|
 |
|
|
| Missing In Action (MIA) | Prisoners Of War (POW) | Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) |
| Chronology | Locations | Aircraft | Ships | Submit Info | How You Can Help | Donate |
|
| USAAF 5th AF 6th PRG 20th CMS |
Aircraft History Built by Consolidated at Fort Worth, Texas. Constructors Number 296. At the factory, painted sky blue. First flight September 13, 1943. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as a B-24J-1-CF Liberator serial number 42-64047. Afterwards flown to the Northwest Airlines modification center at Holman Field, Saint Paul, Minnesota for conversion to F-7A photographic reconnaissance version. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to the South West Pacific Area (SWPA). Wartime History During April 1944 assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group (6th PRG), 20th Combat Mapping Squadron (20th CMS). Assigned to pilot Wooten. Nicknamed "Patched Up Piece" with a black shadow on the upper edge with the nose art of a girl wearing a hat, dress and stockings smoking a cigarette painted by Al Merkling. In New Guinea, this Liberator operated from Nadzab Airfield and was stripped to an aluminum finish. The nose art remained with a circular background around the female figure and the nickname was repainted across both sides of the nose art with "Merkling" below the word Piece. A scoreboard on the right side of the nose indicated photo missions flown. On August 14, 1944 took off from Mokmer Drome on Biak on a photographic reconnaissance mission over Morotai at an altitude of 20,000' for a photographic run over the island when it lost oil pressure on the no. 4 engine and was shut down and aborted the mission as he could not maintain altitude and returned via Middleburg Airfield and landed soon after the first fighters landed. In total, this Liberator flew 32 combat missions over New Guinea and the Netherlands East Indies (NEI). Ultimate fate unknown, likely scrapped or otherwise disappeared. References USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-24J-1-CF Liberator 42-64047 "64047 converted to F-7A served with 20th CMS as "Patched Up Piece" Forty of the Fifth (1999) by Michael Claringbould page 3, 46-49 (History 13), 48 (photo) 49 (photo) Contribute
Information Last Updated
|
 F-7A  Photo Archive |
| Discussion Forum | Daily Updates | Reviews | Museums | Interviews & Oral Histories |
|
