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42-40364

B-24 Liberator

  • B-24 42-40364 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' of the 343rd BS, 98th BG, 9th AF. lost on the Ploesti oil refinery raid.

    B-24 42-40364 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' of the 343rd BS, 98th BG, 9th AF. lost on the Ploesti oil refinery raid.

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  • B-24D - 'Snow White - And The Seven Dwarfs' - #42 40364 - 343rd Bomb Squadron - 98th Bomb Group - 9th Air Force - 1943. Lost on the Ploesti mission. Aug 1, 1943

    B-24D - 'Snow White - And The Seven Dwarfs' - #42 40364 - 343rd Bomb Squadron - 98th Bomb Group - 9th Air Force - 1943. Lost on the Ploesti mission. Aug 1, 1943

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  • B24D - 'SNOW WHITE and the Seven Dwarfs' - B-24 - D - 53 - CO - SN #42-40364 - 9th Air Force - 98th Bomb Group - 343rd Bomb Squadron. Lost on the Ploesti mission. Aug 1,1943.

    B24D - 'SNOW WHITE and the Seven Dwarfs' - B-24 - D - 53 - CO - SN #42-40364 - 9th Air Force - 98th Bomb Group - 343rd Bomb Squadron. Lost on the Ploesti mission. Aug 1,1943.

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  • B-24D - 'Snow White' Crew : left to right : Technical Sergeant John A. Harkell, Captain Rolo C. Lawrence, Sargeant George A. Brunnell and Sergeant Kermit E. Gregory. lost on the Ploesti mission. Aug 1,1943

    B-24D - 'Snow White' Crew : left to right : Technical Sergeant John A. Harkell, Captain Rolo C. Lawrence, Sargeant George A. Brunnell and Sergeant Kermit E. Gregory. lost on the Ploesti mission. Aug 1,1943

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  • B-24D - 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarves' - Lete Airfield, Benghazi Libya. 1943

    B-24D - 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarves' - Lete Airfield, Benghazi Libya. 1943

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  • The B-24D, SN #42-40364 - has the name, 'THE PINK ELEPHANT' painted on the RH side of the nose - It was the 2nd 'SNOW WHITE' in the 98th Bomb Group, the first one being the B-24D, SN # 41-11913, - Pilot Rollo Lawrence's airplane. This airplane, # 42-40364 was lost on Operation Tidal Wave at Ploesti Romania. Aug 1, 1943 - MACR 165 - Pilot James A. Gunn, Jr. Contributor - Robert Livingstone Info Contributor - Bill Whitney The B-24D, 'THE PINK ELEPHANT'. SN #42-40364. Started combat ops May 13, 1943 and was shot down on the low level Ploesti mission Aug 1, 1943 with the crew of Pilot Capt. James A. Gunn, Jr. It was shot down near the Yugoslavia/ Bulgaria border by enemy fighters during withdrawal from the target in the same action that downed 'THE WITCH', #41-11840, flown by Pilot Julian Darlington. The sole survivor, Tail Gunner Stanley Horine, and Pilot Julian Darlington from The WITCH, were POWs together in Bulgaria.

    The B-24D, SN #42-40364 - has the name, 'THE PINK ELEPHANT' painted on the RH side of the nose - It was the 2nd 'SNOW WHITE' in the 98th Bomb Group, the first one being the B-24D, SN # 41-11913, - Pilot Rollo Lawrence's airplane. This airplane, # 42-40364 was lost on Operation Tidal Wave at Ploesti Romania. Aug 1, 1943 - MACR 165 - Pilot James A. Gunn, Jr. Contributor - Robert Livingstone Info Contributor - Bill Whitney The B-24D, 'THE PINK ELEPHANT'. SN #42-40364. Started combat ops May 13, 1943 and was shot down on the low level Ploesti mission Aug 1, 1943 with the crew of Pilot Capt. James A. Gunn, Jr. It was shot down near the Yugoslavia/ Bulgaria border by enemy fighters during withdrawal from the target in the same action that downed 'THE WITCH', #41-11840, flown by Pilot Julian Darlington. The sole survivor, Tail Gunner Stanley Horine, and Pilot Julian Darlington from The WITCH, were POWs together in Bulgaria.

