PRINCE VALIANT / PUSS & BOOTS

Serial No.: 42-72942 Model: B-24D-170-CO



Data Sheet Aircraft Record Card Maintenance Crew Mission Record Photos



 

DATA SHEET

 

 

No.

076

 

 

 

 


SERIAL NO.:


42-72942

MOST POPULAR NOSE ART NAME:


PRINCE VALIANT / PUSS & BOOTS

 

 

 

 

MODEL:

B-24D-170-CO

MFR:

Consolidated-San Diego

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONTRACTOR'S NO.:

2512

 

 

 

 

INITIAL MFG DATE:

08/08/1943

MFG COMPLETION DATE:

08/16/1943

 

 

 

 

FIRST FLIGHT DATE:

08/20/1943

MOD CENTER DATE:

08/23/1943

 

 

MOD CENTER PLACE:

Tucson

USAAF ACCEPTANCE DATE:

08/21/1943

 

 

TO STAGING AREA DATE:

 

STAGING PLACE:

 

OVERSEAS FLIGHT DATE:

09/19/1943

DEPARTURE PLACE:

Fairfield, CA

 

 

 

 

OVERSEAS ARRIVAL DATE:

 

DESTINATION:

Townsville

 

 

 

 

MOD COMPLETED

 

 

 

OVERSEAS:

 

OVERSEAS MOD PLACE:

 

 

 

 

 

ASSIGNMENT:

380/528

ASSIGNMENT

 

 

 

   DATE:

11/1943

STATION:

Fenton

 

 

 

 

 

 


FIRST MISSION:


12/07/1943


WHERE (1ST MISSION):

Pelaw Village,
Haroekoe Is.

 

 

 

 

NO. OF MISSIONS:

47 AU/NG + 19 PH = 66

TERMINATION DATE:

06/22/1945

 

 

 

 

WHY TERMINATED:

Salvaged

WHERE TERMINATED:

Biak Island, New Guinea

 

 

 

 

 

STRICKEN OFF CHARGE:

06/05/1945

WHERE REMOVED:

UCIP

  

NOTES:               Fitted with Trimetrogon Cameras.

Originally thought to be 42-40526 (PUG), a 2021 newly discovered photograph and data analysis has disproven this. 42-72942 is the only B-24D not fitted with a turret on arrival in Australia, that fits the timeline as quoted by Ted Williams: "In mid December '43 when we sent all our original deployment aircraft to the Depot for salvage or retrofitting for a nose turret (the Depot's call) in exchange for newer aircraft. When we went to the Depot in February '44 for further new aircraft, we found that PRINCE VALIANT (now with a turret) was available so we took it again."

42-72942 has a gap in its mission record 12 Jan 44 to 7 Feb 44 which matches the time needed to incorporate the turret mod. Sometime after return to 380th the aircraft was paint stripped and renamed PUSS & BOOTS.

 



 

AIRCRAFT RECORD CARD

 
Nose Art: PRINCE VALIANT / PUSS & BOOTS
Serial No.: 42-72942
Model: B-24D-170-CO
 




MAINTENANCE CREW

 
Nose Art: PRINCE VALIANT / PUSS & BOOTS
Serial No.: 42-72942
Model: B-24D-170-CO

 

 

 

SSN

Rank

Name

Crew Chief(s):

34135387

M/Sgt

William M. Wren

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SSN

Rank

Name

Mechanic(s):

 

 

Not Available in Current Records

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

                    Notes:    




MISSION RECORD



 

PRINCE VALIANT / PUSS & BOOTS

Serial No.:  42-72942 Model: B-24D-170-CO

 

PRINCE VALIANT PRIOR TO TURRET MODIFICATION

PrinceValiant

Source:  P Johnston Collection.



Original Nose Art

Source:  Horton/Horton, King of the Heavies, p. 42.


Source:  Horton, Best in the Southwest, p. 55.

See notes on the DATA SHEET page above.

 


PUSS & BOOTS NOSE ART

Source:  Horton, Best in the Southwest.


Right Side

 

 Source:  Horton/Horton, King of the Heavies, p. 135.

 

 

 http://www.b24bestweb.com/ pussandboots1.htm

 

  

http://www.b24bestweb.com/pussandboots2.htm

 

 

 Source:  Joe Dally Collection.

 

 

Source:  Pete Burris Collection.

 

Source:  Unknown

 

 

Source:  Horton, Best in the Southwest, p. 478.


Left Side

Source:  Horton, Best in the Southwest, p. 478.