B-24 Stories

[Tony Kambic]

I'm researching some entries from a B-24 pilot's diary for a friend. I believe they are from 1945. He was in the 490th BG and commented about carrying P-38 drop tanks in the bomb bay with fuel in them to supply Patton's tanks. I don't understand where and how he unloaded them. He comments how flack penetrated near the waist and how it would have exploded if the tanks had been hit. Another entry describes carrying gold coins to Yugoslavia to pay the Partisans.

Does anyone have any insight or records of these types of missions?

Thanks in advance.

[Tony Kambic]

I can now answer both of my questions. It was the 492nd Bomb group, known as the Carpetbaggers. From the 801/492 Bomb Group Site (quote):

General Patton's armoured units grinding to a standstill. Patton had pushed round to the south and east thrusting towards Germany, but the speed of his progress had outstripped his fuel supply.

The situation was critical, and it was agreed that Carpetbagger Liberators should be used to fly gasoline directly to forward airfields. Harrington personnel worked non stop to convert the B-24s into flying fuel bowsers. Two 400 gallon tanks were fitted into the bomb bays and the auxiliary wing tank feed pipes were sealed off enabling them to be used (having first painted the filler caps white). Six P-51 Mustang belly tanks, each holding 100 gallons were installed in the fuselage, with three more fixed over the Joe Hole, all the tanks being vented outside.

On September 21st, 25 aircraft, each carrying 2,000 gallons of fuel staggered off the main runway at Harrington and headed for an airfield just re-captured from the enemy. Each trip lasted five hours and in the following days 60 aircraft were airlifting fuel. When the operation was ended on September 30th, 822,791 gallons of 80 octane gasoline had been flown out to three separate airfields in France and Belgium.

(end quote).

Part of this group was then re-assigned in Late Dec. 1944 to the 15th AF flying out of Brandisi, Italy and supplying the partisans in Southern France.

Tony