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 (1^STMISSION):

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.