# Can someone help me identify this aircraft?



## walla003 (Feb 23, 2007)

I recently found a bunch of old picture negative that were taken by my Grandfather during WWII. Now that I've gotten them developed I want to know "what" is in the pictures. I've attached a picture I need help with, any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Brian


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## FLYBOYJ (Feb 23, 2007)

It's a B-24


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## FLYBOYJ (Feb 23, 2007)

Here's a good B-24 site

B-24 Best Web - WWII Liberator Bomber EXTREME (over 5000 PICs!!)


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## walla003 (Feb 23, 2007)

Thanks a ton


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## FLYBOYJ (Feb 23, 2007)

My Pleasure, please post more photos anytime!


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## walla003 (Feb 23, 2007)

Do you have any ideas as to the name of the plane, I can clearly see "sky sc???"

Thanks Again


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## FLYBOYJ (Feb 23, 2007)

That's what I was trying to figure out. I even downloaded the picture and enlarged it but that didn't help. It wasn’t listed on the "Best B-24 Site." The folks there may be able to help as well as they specialize in the B-24.

Hope this helps, good luck!


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## FLYBOYJ (Feb 23, 2007)

After looking at it more I think it says "Sky Scout."


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## walla003 (Feb 23, 2007)

Thanks again, I'll give it a shot.


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## FLYBOYJ (Feb 23, 2007)

One of the guys in the front row is wearing a 7th AF Patch -


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## Matt308 (Feb 23, 2007)

With the nautical motif...

Sky Skowt or Sky Skow I or Sky Skow II - Some sort of play on words with the type of boat/schooner referred to as a scow?


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## FLYBOYJ (Feb 24, 2007)

Great work Blackwolf!

Ironically my wife's grandfather was in the 30th BG - 819th BS.


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## timshatz (Feb 24, 2007)

Truely Blackwolf, looks like you go it.


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## walla003 (Mar 1, 2007)

Thanks for all of the information I'm new to this but it is truly fascinating, I'm digging out old photo albums to find additional pictures of the aircraft. Hopefully I can find a picture that will show additional areas, in which the plane can be identified. 

Thanks Again


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## FLYBOYJ (Mar 1, 2007)

BlackWolf3945 said:


> Groovy, was he aircrew? If so, do you know which ship(s) he flew in?
> 
> 
> Fade to Black...



He flew Out of this World and was the Pilot - he got in about a dozen missions before the war ended. I've posted this before but here's his plane. He's in the back row second from left. His son (my father in law) went on to become a B-1 test pilot during its production days.


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## dtibby (Nov 13, 2007)

My Uncle Robert S. Tibbetts was a turret gunner on Sky Scow, KIA on 1 Oct. 1944. Perhaps the same plane? I e-mailed the picture to my surviving Uncle, I will let you know if he recognizes the plane. He has pictures too.


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## dtibby (Nov 22, 2007)

My uncle was on Sky Scow III, this is not the same plane.


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## Triple Ace (Dec 14, 2007)

It is a B-24 Liberator. I can tell because of the specific nose shape curve. 
No need to thank me, oh thanks for the challenge.


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## lesofprimus (Dec 15, 2007)

Hey Moron, re-read the second post.... It was already determined to be a B-24....

And for the record, I dont think u'll ever be thanked for anything here, except when u leave....

Meatball...


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## FLYBOYJ (Dec 15, 2007)

Gee Dan, he's a triple ace, you'd think he would know better!


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## wilbur1 (Dec 15, 2007)

never learn, do they?


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## MONDARIZ (Feb 22, 2008)

It seems there are missing a few posts in this thread, so if this has already been posted please excuse me.

The plane must be: 

Sky Scow III 42-73473 Group: 30th. Squadron: 27th Status: unknown/missing. Date Lost: Oct. 1944. Area lost:Iwo.

As there seem to no record of a Sky Scow II (its not just me who can't find it, i have this quote from Osprey Combat Aircraft 11 page 38 ).

Here is Sky Scow:


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## MONDARIZ (Feb 22, 2008)

You should post the pic and data to:

B-24 Best Web - Submit PICS


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## wilbur1 (Feb 22, 2008)

Between your pic and his i think its scout instead of scow and theres no women on yours


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## MONDARIZ (Feb 22, 2008)

Thats because its Sky Scow not Sky Scow III as on the first pic. I just added the pic to show "Sky Scow".

There were no other "Sky S***" named B-24 aircraft in the 7th Air force around that time.

I'm pretty sure the original picture depicts "Sky Scow III".


