerto Princesa--perhaps still having trouble from the earlier incident in Kansas? Since she was damaged near the Herington Processing Center I'd guess she was being shaken down prior to overseas movement. I find it interesting that she has had the fin flash painted on before being assigned to a combat unit.

Scott

From the angle of these shots, they were taken on a stand. They do not look like they were taken from the ground up.

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S.