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  B-24J-190-CO "The Dragon And His Tail" Serial Number 44-40973  
USAAF
5th AF
43rd BG
64th BS

PacificWrecks.com
B. Williams 1945

Aircraft History
Built by Consolidated at San Diego. Constructors Number 4909. At the factory completed with an aluminum finish. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-24L-5-CO Liberator serial number 44-40979. Ferried oversea via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to the South West Pacific Area (SWPA)

Wartime History
Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 43rd Bombardment Group (43rd BG), 64th Bombardment Squadron (64th BS). Nicknamed "The Dragon And His Tail" with elaborate nose art of a dragon holding a nude woman. Postwar, returned to the United States, and was last reported at Kingman AFB, AZ and was smelted or scrapped.

References
USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-24J-190-CO Liberator 44-40973
"40973 (43rd BG, 64th BS, "The Dragon and His Tail") seen at Kingman, apparently headed for the smelter."
B-24J Liberator 44-44052 was formally painted to represent this bomber
Ken’s Men Against The Empire - The Illustrated History of the 43rd Bombardment Group During World War II - Volume II: October 1943 to 1945 B-24 Era (2019) cover artwork depicts this bomber

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Last Updated
October 12, 2022

 

Tech Information
B-24
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