Calling all B-26 Marauder experts (pix inside)

[Jay Barfoot]

I plan to model the B-26 "Ginny Lou" pictured below using the 1/72 Hasegawa B-26. But there is still some info about Ginny that I don't know. Specifically, I need help determining serial number and individual aircraft letter code. If there's anyone out there that can help me, I'd appreciate it.

Known facts from the pilot...

9th AF

323rd Bomb Group (Medium)

455th Bomb Squadron

Known facts from the pictures...

Either a B or C model B-26 Marauder

Delivered in Olive Drab top and Neutral Gray under surfaces.

In Iceland in mid '43 and England in Aug '44

Had seen combat by Aug '44 due to combat repair patches on nose

Iceland May’43

Beaulieu, England, Aug ‘44

Crew left to right:

Top Row – Bill Whitman (Pilot), Chuck Leonard (Bombardier/Navigator), Wallace Pharr (Tail Gunner)

Bottom Row – Herb Moore (Engineer), Hank Moen (Pilot), Jim Hoover (Radio Operator/Waist Gunner)

Assumptions

Horizontal white stripe across vertical stab and rudder (323BG marking)

"YU" on both sides of rear fuselage (two letter 455BS code)

"Ginny Lou" written in Yellow (Doesn't match the Neutral Gray underneath but too dark for white)

Probably wore "invasion stripes" at some point in its career

Most likely looked similar to the bottom left image at this link http://www.markstyling.com/b26_research.07.htm

I've searched the web intensively and spoken with the pilot but I just can't find the info. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Jay

[jrallman]

While this is by no means a definitive list (and sometimes codes were reused) Here are codes that have been identified with other 455th planes that are not the Ginny Lou. YU-A, C, E, F, G, J, N, P, S, T, U, V, and X. B, L, and Y were also used, but I was only able to find reference to those planes by serial number, and not by name, pilot, or any other identifying information. If you can't find any more information and wanted to make a random pick but still be accurate, YU-B was a B-26C-6-MO 41-34723, YU-L was a B-26C-6-MO 41-34734, and YU-Y was a B-26G-5-MA 43-34313. Since Ginny Lou was a B or C model, perhaps you might want to try to follow up on YU-B and YU-L. Maybe one of those will pan out for you. HTH

[Jay Barfoot]

While this is by no means a definitive list (and sometimes codes were reused) Here are codes that have been identified with other 455th planes that are not the Ginny Lou. YU-A, C, E, F, G, J, N, P, S, T, U, V, and X. B, L, and Y were also used, but I was only able to find reference to those planes by serial number, and not by name, pilot, or any other identifying information. If you can't find any more information and wanted to make a random pick but still be accurate, YU-B was a B-26C-6-MO 41-34723, YU-L was a B-26C-6-MO 41-34734, and YU-Y was a B-26G-5-MA 43-34313. Since Ginny Lou was a B or C model, perhaps you might want to try to follow up on YU-B and YU-L. Maybe one of those will pan out for you. HTH

Thanks Jay,

I appreciate the response. I've been looking at the other 455BS aircraft as well. Here's the info I've found out about YU-B 41-34723 and YU-L 41-34734.

41-34734 B-26C-6-MO Bird Dog Special YU-L Charles N. Enderton

41-34723 B-26C-6-MO Sea Swoose YU-B Maurice E. Druhl

So, neither were Ginny, unfortunately. I do appreciate the help, though.

Take care,

Jay

Edited February 7, 2008 by Jay Barfoot

[Don923]

I have several B-26's with "Ginny" as part of a name, but the only reference I have for "Ginny Lou".

Here is what I have:

"Flying Ginny" 41-31723, 387th BG

"Ginny" 43-34149, 386th BG

"Ginny Lucas" 391st BG, no serial or code, but I believe we have a photo of the nose art.

"Ginny Lou". I have this listed as a B-26B-10-MA model training aircraft, but no serial or code.

what is the airman's name we might beable to go that direction to find the serial and radio code letters

Don923 (flylo)

[Don923]

I asked Roy Bozych who is the Bomb Group Historian about "Ginny Lou" and for some reason I over looked the second photo, so maybe we will come up with something in the next email, but here's where it stands at the moment:

Hi Don,

Thanks for the e-mail. I went through all of the documents I have for all four Squadrons, 453rd, 454th, 455th, & 456th and can not find any plane that was named "Ginny Lou" It is still possible that it belonged to the 455th but didn't get recorded on any official records or press releases. It looks like this picture was cropped. Is it possible to get the entire picture? Possibly there may be part of a serial number or Squadron call letters in the picture that might help. I don't see any other a/c names or info in this picture. And with the cropped picture it's hard to tell what base there at.

I have a complete listing of all the men who served with the 323rd BG so if you can find out the last name of the airman that would also help a lot.

[P-38 guy]

Here's the photo and info from the National Archives.

