KITS 09/2021

B-25J-1-NC, 43-27559, 380th BS, 310th BG, 12th AF, Peretola, Italy, April 1945

The 43-27559 Mitchell nicknamed “She´s Engaged” was veteran of more than 100 missions. The ship was left in bare metal and sported painting of beautiful sitting lady in summer dress painted according to one of paints of famous pre-war artist Alberto Vargas (as were many other

nose arts). The original Vargas´s painting was later published in the Esquire calendar of January 1946. The ship was assigned to Sgt. Elton T.

Larsen as a crew chief and to Lt. John W. Allen as a pilot. The identification band on the vertical fins consisted of the upper yellow one (310th

BG colour) and lower blue one (color of the 380th BS). As with other bare metal ships in 310th BG, the bands were separated by black lines.

The engine nacelles had Olive Drab upper insides; the same color was painted in front of the windshield (anti-glare panel). The Olive Drab was

also used as a background for the bomb marks.

B-25J-11, 43-36001, 75th BS, 42nd BG, 13th AF, Philippines, 1945

The 42nd Bombardment Group (Medium) was activated on January 15, 1941, from the 7th BG (Heavy) at Fort Douglas, Utah. It was later nicknamed “Crusaders”. The 43-36001 ship was niocknamed “Nasty Nancy” and got painting of beautiful and scanty suited girl riding a torpedo.

On April 10, 1945, the “Nasty Nancy” was assigned rather specific job. During the mission No. 48 of 42nd BG she was to fly a route over the

city of Saigon in broad daylight at the height of 10,000 ft as a decoy for Japanese fighters. The plan was to lure the enemy into a trap as there

were P-38s waiting for them above and ready to attack after the code sentence “Little friends, come down and play" was sent over the radio

by the crew of Lt. Joseph Wright. Apart of the kills by P-38s, four Japanese fighters were shot down by gunners of the “Nasty Nancy”. The rear

gunner, Sgt. William Outlaw even used his .45 caliber pistol to shoot at the enemy fighters after his machine guns jammed. The ship had its

nose art painted on the starboard side of the front fuselage, the color scheme was usual in Olive Drab and Neutral Gray with yellow wingtips

and top of the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The groups´s badge was also painted on the vertical fins.

INFO Eduard - September 2021

eduard

43