KITS 08/2022

B-25J-20, 44-29590, Capt. Link Piazzo, 17th RS, 71st RG, 5th AF, Lingayen, Philippines, 1945

The ship named My Buck belonged to the 17th RS

(Reconnaissance Squadron) which was nicknamed

“Reckoners”. It was a heavy reconnaissance squadron of the 71st Reconnaissance Group which was

activated on March 2, 1942, and conducted anti-submarine patrols on the US West Coast until September of that year. From April 2, 1943, the group was

in process of rearming to B-25s and moved to New

Guinea in January 1944. Although it was a reconnaissance squadron, the pilots also routinely conducted

bombing and attack missions in support of ground

troops. Even during long-range reconnaissance flights, their Mitchells were fully armed so they could

attack ground targets they found enroute. The unit

moved to the Philippines in November 1944 and flew

reconnaissance missions over Luzon from there.

On April 27, 1946, the unit was deactivated. The My

Buck ship looks quite new for numerous mission

symbols painted on the fuselage. Also, the border of

the Olive Drab and Neutral Grey colors is unusually

shaped. It is possible, therefore, that she received

a new paint job at the unit for some reason.

B-25J-22, 44-29577, 1/Lt. Albert J. Beiga, 498th BS, 345th BG, 5th AF, Luzon, Philippines, May 1945

Paintings of scantily dressed girls by the famous

painter Albert Vargas have decorated countless

American aircraft, and not just during World War II.

A particularly hilarious drawing of a January 1944

calendar girl made its way onto several aircraft, and

the drawing on a B-25J, named Lady Lil, is certainly

one of the best. The name Lady Lil referred to the

girlfriend of pilot Albert Beiga, who had this Mitchell

assigned as the pilot-in-command. The ship was

painted in Olive Drab originally but was decolorized

to bare metal later, retaining only the stripe of olive

color around the Indian's head on the left stabilizer

and rudder. The rudder was later changed for one

from another ship and the one was in olive color as

well, making the whole left vertical surfaces looking

quirky. Remnants of the olive paint were visible on

the nose and behind the cabin for some time. The

green and yellow falcon head on the nose, the symbol of the 498th BS bearing the name Falcons, was of

course retained. This squadron was part of the 345th

Bombardment Group, the famous Air Apaches.

B-25J-30, 44-30934, 1/Lt. Charles E. Rice, Jr., 449th BS, 345th BG, 5th AF, Kadena, Okinawa, July

The most significant mission of the Mitchell named

Betty's Dream was escorting two white Betty bombers aboard which Japanese peace envoys traveled

to le Shima on August 21, 1945, after the previous

46

INFO Eduard

surrender in Manila. The aircraft was assigned to

1/Lt. Charles “Pop” Rice, Jr. who later became the

unit's operations officer. The Betty's Dream ship was

only briefly with the 449th BS, having been assigned

to the unit in June 1945, so it showed just little sign

of war wear and tear. The typical drawing of a bat on

the nose referred to the unit's name, Bats Outa'Hell.

August 2022