USAAF
5th AF
38th BG
405th BS

Former Assignments
71st BS

Bill Thompson 1980

Richard Leahy 1980

David Paulley 1982

Justin Taylan 2000


Justin Taylan 2003

Featured Aircraft

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Pilot  Captain Robert J. Henderson, O-660752
Co-Pilot  1st Lt. Chester H. Swenson, O-738287
Navigator  1st Lt. Norwood L. Johnson, O-434570 (WIA / KIA)
Crew  T/Sgt James Kannette, 3404121 (WIA)
Crew  S/Sgt  Sam A. Mazzara, 16093878
Crashed  February 29, 1944

Aircraft History
According to 2/Lt. Robert W. Schalkle, the artwork was applied at Greenville, North Carolina, and cost the pilot $5.00 to have it painted on the plane by one of the members of the line crew. Schalkle's crew decided on this name due to all the partying they did when they were in training. The "BAR-FLY" lettering was yellow, as you can see, and the arms of the fly were brown, and basically the rest of the nose art was green and yellow.

Ferried across the Pacific to Townsville by a crew led by 2/Lt. Robert W. Schalkle. The other members were Duvall, McGourty, Hellstrom, Davis and Maddox. The crew arrived at Townsville in July 1943, where it was turned over to the replacement pool at the modification depot. The ferry crew was then assigned to the 22nd BG, 2nd BS and had no further association with it.

The bomber came off the modification line at Townsville around the end of August, and was assigned to the 38th BG, 71st BS based at Port Moresby. And first appears in their records on September 8, 1943. The last referenced flight in the 71st BS was November 22, 1943. Its regular pilot was Lt. Clanton and Sgt. Duffie the crew chief.

It is unclear what its assignment was from December 1943 - January 1944. It may have been undergoing repairs, or it even could have been temporarily with the 822nd or 823rd BS.

Next, it served with the 405th Squadron, 38th BG on Feb. 3, 1944, until a take off accident at the end February 1944. At some point, likely during its service with the 405th BS, it also had their "The Wolf Pack" markings applied to its nose.

Mission History
Crashed on take off for a night mission at Dubodura. The navigator, 1/Lt. Norwood L. Johnson was severely injured in the head and died several hours later. The bomber was written off.

Wreckage
This composite airframe was abandoned in the kunai grass near Horanda Y, until the 1970's. Recovered, and taken to Girua Airfield, near Popopondetta for display by the Oro Province Works Department, for display as a war memorial at the airport. The greenhouse nose section of B-25D "Bar Fly" 42-30593 was attached in front of the cockpit to B-25H 43-4450, to make a complete aircraft.

Traces of the US "star & bar" are present on the fuselage, and traces of its nose art are still visible. The two engines P-47 Thunderbolt engines, also recovered from Girua area are displayed in front of the Mitchell. For display purposes, the left landing gear (from a B-24) is bolted onto left wing.

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