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No.
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150
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SERIAL NO.:
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44-42250
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MOST POPULAR NOSE ART NAME:
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NOCTURNAL ‘MISSION
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MODEL:
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B-24M-25-CO
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MFR:
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Consolidated-San
Diego
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CONTRACTOR'S NO.:
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6186
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INITIAL
MFG DATE:
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12/31/1944
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MFG COMPLETION DATE:
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01/08/1945
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FIRST
FLIGHT DATE:
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01/19/1945
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MOD CENTER DATE:
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01/19/1945
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MOD CENTER PLACE:
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Tucson
|
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USAAF
ACCEPTANCE DATE:
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02/21/1945
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TO STAGING AREA DATE:
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03/06/1945
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STAGING PLACE:
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Salinas,
CA
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OVERSEAS FLIGHT DATE:
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04/09/1945
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DEPARTURE PLACE:
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San
Francisco, CA
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OVERSEAS
ARRIVAL DATE:
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DESTINATION:
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MOD
COMPLETED
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OVERSEAS:
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OVERSEAS MOD PLACE:
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ASSIGNMENT:
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380/529
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ASSIGNMENT
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DATE:
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06/1945
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STATION:
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Murtha
Strip, Mindoro
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FIRST MISSION:
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07/24/1945
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WHERE (1ST MISSION):
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Kiang-wan
A/D, Shanghai
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NO. OF MISSIONS:
|
5 PH
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TERMINATION DATE:
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10/1945
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WHY
TERMINATED:
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ACFH-RFC
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WHERE TERMINATED:
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STRICKEN OFF CHARGE:
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10/25/1945
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WHERE REMOVED:
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Kingman
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NOTES:
Several publications list the following aircraft and related serial
numbers as assigned to the 529th Squadron, 380th Bomb
Group:
NOCTURNAL ‘
MISSION
B-24J-25-CO
S/N 44-41263
LUVABLASS
B-24M-25-CO
S/N 44-42263
First mission for M-263 is given as
April 22, 1945
. Only
a three-digit M number is given, thus allowing no distinction between these two
aircraft n the records. Normal
practice in such situations would be to use four numbers, i.e.,
NOCTURNAL ‘
MISSION
is
M-1263
LUVABLASS
is
M-2263
This was not done thus leading to the belief that the 529th
had only one M-263.
Since NOCTURNAL ‘
MISSION
is prominently featured in nose art literature
as assigned to the 380/529, then another assignment must be investigated.
Wally Forman has suggested that NOCTURNAL ‘
MISSION
was another B-24M-25-CO and carried the serial
number 44-42250.
Since Glenn Horton carries 44-42250 as 380/529, but without nose art,
this name will be assigned here unless more exact data can be uncovered.
Aircraft with the three serial numbers listed here are essentially
identical in appearance when viewed from the front right-hand side of the
aircraft.
