B-24 Serial Numbers

RE: B-24 Serial Numbers (vic-513)

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 14:25:03 GMT

Carol,

The Collings Foundation tour was in Victoria, TX last week and I stopped in to see them again. Had some good talks with several veterans, one a 90 year-old man, who piloted at B-17 but I can't recall the group offhand. All the planes were there this year, including a P-51, a new addition. It was a state-side trainer that didn't see action. It has a two-seat canopy and is a slick plane. The B-24 came in first from Houston and the B-25 and B-17 arrived an hour or so later. The B-17 blew a tire while taxiing in and stopped about a 1/2 mile away. They didn't have it fixed before I left. Good luck next year.

Vic

RE: B-24 Serial Numbers (clw9900)

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:06:17 GMT

Vic,
I went to Keystone Heights, FL Feb. 23rd to see the Collings Foundation planes. Unfortunately, the B24 blew an engine and did not make it there the day I was there. Not sure if it made it there at all. It was a tremendous disappointment. It was amazing though, to experience the B17 and B25. I'm looking forward to next year in hopes the B24 will be in FL.

Thanks for your help!!!!
Carol

RE: B-24 Serial Numbers (shooshoobaby)

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 11:33:43 GMT

Carol,
I Tip my Hat to you for your tenacity in this search.
I really hope the films give you the Info you seek.
When you get the Crew Lists , there should be the last 3 digits of the Serial #
of the B - 24 flown on the mission.
If you find them - post them and I can find Full # and Name , if any.
Keep Em Flyin,
Mike

RE: B-24 Serial Numbers (vic-513)

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 21:40:59 GMT

Carol,

The Collings Foundation has a B-24, B-17 and B-25 that tour the country and I believe are based in Florida. You can check out their site at www.collingsfoundation.org/fe_whatis.htm. They are worth going to see when they are in the area. The tour schedule is listed.

Vic

RE: B-24 Serial Numbers (clw9900)

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 15:04:25 GMT

Mike,
I received the info on the reels that I need last week. I will be placing the order next week. I just needed to find out where the closest microfilm machine was before I made the investment.
Thanks for all your help,
Carol

RE: B-24 Serial Numbers (shooshoobaby)

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 14:15:19 GMT

Carol - Probably the only way to find Missions is order the micro film records
of the 712th Sq. from 7/44 - 6/45.
These should have Loading ( Crew ) Lists , Morning Reports Etc.
Mike

RE: B-24 Serial Numbers (clw9900)

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 10:20:57 GMT

Thanks Don

I've found that there is a B-24 on display at Fantasy of Flight in Polk City, FL
Does anyone have any information/history on this a/c?

I live about 45 minutes from there and am thinking about going out there to see it.

Regards,
Carol

RE: B-24 Serial Numbers (donall)

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 08:43:15 GMT

RFC = Reconstruction Finance Center.
Basically a facility to store surplus a/c which were sold to the civilian market;
i.e. P-51 @ $3500, B-25 @ $8250, B-17/24 @ $13,750, etc..

RE: B-24 Serial Numbers (clw9900)

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 08:17:42 GMT

What is RFC?

Thanks,
Carol

RE: B-24 Serial Numbers (donall)

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 07:22:28 GMT

B-24L-15-FO, #44-49995 to RFC Kingman 07 DEC45.

RE: B-24 Serial Numbers (clw9900)

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 07:08:46 GMT

Thank you everyone for all your help and input!!!

My dad's orders home date 5 June 45 were on B-24-L 44-49995
Shipment # 10060 MZ
Crew # 5 of 72
Project #92950-R
Pilot: Axel B Johnson 0705396

My dad was a passenger. Does anyone have any info on this A/C?

Thanks in advance.
Regards,
Carol

RE: B-24 Serial Numbers (azttttommy)

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 00:36:47 GMT

Carol,
My father, Tom Horton, flew B-24 42-50727 back to the USA when the 448th was ordered home in June, 1945. A copy of the order with the serial number is here:
http://www.pbase.com/azttttommy/image/76653287
A pictures of the aircraft, POKOMOKO Special are here:
http://www.pbase.com/azttttommy/image/76724074
http://www.pbase.com/azttttommy/image/76724077
Tom Jr

RE: B-24 Serial Numbers (clw9900)

Tue, 12 Jun 2007 21:53:18 GMT

Vic,
Thank you =o)

My dad's MOS was 747 Engine and Airplane Mechanic. I also Know for a fact he flew 18 missions with some evidence that he flew a total of 30 missions. I would just love to put some identification to some of his momentos and pictures.

I have an awesome series of pictures of a bridge being bombed and destroyed. He never wrote when where or anything like that. I'm going to start scanning his stuff soon so I'll be able to post some of the better ones.

Carol

RE: B-24 Serial Numbers (vic-513)

Tue, 12 Jun 2007 20:50:29 GMT

Carol,

Maybe this is of no interest to you but the 611 by Hartman's name was his MOS or his specialty which was aerial gunner. 748 was for flight engineer and 757 was for radio operator. If you have your father's MOS number, you can look it up on the MOS database on the homepage here.

As to KP, there is the old joke about two guys peeling potatoes and one asked the other what KP meant. His buddy replied "from the look on the seargent's face, I think it means "keep peeling".

There is a definite possibility that your father could have filled in on other squadrons or that Hartman could have done the same.
When the need arose, for whatever reason a crew was shorthanded, others filled in as needed.