Mike

Edited February 12, 2008 by P-38 guy

[Don923]

Again passing the information over to Roy Bozych of the 323BG, and my Friend Paul Clouting we are still searching for the serial ourselfs. I also recieved email from Mike Smith (of B26.com) in regards to "Ginny Lou" serial . here 's what Paul came up with from the same NARA photo at Meeks Field.

Sometimes fate plays a fair hand, and what about this?

I recently received some scans of photographs from NARA, which I have not

had time to look through in detail.

Just this morning I discovered these two photos, and guess what, one of

them is the full size image of the "Ginny Lou" photo.

What a coincidence that is, I am astonished.

Anyway, they show aircraft at Meeks Field, Iceland on 27th May 1943, enroute

to the UK, and they are 323rd BG. Probably one of the later ecelons which

went via the Northern Ferry route.

In the second photograph, you can just make out 41-34863 "Bingo Buster",

4134913 "Flounder Gus", 41-34853 "Toid Boid", and the nose art of 41-34940

"Raunchy Rascal".

How about that?

I have included the captions taken from the back of the photographs as

further evidence.

Still don't know the serial of "Ginny Lou", but it does look like it is an

original 323rd combat aircraft.

Regards & best wishes

Paul Clouting

[Jay Barfoot]

Hi Don,

Thanks for responding to my plea for help. I'd pretty much given up hope on getting any more responses, especially after the forums went down. Anyway, I've found out a little more info. Thru research I'd identified a good possibility for Ginny Lou's serial #. It's 41-31870 which would make it a B-26B-25-MA. There are 2 reasons I think this may be it. First, this is one of the earlier serials (among the first 14) of the 455BS aircraft which I can't find a name associated with or was destroyed prior to the date of the crew picture. Secondly, I found an accident report on 41-31870 which included Whitman and Moen (the two pilots in the crew picture). The accident occured two to five weeks after the picture was taken. I also narrowed the code letter down to seven possibilities. The NMUSAF narrowed it even further five and B26.com (yes, I've been talking to Mike, too) has narrowed it to four. They are D, K, M and W. Since Ginny was part of the initial batch of aircraft for the 455BS, I'm guessing it's either D or K, probably D. Anyway, if you or Paul can find out anything about that serial# or those possible codes, I'd appreciate it. Also, if Paul is willing to share the second picture he mentioned, I'd like to get a copy of it too. Also note, in the Iceland picture, the crewman is painting "Idiot"s Delight" on the plane in the foreground. If you magnify the picture, you can see the chalk outline he's using as a painting guide.

Thanks for your help,

Jay

[Don923]

Jay I forwarded you last reply to Paul. here's his coment.

Don923(flyLo)

"Don,

41-31870 was coded YU-D of the 455th BS, and I have no nose name associated with this serial.

I am more than happy to share the second picture, although I am not sure which one was the second picture. There were two pictures of Meeks Field, Iceland.

Regards

Paul"

[Don923]

Hi Jay

I have more coments on "Ginny Lou" this time from the daughter of "Robert Sims" of the 455BS. You might have seen the photo of the B-26 with the right engine missing, and he was able to crash land it in a series of photographs. I can forward the story if interested.

Anyway Migon Sims is the editor of the 387BG's newspaper here's her information:

I found the Ginny Lou listed on our roster. It did not list an aircraft number, but I will look further when I have time. It did list a different crew as follows: Pilot-Lloyd McFadden; C0-Pilot- Herb H. Smith; Navigator/Bombardier- Uldereco Santoro; Engineer Turret Gunner- W.D. Minshew; Radio Operator/Waist Gunner- Joe F. Lyons; Tail Gunner- Harvey P. Souther

I have all of the men listed below in the picture listed as members of the 455th but with a different plane. Different crews flew different planes. The plane they are listed under has an aircraft number and it is 41-31870 (YU-D) but it does not list the name of the plane.. I am wondering if the crew I have listed under Ginny Lou could be the same plane as your crew below listed as 41-31870 (YU-D) on my roster. In other words the aircraft number listed for your crew could be for the same plane, Ginny Lou.

Have I confused you sufficiently? Hope this helps. Mignon

PS At least this might give you a time frame to go by since the crew you listed is under this aircraft number you would be able to tell when they entered service. The pilot in the middle, front row looks familiar, but Dad did not recognize and of them.

Don923(FlyLo)

PS I do hope we get this straight for historys sake. Who knows who might see your model, and like print what ever is written becomes the facts sometimes.

[Don923]

Hi Jay

You certainly named this discussion the right name as you have gotten all the B-26 experts I know involved with looking for the correct serial number.

Trevor Allen, Roy Bozych, Paul Cloutin, Mijon Sims, and others

Here's the latest from Roy Bozych the 323rd Bomb Group historian.

went through all of the mission records I could find the Whitman crew while they were at Beaulieu. There were seven of them, they are listed below:

41-34908 YU-A 7/24

548 YU-O 7/30

41-34942 YU-U 7/31 Jolly Roger

41-31772 YU-C 8/5 Hazel

42-107692 YU-F 8/9

41-34952 YU-Q 8/15 Anhuac Lion

41-31772 YU-C 8/5 Hazel

Four can be eliminated because they already have names. It is possible for a plane to be renamed or have two names but let’s assume for the moment that they didn’t do that. So that leaves us with three un-named planes:

41-34908 YU-A 7/24

548 YU-O 7/30

42-107692 YU-F 8/9

548 YU-O flown on 7/30/44 can also be dropped from the list. I have not yet been able to find any documentation to complete the serial number. Since this was one of the newer planes that were added to the Squadron either in 44 or 45 and the Meeks picture was from May of 43 it doesn’t fit the time frame.

