41-29128 - Lady Luck

media-13410.jpeg UPL 13410 The B-24H - 1 - CF - 41-29128 - LH name and nose art. Lady Luck, was in the 8th Air force, the 446th Bomb Group, and the 704th Bomb Squadron. Lt. Glen E. Rowe was the command pilot. SSgt. Lucious Howington was his tail gunner. Both were among those killed in action (KIA). 15 Oct 1944.

Details added. - Kickapoo

Object Number - UPL 13410 - The B-24H - 1 - CF - 41-29128 - LH name and nose art. Lady Luck, was in the 8th Air force, the 446th Bomb Group, and the 704th Bomb Squadron....

Note - This B-24H, 41-29128, was in the 8th Air Force, the 446th Bomb Group, and the 704th Bomb Squadron, in the U.K. in 1944, and should not be mistaken for another older B-24D Liberator bomber, 41-23778, also named, Lady Luck, also in the 8th Air Force, but in the 44th Bomb Group, and the 66th Bomb Squadron, in the U.K. in 1942 and 43, detached (TDY) to the 9th Air Force in North Africa, for Operation Tidal Wave. It was originally named, Jenny, but later renamed, Lady Luck, By it's Ploesti pilot Lt. Rocco Curelli, for it's having surviving the Ploesti mission with no casualties of it's crewmen. After it flew on Operation Tidal Wave over Ploesti, as, Jenny, and was renamed, Lady Luck, it's original, Lady Luck, name and nose art was copied onto the newer, Lady Luck, the B-24H, 41-229128, except that the new, Lady Luck, had no 8 ball decorations on her black bikini top, since she was not in the 44th Bomb Group (The Flying 8 Balls).







The B-24H, 41-29128, was one of the original B-24H models of the B-24's assigned to the 446th Bomb Group, the 704th Bomb Squadron, and the 8th Air Force. It was the second one of the two B-24s in the 8th Air Force in Britain, with the same, Lady Luck, name and similar nose art.



- The B-24D, 41-23778, Jenny - Lady Luck, was shot down and lost over Foggia, Italy. 16 Aug 43, after surviving the Ploesti bombing mission. 1 Aug 43. MACR 2141-3150.



The B-24H, 41-29128, Lady Luck, as part of the 446th Bomb Group, was based at Station 125, Bungay, Suffolk, U.K. and completed 49 successful missions over Europe, before it, too, was shot down. 15 Oct 44.



Lady Luck, 41-29128, flown by Lt. Glen E. Rowe, was damaged by flak on the bombing mission # 171 to Cologne, Germany. 15 Oct 1944, when it was hit by flak, returning from the mission, crossing the Rhine River. The #4 engine was hit and destroyed immediately, and the #1 engine hit about ten minutes later. Both engines were shut down and the props feathered. With the plane losing altitude, the crew threw out everything they could, that was not attached or nailed down, to keep the plane flying as long as possible : .50 cal. guns, ammunition, radios, etc. Lt. Rowe decided to set up and try an emergency approach and landing on St.Trond airfield. On the approach, realizing he was too high and landing long, Rowe tried for a go around, but he was committed to land and could not abort the landing and climb, with two engines out. The plane hit the ground and crashed, ripping off the landing gear. Fire broke out in the bomb bay, and the plane exploded. Lt. Rowe and the tail gunner, SSgt. Howington, were killed, and the RO TSgt. Frank J. Janik, is believed to have suffocated. 3 KIA. 5 RTD. 15 Oct 44.

The plane exploded and crashed during an attempted emergency crash landing at Saint-Trond Airfield, in Belgium. The pilot, Lt. Glen E. Rowe, was killed (KIA) in the crash landing. Copilot James H. Royer Jr., Bombardier Irving Siegel, Navigator James H. Hedren, Engineer William L. Hendricks, Right Waist Gunner Leroy L. Weese, Radio Operator Frank J. Janik, and Tail Gunner Luchious L. Howington, were all killed in the crash landing. 15 Oct 44. MACR 2141-3150.



1st Lt. Glen E. Rowe - Pilot - KIA

1st Lt. James Royer - Co-Pilot

1st Lt. Irving Siegel - Bombardier

1st Lt. James Hedren, - Navigator

SSgt. William L. Hendric - Engineer

SSgt. Leroy Weese - R Waist Gunner

SSgt. Luchious Howington - Tail Gunner - KIA

TSgt. Frank J. Janik - Radio Operator - KIA

Connections

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Units served with

A flight of B-24 Liberators of the 446th Bomb Group fly in formation above the clouds.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 446th Bomb Group 704th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 17063452 / O-769070
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 446th Bomb Group
  • Service Numbers: 38387966
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade)
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 446th Bomb Group 704th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 36597649
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 446th Bomb Group 704th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19100929 / O-699774
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Places

Aerial photograph of Bungay (Flixton) airfield, looking south, the technical site- with T2 hangar- and control tower are to the right, where the main airfield gate is also situated, 16 October 1945. Photograph taken by No. 541 Squadron, sortie number RAF/106G/UK/930. English Heritage (RAF Photography).
  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Flixton

Missions

The flak damaged nose of a B-17 Flying Fortress of the 398th Bomb Group. Printed caption on reverse: '54600 AC- England- 1st lt Lawrence M De Lancey, Corvallis, Oregon, landed this B-17 safely after its nose was literally shot away by flak over Cologne, Germany. Please Credit: Official US Air Force Photo.' Printed caption on image: 'This B-17 landed safely after losing its nose to flak. US AAF Photo.' Handwritten caption on reverse: '43-38172 of 398th BG.'
  • Date: 15 October 1944

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Jenny - Lady Luck
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 66th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Lady Luck - Elmer
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 754th Bomb Squadron

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Emergency Crash Landing

15 October 1944 Damaged by flak on the Cologne/Köln mission Two engines destroyed. Exploded while trying to make an attempt at an emergency landing. Crashed at the Saint-Trond airfield, Belgium. Pilot Rowe and 2 other men killed. Five others survived. 15 Oct 44. The plane was considered damaged beyond repair and was later decommissioned.

Revisions

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Added aircraft. - Kickapoo

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Added aircraft. - Kickapoo

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Wording changed, details added. - Kickapoo

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Details added. - Kickapoo

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Details added. - Kickapoo

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Aircraft name, word spacing - Kickapoo

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Best Web - B-24D - 41-23778 - Jenny - Lady Luck

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Best Web - B-24D - 41-23778 - Jenny - Lady luck

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Details added for clarity. - Kickapoo

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Best Web - 41-23778 - B-24D - Jenny - Lady Luck

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Best Web - B-24H - 41-29128 - Lady Luck

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Best Web - B-24H - 41-29128 - Lucky Lady

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Best Web - B-24 - 41-29128 - Lady Luck

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Corrected typos in Biography

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Made research on the names of the men on board on 15 October 1944 and listed at http://www.b24bestweb.com/ladyluck-v7-1.htm

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Page 27, The Mighty Eighth in Color, Roger Freeman.

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Page 27, The Mighty Eighth in Color, Roger Freeman

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www.aviationarchaeology.com via Fort Worth Aviation Museum

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www.b24bestweb.com via Fort Worth Aviation Museum

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www.b24bestweb.com via Fort Worth Aviation Museum

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B-24 Nose Art Name Directory by Wallace R. Forman via Fort Worth Aviation Museum

41-29128: Gallery (1 items)