Vic

RE: B-24 Serial Numbers (clw9900)

Tue, 12 Jun 2007 19:02:13 GMT

Mike,
I'm really getting discouraged, every half step forward is like 3 steps back.

My dad spoke of one person that he flew with in his diary named Bill Hartman. Patricia sent me a page of some sort of order that had a William J Hartman on it.

The order reads:
2. HRS in compliance with par2, SO195, Hq AAF Sta 238, APO 639, dtd 19 jul 44, *oll named O and EM are asgd to orgns indicated;

162NO O-33 FD 333IJ (APO 12 IJ 44)

715 Bm Sq 448 Bm Gp (H)

F/O DODSON B. CRAYBEAL T123734 AC

F/O WILLIAM G. PAYNE T124156 AC

2ND LT WALTER A. FORD 0717420 AC

F/O WESLEY W. PALMER T2225 AC

Sgt (757) Donald D. Renkel 32767448

S/Sgt (748) Joe Dovico 37654273

Cpl (757) John C. Adams 39037615

Cpl (611) Richard J. Byrne 33733437

Cpl (611) William J. Hartman 33795867

Cpl Douglas E. Walker 38507353

This is one of 4 lists like this on the order. There is one each for the 712 BS, 713 BS, and 714 BS. I'm not 100% sure this is the correct Hartman either.

My dad's first mission was 7/29/44. Might they have moved Hartman to the 712BS in the 10 days between the order and my dad's first mission? OR might my dad have subbed for another bomb squad? My dad mentions 3 missions that Hartman WAS NOT on because of a nose injury so I have to assume that he was at least on the mission before the mention and came back to the crew after the 3 missions he missed. This also leads me to believe that my dad was part of the same crew for a period of time and was not just a sub. I may be totally off base in my thinking but this seems the logical way to go.

As always, thanks in advance for any and all help.

Regards,

Carol

RE: B-24 Serial Numbers (shooshoobaby)

Tue, 12 Jun 2007 17:07:08 GMT

Carol -
KP - Kitchen Police
Food preparation , cleaning etc.
It seems - of the B - 24s listed , none were in 712th Sq.
Mike

RE: B-24 Serial Numbers (donall)

Mon, 11 Jun 2007 22:19:09 GMT

41-28819, B-24H-15-DT
42-50326, B-24H-20-CF, EAGER ONE, 715th BS. Salvaged; taxi accident Seething 15 MARCH45.
42-50482, B-24J-401-CF
42-50727, B-24J-1-FO, 714th BS. Returned USA, JUNE45.
42-50759, B-24J-1-FO, 715th BS. Salvaged; off runway at RAF Station at Lisset, Yorkshire on
16/17NOV45.
42-50767, B-24J-FO
42-51247, B-24J-1-DT
42-51288, B-24J-1-DT
42-94762, B-24H-15-FO, THE UNINVITED, 34th BG.
42-95083, B-24H-25-FO
42-95182, B-24-H-25-FO, 715th BS. Lost 24AUG44, Germany. MACR 8292.
42-95305, B-24H-30-FO
44-10498, B-24J-55-CF
44-48806, B-24J-20-FO to RFG Walnut Ridge, Arkansas 04JAN46.

RE: B-24 Serial Numbers (Terry T.)

Mon, 11 Jun 2007 22:07:03 GMT

Joe Baughers serials:
42-50326 (448th BG, 715th BS, *Eager One*) salvaged at Seething as a result of a taxiing accident Mar 15, 1945.

42-50759 (448th BG,715th BS) skieed off runway at RAF Station, Lissett, Yorkshire, England Nov 16/17, 1944. Salvaged between Nov 19 and 22, 1944.

42-50727 (448th BG, 714th BS) returned to USA Jun 1945

42-95085 (389th BG) salvaged at Hethel Mid Mar 1945 after left main landing gear collapsed

42-94762 (34th BG, "The Uninvited")

42-95182 (448th BG, 715th BS) lost Aug 24, 1944, Germany. MACR 8292

44-48806 to RFC Walnut Ridge, Ark Jan 4, 1946

Terry T.

RE: B-24 Serial Numbers (clw9900)

Mon, 11 Jun 2007 18:37:43 GMT

Mike ,
Thanks for your help.
The serial numbers are:   42-95182 H
                                         41-28819 C
                                         42-50326 N
                                         42-95083 A
                                         42-50767 S
                                         42-50759 T
                                         44-10498 H
                                         42-50727 H
                                         44-48806 S
                                         42-51247 E
                                         42-51288 J
                                         42-95305 R
                                         42-50482 O
                                         42-94762 H

Any info anyone can supply on these is greatly appreciated.

Just an aside to all this, I read a newsletter that Patricia included in her packet to me and there was a detailed account of the Queen Elizabeth crossing.  When I was cleaning out my dad's effects I found a lot of little things that had no meaning to me but must have meant something to him for him to have kept them for all these years. One item that struck me as odd was a button that said KP. It seems the 712th and 713th were on perpetual KP for the trip and the button was his ID. If all I learn from all this is just about the button I will consider it a good day. Anything more would make it a great day.

Thanks to everyone in advance for their help.
Regards,
Carol

RE: B-24 Serial Numbers (shooshoobaby)

Mon, 11 Jun 2007 18:07:19 GMT

Carol - Post the Serial #s.
We can find Historys , names etc.
Forum member Darin Scorza has a lot of 448th info.
Mike