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The B-24D, named, 'THE PINK ELEPHANT', SN #42-40364, flown by Capt. James A. Gunn and was the second B-24D, also named, 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' in the 9th Air Force, the 98th Bomb Group - "The Pyramiders", and the 343rd Bomb Squadron. The FIRST B-24D, named 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' was the aircraft, Serial Number, # 41-11913. Both airplanes had the same name and stunning nose art, a picture of Walt Disney's "Snow White" and the ship's names in large letters : "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" on the forward nose. In the pictures of "Snow White", she held a wand with stars on the tips of the wand. Each star on the wand depicted 2 missions completed. 'The Pink Elephant', with the 98th Bomb Group, left the United States on July, 1942, and flew to South America, to the Gold Coast, then, across the Atlantic ocean to Egypt, and was based near Haifa, Egypt. The aircraft's first mission was on Aug 14, 1942. The crews of both planes started combat operations on May 13, 1943 in the MTO, flying out of Benghazi, Libya. SN # 42-40364 flew on the low level mission to Ploesti, Romania, Aug 1, 1943, with the crew of Pilot Capt. James A. Gunn, Jr. It was shot down near the Yugoslavia/ Bulgaria border by enemy fighters during withdrawal from the target area in the same action that downed 'THE WITCH', #41-11840, flown by Pilot Julian Darlington.

Lost on Operation Tidal Wave at Ploesti, Romania. Aug 1,1943 - MACR 165 - Pilot James A. Gunn, Jr.

Capt. James A. Gunn, Jr. - Pilot (KIA), 2nd Lt. Richard C. Williamson - Co-Pilot (KIA)
1st Lt. Bernard E. Leimbach - Navigator (KIA), 2nd Lt. Robert C. Courtney - Bombardier (KIA)
T/Sgt. Edwin L. Turner - Eng/Top Turret (KIA), T/Sgt. Delmar E. Smith - Radio Operator (KIA)
S/Sgt. Frederick L. Stukey - Waist Gun (KIA), S/Sgt. Charles R. Ruark - Waist Gun (KIA)
S/Sgt. Stanley M. Horine, Jr. - Tail Gun (POW)

Service

Aircraft

  • 42-40364 'The Pink Elephant' - 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs '

    B-24 Liberator
    The B-24D, named, 'THE PINK ELEPHANT', SN #42-40364, flown by Capt. James A. Gunn and was the second B-24D, also named, 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' in the 9th Air Force, the 98th Bomb Group - "The Pyramiders", and the 343rd Bomb Squadron. The...

  • 41-11840 'The Witch'

    B-24 Liberator
    The aircraft, 41-11840, named, 'The Witch', was painted before the 9th Air Force, 98th Bomb Group's 343rd Squadron left Florida for duty in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations in July, 1942 with it's pilot, Lt. Glade Jorgenson. It played a...

  • 41-11913 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'

    B-24 Liberator
    The B-24D, SN # 41-11913, flown by Capt. Rollo Lawrence (KIA over Reggio Di Calabria, Italy), was the original 343rd Bomb Squadron B-24D, named, 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs', after the Walt Disney Characters. The aircraft's nose art depicted the...

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Units

  • 9th Air Force

    9th Air Force

  • 98th Bomb Group

    98th Bomb Group

    Group
    The 98th trained for bombardment missions with B-24 Liberators during the first half of 1942. ...

  • 343rd Bomb Squadron

    343rd Bomb Squadron

    Squadron
    Established as a B-24 Liberator heavy bomb squadron and trained by Third Air Force. Deployed to Egypt in June 1942 over South Atlantic Transport Route transiting from Morrison Field, Florida though the Caribbean to Brazil; performed trans-Atlantic...

People

  • Robert Courtney

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 98th Bomb Group
    Assigned to 343BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Ploesti raid in B-24 42-40364 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'; shot down near the Yugoslavia/Bulgaria border by enemy fighters during withdrawal from the target. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR...

  • James Gunn

    Military | Captain | Pilot | 98th Bomb Group
    Assigned to 343BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. Killed in Action (KIA) on Ploesti raid in B-24 42-40364. ...

  • Stanley Horine

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Gunner | 98th Bomb Group
    Assigned to 343BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Ploesti raid in B-24 42-40364 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'; shot down near the Yugoslavia/Bulgaria border by enemy fighters during withdrawal from the target. Sole survivor Prisoner of War...

  • Bernard Leimbach

    Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 98th Bomb Group
    First Lieutenant Bernard "Bernie" Elmer Leimbach flew on the mission to Ploesti, Romania, and served as the replacement Navigator on the B-24D Liberator bomber, 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs', SN #42-40364 Y. He was Killed in Action (KIA) on the...

  • Charles Ruark

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Gunner | 98th Bomb Group
    Assigned to 343BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Ploesti raid in B-24 42-40364 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'; shot down near the Yugoslavia/Bulgaria border by enemy fighters during withdrawal from the target. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR...

