340st Bomb Group 489th Bomb Squadron based in Alesani, Corsica

340th BG 489th BS - SN 43-27653 - 9C RUTHIE
PILOT	J.J. Franks
CREW CHIEF	M/SGT. EZRA BAER
Skin by Bravo	Download Skin
* Additions and corrections provided by Jeff Wolford With 108 missions completed, this aircraft was one of the survivors in the 489th BS, 340th BG. Losses during the battles over the Po River Valley were high during the interdiction campaign these units conducted. The 489th BS lost 75 aircraft (three times its assigned strength) while was flying out of Alasani, Corsica, either because they didn’t return from missions or couldn’t be repaired after limping back. Hundred-mission planes were rare. But “Ruthie,” in the care of crew chief M/Sgt. Ezra Baer, finished more than that number and only aborted once due to engine trouble. To understand the rough nature of the missions, check the tactical combat reports carried on the 489th pages of Don Kaiser’s tactical website and mission list. From rare color photos, it appears that “Ruthie” was one of the B-25Js painted with RAF Dark Green camouflage paint when supplies of standard USAAF olive drab are said to have been low when some aircraft arrived.

340th BG 489th BS - SN 43-27717 - 9V MISS REBEL
AIRPLANE COMMANDER	2ND LT. EDWARD B. HEILIG
CREW CHIEF	T/SGT. QUENTIN C. KAISER
Skin by Bravo	Download Skin
”This is the crew of B-25J 9V ‘Miss Rebel’ probably taken just after the mission to bomb the railroad viaduct at Borovnica, Yugoslavia on December 28, 1944. Standing from left to right are top-turret gunner, S/Sgt. William A. Devine; tail gunner, S/Sgt. Lyle D. Ives; copilot, 2nd Lt. W.E. Steele; bombardier, Theodore G. Constantine; and pilot, 2nd Lt. Edward B. Heilig. Kneeling is my father, radio-gunner, T/Sgt. Quentin C. Kaiser. 12 planes from the 489th Bomb Squadron and 12 planes from the 486th squadron teamed up to make 340th Bomb Group Mission #665. There was no fighter escort on this mission. The twenty-four planes dropped a total of ninety-five 1000-pound bombs on the eastern edge of the Borovnica railroad viaduct.“(Don Kaiser) This skin represents “Miss Rebel” as she looked on the day of this mission. The single black mark through “Rebel” was painted S/Sgt. Tom Sullivan, 9V’s crew chief, to change the bad luck she had of attracting flak. Don Kaiser writes that the plane had the nickname of “Old Magnet Pants” because of its reputation to return with heavy flak damage. Sullivan took over the aircraft from S/Sgt Robert Lee when Lee returned to the U.S. after his tour. Under Lee, “Miss Rebel” was numbered 9J. Sullivan called the ship “Miss,” after he crossed out “Rebel.” He didn’t want her to rebel any more. It was number “9V” after Sullivan’s first ship, “That’s All Brother” crashed on a training mission.