"Winnie the ?"

Legend tells of a menacing looking B24, but with only half the nose art complete when it started flying operationally. It became known as the "Ghost Ship." As the Ghost manuevered in formation, the nose art, only visible on the starboard side, would come into view, and disappear again as the ship completed its manuevers. This B24 was painted by ground crew aircraft mechanics, Don Smith and Al Hopkins (C flight - 833rd), and they did eventually finish their artwork, as seen above.

The aircraft has been subsequently identified as 4N:880:S, and its first operational flight with the 486th was on June 6, 1944. She flew 9 missions before being transfered to the 834th (plane code "R") and flying only 3 additional missions before the transition to B17s began. The ship was originally assigned to the 34th BG (H), and was given the name "Winnie the Pooh." Her nose art included an image of a bear. On May 29th, the aircraft,  flown by the Culver crew, 391st BS/34th BG, was severly damaged. She was sent to the repair depot, and then transferred to the 486th. . Don and All removed the original nose art, and the process wasn't quite complete when this photo was taken. When the 486th turned over their Liberators, the aircraft formerly known as "Winnie the Pooh"  was transferred back to the 34th BG. When the 34th converted to B17s, the ship was transferred to the the 406th Night Leaflet Squadron, and given a coat of black paint, erasing the nose art all together. (Information courtesy of Tom Brittan, and "The Team" at www.b24bestweb.com)