  • Delmar Smith

    Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 98th Bomb Group
    Assigned to 343BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Ploesti raid in B-24 42-40364 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'; shot down near the Yugoslavia/Bulgaria border by enemy fighters during withdrawal from the target. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR...

  • Frederick Stukey

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Gunner | 98th Bomb Group
    Assigned to 343BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Ploesti raid in B-24 42-40364 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'; shot down near the Yugoslavia/Bulgaria border by enemy fighters during withdrawal from the target. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR...

  • Edwin Turner

    Military | Technical Sergeant | Flight Engineer; Top Turret Gunner | 98th Bomb Group
    Assigned to 343BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Ploesti raid in B-24 42-40364 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'; shot down near the Yugoslavia/Bulgaria border by enemy fighters during withdrawal from the target. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR...

  • Richard Williamson

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 98th Bomb Group
    Assigned to 343BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Ploesti raid in B-24 42-40364 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'; shot down near the Yugoslavia/Bulgaria border by enemy fighters during withdrawal from the target. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR...

Missions

  • Operation Tidal Wave

    1 August 1943
    Operation TIDAL WAVE. B24D Liberators attack the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania. The bombers flew low to avoid radar detection and dropped time delayed bombs. Out of the 177 B-24s that took part in the raid 167 managed to attack their targets. 57 B...

Places

  • Benina

    Military site : airfield

  • Lete

    Military site : airfield

Events

Event Location Date
Assigned 1943

Assigned to 343BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF.
Crashed Bulgaria 1 August 1943

Failed to Return (FTR) - Lost during the low-level mission to bomb the oil refineries in Ploesti, Rumania on August 1,1943. She was jumped by fighters while leaving the target and shot down with only the tail gunner, S/Sgt. Stanley Horine, surviving. MACR 165
Nicknames
'The Pink Elephant' - 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs '
Production block number
B-24D-53-CO
Manufacturer
Consolidated
Markings and paint scheme/livery

The B-24D Liberator bomber, 'THE PINK ELEPHANT' was painted overall in the U.S. Army's standard tan/sand color, which gradually oxidized to a light pink color, for the MTO's best airplane desert camouflage. It's national insignias for early 1943 were white stars on blue roundels with yellow surrounds. The Starboard / Right Side nose section had the name, 'THE PINK ELEPHANT' painted on it in block letters. It also had the name, 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' painted under a picture of Walt Disney's "Snow White" on the LH side of the forward nose section. - This was the second B-24D, named, "Snow White", in the 98th Bomb Group, the first one being the B-24D, SN # 41-11913.

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
01 April 2021 18:19:58 Al_Skiff Changes to markings and events
Sources

https://www.fold3.com/image/29417957
Date Contributor Update
01 April 2021 07:49:51 Kickapoo Changes to nicknames and description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 'The Pink Elephant'
Date Contributor Update
30 March 2021 11:52:35 Kickapoo Changes to markings
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 'The Pink Elephant'
Date Contributor Update
30 March 2021 11:48:02 Kickapoo Changes to markings and description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 'The Pink Elephant'
Date Contributor Update
30 March 2021 11:39:44 Kickapoo Changes to markings and description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 'The Pink Elephant'
Date Contributor Update
30 March 2021 11:13:36 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - #42-40364
Date Contributor Update
30 March 2021 10:55:03 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - #42-40364
Date Contributor Update
30 March 2021 10:52:32 Kickapoo Changes to nicknames, markings and description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - #42-40364
Date Contributor Update
30 March 2021 08:39:26 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - ' Snow White '
Date Contributor Update
30 March 2021 08:25:01 Kickapoo Changes to nicknames, aircraft associations and place associations
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - ' Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs '
Date Contributor Update
22 February 2018 00:58:18 decwriter Changes to description
Sources

Corrected to Stanley M. Horine, Jr. per movement order.
Date Contributor Update
09 February 2018 01:58:27 decwriter Changes to description
Sources

Charles R. Ruark was listed as Roark, so the biography listing is correct now.
Date Contributor Update
07 February 2018 11:49:41 Lucy May Changes to unit associations
Sources

MACR 165: https://www.fold3.com/image/1/29417957
Date Contributor Update
21 November 2016 04:44:31 466thHistorian Changes to nicknames and place associations
Sources

"Air Stories of the 12th & 15th Air Forces" - Gerard Paloque
Date Contributor Update
13 March 2015 14:06:49 Al_Skiff Created entry with serial number, aircraft type, production block number, manufacturer, nicknames, description, events, unit associations, person associations and mission associations
Sources

http://www.b24bestweb.com

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