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| USAAF 5th AF 22nd BG 19th BS
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Aircraft History Built by Martin in Baltimore, Maryland. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-26 Marauder serial number 40-1428. Wartime History During February 1942 assigned to 5th Air Force (5th AF), 22nd Bombardment Group (22nd BG), 19th Bombardment Squadron (19th BS). Assigned to 1st Lt Winfred O. Craft with crew chief Gernard. Nicknamed "Hell's Angel". Ferried to Australia by Craft arriving at Archerfield Airfield March 22, 1942. On April 24, 1942 at 6:00am took off from 7 Mile Drome on a bombing mission against Lae Airfield, but aborted due to bad weather, and returned to base to reschedule the raid for the afternoon, but instead an incoming Japanese air raid forced the bombers to take off so as not to be caught on the ground. During the air raid, twelve A6M2 Zeros of the Tainan Kōkūtai attacked, six intercepting RAAF 75 Squadron P-40s in the air, and six attacking the bombers and a PBY Catalina, including a claim by PO2C Hideo Izumi, who intercepted this B-26 over Fairfax Harbor off Port Moresby. Their attack was interrupted by two P-40s that drove off the Zeros, with P-40E Kittyhawk A29-76 pilot F/Sgt Robert W. Crawford damaged and ditched. Anti-aircraft gunners also fired at the Zeros, allowing the B-26s to withdraw and circle until the end of the air raid and it was safe to land. On November 3, 1942 this B-26 bombed Dili, piloted by 1/Lt Walter R. Wenk. Damaged by Ki-43 Oscars of the 59th Sentai, and returned with a bullet hole through the propeller and left inboard wing and a broken aileron cable, but successfully landed at Darwin. On November 30, 1942, this B-26 was damaged by anti-aircraft fire over Buna Airfield. This B-26 flew at least 43 combat missions, 25 with the "Silver Fleet". Sometime during 1943 stripped to bare aluminum as part of the "Silver Fleet", and re-named "Murder Inc. II", after the original "Murder Inc.", with crew chief T/Sgt Gernand. During January 1944, flown to Brisbane and scrapped. References USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-26 40-1428 "1428 (22nd BG) scrapped in Brisbane Jan 1944" Revenge of the Red Raiders (2006) pages 81, 151 (photo), 152, 156, 495, 522 (photo) Contribute
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