41-11817 - Stinger

media-52076.jpeg UPL 52076 The B-24D, Stinger, 41-11817, was flown by Pilot Andrew Opsata, Copilot Louis Quaglino, with their Bombardier, Don Di Coscoe. While most B-24 Liberators were named by their command pilots, this one was named, Stinger, by Lt. Opstata's navigator, Maj. Howard LaLonde. All of the crewmen were detached (TDY) to the 98th Bomb Group in the 9th Air Force for the Ploesti mission. 1 Aug 1943.

Best Web - B-24 - 41-11817 - Stinger

Object Number - UPL 52076 - The B-24D, Stinger, 41-11817, was flown by Pilot Andrew Opsata, Copilot Louis Quaglino, with their Bombardier, Don Di Coscoe. While most B-24...

The B-24D Liberator, 41-11817, named, Stinger, flew on Operation Tidal Wave, mission to the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania, flown by it's pilot for the mission, Lt. Andrew Opsata, it's copilot, Lt. Louis R. Quaglino, with their Bombardier, Lt. Donald Di Coscoe, and their navigator, Lt. Howard J. LaLonde, who were all originally in Lt. Robert L. Right's crew in the B-24D, Old Blister Butt. They all returned safely from Ploesti, to Lete Airbase, Benghazi, Libya, with only one crew member on, Stinger, injured, Gunner John Gormey, who was struck and wounded by flak splinters but recovered. 1 WIA- RTD. 10 RTD. 1 Aug 1943.





All of those crewmen, Command Pilot Lt. Opsata, Copilot Lt. Donald Di Coscoe, Navigator Maj. Howard Lalonde, and Gunner Sgt. Gormey, had also previously flown with Lt. Opsata in the B-24D, Old Blister Butt. Like the men in the other two Bomb groups in the U.K. who were sent (TDY) to North Africa, Lt. Opsata and Maj. LaLonde had initially been stationed with the 8th Air Force's 389th Bombardment Group, at Hethel, England, in June of 1943. Shortly after arriving at Hethel, U.K., the 389th Bomb Group, the 44th Bomb Group, and the 376th Bomb Group, in the 8th Air Force, in the U.K. moved again, temporarily detached (TDY), to the 98th Bomb Group, at Benghazi, Libya, in preparation for Operation Tidal Wave.



After deploying to Libya, Lt. Opsata, Lt. Louis Quaglino, Donald Di Coscoe, Lt. Howard J. LaLonde, and some of the other aircrews, were temporarily assigned (TDY) to the 98th Bomb Group and the 9th Air Force at Benghazi, Libya.



Some of their family archive photos, as well as other photos, show that Lt. Opsata, Lt. Quaglina, and several of the other crewmen and officers of this crew, also had crewed with Lt. Bob Wright's regular crew, back in Britain on the B-24D, 42-40776, Old Blister Butt, and in Libya prior to Operation Tidal Wave. 1 Aug 43. The point is that many of the flight crews flew missions in various different airplanes at different times, based on a number of factors, such as, crew needs and availability, kand the various airplanes' mechanical airworthiness at the time.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

Three airmen of the 389th Bomb Group stand with a B-24 Liberator used as a Flight Assembly Ship. Image via Tim Bivens. Handwritten caption from Bivens: 'My friend remembers it being named "Bucksheesh Benny" that it was used to fly Jack Benny around USA shows. Says it flew in North Africa with Benny and was eventually assigned to 389th as a hack and later as a form-up ship. He thinks it was originally with another group (possibly 376th or 98th).' Handwritten caption on reverse: '389th BG Form-up ship.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Ninth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 415th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-?
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 98th Bomb Group 415th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 98th Bomb Group 415th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 35027471 / O-?
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: B-24D Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 415th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 35609749
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Flight Engineer / Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 415th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 36030238
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Places

Missions

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Stinger
  • Unit: 98th Bomb Group 415th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Ole Irish
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 564th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Old Blister Butt - Widow
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 801st Bomb Group 93rd Bomb Group 328th Bomb Squadron 406th Bomb Squadron 564th Bomb Squadron 566th Bomb Squadron 858th Bomb Squadron 492nd Bomb Group

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Survived Ploesti

Ploiești, Romania 1 August 1943 B-24 Liberator, #41-11817, Stinger, participated in the 1 Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid returning safely to Libya with only one crew member WIA.

Other

Taxiing Accident

Lecce LE, Italy 20 March 1944 Taxiing Accident CAT3 damage. Lecce, Italy, Pilot Phillip Ball.

Other

Assigned

Benghazi, Libya Assigned to 415BS, 98BG, 9AF USAAF.

Revisions

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USAAF AiRCRAFT MARKINGS AND CAMOUFLAGE 1941 - 1947  -  The History of USAAF Aircraft Markings, Insignias, Camouflage, and Colors  -  Robert D. Archer & Victor G. Archer  -  Chapter 2: 1942  p.102 - 103

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USAAF AIRCRAFT MARKINGS AND CAMOUFLAGE 1941 - 1947  -  The History of USAAF Aircraft Markings, Insignia, Camouflage, and Colors - Robert D. Archer & Victor G. Archer

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Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill

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Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill

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Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill

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Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill

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Black Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill

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Details added. - Kickapoo

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Details added. - Kickapoo

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Details added. - Kickapoo

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Best Web - B-24 - 42-40776 - Old Blister Butt

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Best Web - B-24 - 41-11817 - Stinger

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Crewmember details changed. - Kickapoo

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Wording. spacing. - Kickapoo

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Name added. - Kickapoo

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Punctuation. - Kickapoo

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Best Web - B-24 - 41-11817 - Stinger

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Best Web - B-24 - 41-11817 - Stinger

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Best Web - B-24 - 41-11817 - Stinger

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ContributorEmily
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Changed all instances of aircraft name into sentence case to as per best practice for accessibility.

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Spelling, punctuation. - Kickapoo

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Black Sunday - Michael Hill

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B-24 - Best Web - # 41-11817 - 'STINGER'

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B-24 - Best Web - # 41-11817 - 'STINGER'

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B-24 - Best Web - #41-11817 - 'STINGER'

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B-24 - Best Web - #41-11817 - 'STINGER'

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B-24 Best Web - 'Stinger' - # 41-11817

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389TH BG, OPERATION TIDAL WAVE, WORLD WAR 2 - Major Howard LaLonde’s Bomber

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Remembering Operation Tidal Wave - Navigator Major Howard J. LaLonde Jr. - WordPress.com
Major LaLonde's Bomber Info – On a Wing and a Prayer

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The Great Ground-Air Battle Of August 1 1943 - James Dugan & Carroll Stewart

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Added connections to the 415 BS & 98 BG mentioned in the events section.

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Added a "-" to the A/C serial number in the "Description" section to aid clarity & consistency.

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41-11817: Gallery (14 items)