If you look at the nose of “Ginny Lou†in the picture there is some identifying information. You will notice that there are two 50 caliber guns mounted in the nose. One in the standard center swivel position and one fixed near the base of the nose. It almost looks like an aircraft pitot tube. The extra fixed 50 caliber gun was only on the B-26C models starting with the B-26C-5 and ending in the middle of the B-26C-25 run.

41-34908 YU-A is a B-26C-15 and 42-107692 YU-F was a B-26C-45 model.

The serial number production run for the B-26C-45-MO was 42-107497 to 42-107830.

That would make 42-107692 the 195th B-26 out of a run of 333. Since the fixed 50 cal was eliminated during the middle of this run, probably by this time (#195) they had stopped installing them. Also the 42 in serial number 42-107692 indicates the year in which the US government signed the contracts to build that block of aircraft. Not necessarily the year the aircraft was made. So for the contact to be signed in 1942 and then have the aircraft completed, modified, tested, delivered and outfitted to fly overseas by May of 1943 is highly unlikely.

So that only leaves us with 41-34908 YU-A. There was kind of an informal tradition that you would have you usually have your picture taken as a crew in front of the aircraft on one of your early missions. Since this was their 1st mission flown out of Beaulieu, England it all seems to fit. Also mail back to the States at that time was taking two to three weeks. So even if the picture was taken at the end of July, by the time it got back home and someone put it in a scrapbook with a note it would have been August.

So based on all the above, I would say that 41-34908, YU-A Is “Ginny Lou†If anyone has any more compelling evidence, I’m open to suggestions.

Roy

Roy Bozych

Historian

323rd BG/454th BS

[Jay Barfoot]

Hi Don,

Thanks for the info. Seems it provided answers as well as generated new questions. I now believe there are two possibilities for Ginny.

41-34952 coded YU-Q also named Anahuac Lion (possibly on left side)

41-31870 coded YU-D

I don't think it's 41-34908 coded YU-A because I've been able to obtain Moen's combat log. His first mission was 05 Aug 44 so while Whitman's crew flew missions prior to then, Moen wasn't a part of the crew. His log corresponds to Roy's records for the 5th, 9th and 15th of Aug missions. I do have him flying one more combat mission, 17 Aug 44, prior to the unit's move to Lessay France on 26 Aug but it was in a B-26B.

Trevor also has documentation associating 41-34952 with both the names Anahuac Lion and Ginny Lou. Hopefully, Mignon Sims can dig up some more info.

Thanks again,

Jay

[Slartibartfast]

If I may butt into your thread, does anyone have a clue where "Anahuac Lion" comes from?

[Jay Barfoot]

If I may butt into your thread, does anyone have a clue where "Anahuac Lion" comes from?

Hi Bruce,

Have no clue. I do know there's a city in TX named that. I'm assuming that's why you're asking: the possible TX connection. Wish I could be of help, but I don't know.

Cheers,

Jay

[Slartibartfast]

Appreciate it.

[B-17 guy]

I'm not a B-26 expert, but I did some digging and didnt find out much more then you have already have. I'd say go with YU-D for 41-31870, that seems to be the general consesus from what I've found. This may be helpful:

The names of the other crew members according to roster by John Moench are as follows:

1st Lt. Arthur P. Duncan, 1st Lt. Hanferd J. Moen, T/Sgt William Turocy. On a 323rd BG mission on September 10th 1944 to Foret du Hayes SP in France 2nd Lt. Hanferd J. Moen was WIA (Wounded In Action) according to Moench. On February 28th 1945 Major Rehr and 1st Lt. Pulver led an attack on the Uluyn Road Junction in Germany. The mission report should contain information about what Marauder was flown by 1st Lt. Pulver that day. I have a record of 455th BS Marauders, there were 14 Marauders originally in that Bomb Squadron. 2nd Lt. Hanferd J. Moen is there listed as Co-Pilot of 41-31870, this aircraft had a taxi accident at Lessay/A-20 on September 9th 1944, killing it's pilot 2nd Lt. Whitman. Unfortunately the record does not list other of the above mentioned crew names than Hanferd J. Moen.

Best regards from Norway,

Alf Egil Johannessen

Loretta, I am the son of Hanferd “Hank†Moen. He is certainly alive and well! I will mail a copy of your email to him. I am sure he would be more than happy to talk with you. You can also reply to me. Best of luck in your search and hopefully my father will able to fill in some of the blanks.

Regards,

Hanferd J. Moen Jr., Maj Gen, USAFR