r183065

The coding on this Navy PB4Y-1 is a bit of a mystery. Looking at the data and serial stencil at the upper left corner of the frame, the aircraft is listed as a B-24J-125-CO, USAAF Serial No. 44-40079 (possibly 44-40078). This would make it one of a lot of B-24Js transferred to the Navy as a PB4Y-1, BuNo 32316. See: www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1944_4.html and www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries4.html However, the aircraft is coded "61" on the nose. Typically, on the PB4Ys this number would incorporate the last two or three digits of the aircraft's Navy Bureau of Aeronautics number ("BuNo"), occasionally with a letter prefix. "61" obviously wouldn't fit that practice in this particular instance. PB4Y-1s with the BuNo 31961 (ex- USAAF B-24D 41-24133), BuNo 32061 (ex- USAAF B-24D 42-40578), BuNo 32161 (ex- USAAF B-24D 42-72883), BuNo 32261 (ex USAAF B-24J 42-109955), BuNo 38761 (ex- USAAF B-24J 44-40313), BuNo 38861 (ex- USAAF B-24J 44-40913), and BuNo 38961 (ex- USAAF B-24J 44-41525), don't seem to fit the bill either. Just an interesting mystery for now. . . .

This is a photo of the end of B-24 Liberator production at Consolidated - San Diego. The front to back, the three aircraft are Consolidated B-24M-45-CO Liberator bombers, USAAF Ser Nos. 44-42720 (c/n 6656), 44-42721 (c/n 6657), and 44-42722 (c/n 6658). 44-42722 was the last Liberator bomber to roll off of Consolidated's Liberator production line. All of these last Liberators in the photo would be converted into F-7B photo reconnaissance aircraft.

B-24J, USAAF Ser. No. 42-109999, "Little Lulu" (later "Madame Queen".) Written off after an aborted crash-landing at Sanga-Sanga, Philippines, June 25, 1945. As "Madame Queen": www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/8092048702/