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## wilbur1 (Feb 22, 2008)

Sorry bout that had to put my spectacles on and saw the tip of the w your right


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## MONDARIZ (Feb 22, 2008)

Ok, and now i had just made a fine pic showing it 






First arrow show the W and the second show what could be Roman numerals (i think it is).


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## MONDARIZ (Feb 22, 2008)

Also i mean to say, that there are no clear records of another B-24 named "Sky Sco*" flying with the 7th Air Force (I might have said that there was NOT any, but I don't know for sure).

There could be, since these records are incomplete. There could also have been a "Sky Scow II" but its not recorded.

Poster dtippy claims his uncle say that this B-24 is NOT "Sky Scow III", but i think he is mistaken, maybe its because the uncle who was KIA is not on the pic. Remember that the surviving uncle did not fly on this plane, just knew it due to his brother being a gunner on it.


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## wilbur1 (Feb 22, 2008)

Oh ok


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## thirtybg (Feb 22, 2008)

'Tis a small image and not the clearest, but I believe that it clears things up nicely...





Epay auction image


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## MONDARIZ (Feb 23, 2008)

There she is!

Good find. Has it just been posted, or did you have it already?

If it was only posted, its uncanny that we have this thread at the same time....a little bit of X-flies here.......

If no one else have done it, I would like to submit the pictures to B-24 Best Web >6200 PICs - ...Liberator Bombers from WWII

They have a database of 6200 Liberators, but are missing "Sky Scow III".


Further detective work:

"Sky Scow" was left on Hawaii in Feb 1944.

We must assume "Sky Scow III" was named after this date (as there are no records of "Sky Scow II", we can assume the number was skipped).

The picture would then have a window of 8 months between Feb 1944 and Oct 1944 where "Sky Scow III" was lost off Iwo Jima.

30th Bombardment Group was stationed:

Abemama (Gilbert Islands), 4 January 1944

Kwajalien, c. 20 March 1944

Siapan, 4 August 1944


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## MONDARIZ (Feb 23, 2008)

Combat Chronology of the 30th Bombardment Group (Heavy) January 1944 to October 1944.

TUESDAY, 4 JANUARY 1944

(Seventh Air Force): 18 B-24's, staging through Tarawa Atoll, Gilbert Islands, bomb Emidj Island, Marshall Islands. HQ 30th Bombardment Group (Heavy) transfers from Nanumea Island, Ellice Island to Abemama Island, Gilbert Islands.

SATURDAY, 26 FEBRUARY 1944

(Seventh Air Force): B-25s from Tarawa Atoll and Abemama Island attack Wotje and Jaluit Atolls; P-40s from Makin Island bomb and strafe targets on Mille Atoll. 27th and 38th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 30th Bombardment Group (Heavy), based on Nanumea Island, Ellice Islands begin operating from Abemama and Makin Islands, respectively, with B-24s.

MONDAY, 13 MARCH 1944

(Seventh Air Force): B-25s from Engebi Island, Eniwetok Atoll, bomb Kusaie Island while B-24s from Tarawa Atoll hit Ponape Island. B-25s from Abemama Island and Tarawa Atoll pound Mille Atoll. 38th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 30th Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Nanumea Island, Ellice Islands to Kwajalein Atoll; the squadron continues operating from Makin Island with B-24s until 22 Mar.

WEDNESDAY, 15 MARCH 1944

(Seventh Air Force): B-24s from Kwajalein Atoll fly the first Seventh Air Force mission against Truk Atoll, Caroline Islands, hitting Dublon and Eten Islands before dawn; alternate targets of Oroluk Anchorage and Ponape Town are also hit. B-25s from Tarawa Atoll hit Maloelap Atoll. By this date the A-24s, P-39s, and P-40s used against Mille and Jaluit Atolls during Operations FLINTLOCK (operations against Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls) and CATCHPOLE (operations against Eniwetok and Ujelang Atolls) have returned to Oahu, Territory of Hawaii for rest and re-equipment. 27th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 30th Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Nanumea Island to Kwajalein Atoll with B-24s; they have been operating from Abemama Island since 26 Feb.

FRIDAY, 17 MARCH 1944

(Seventh Air Force): B-24s and B-25s from Tarawa Atoll bomb, respectively, Ponape Island and Jaluit Atoll Atoll. 392d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 30th Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Abemama Island to Kwajalein Atoll with B-24s.

TUESDAY, 25 JULY 1944

(Seventh Air Force): P-47s continue to hit Tinian and Pagan Islands. B-24s, based at Kwajalein Atoll, bomb Truk Atoll. The 819th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 30th Bombardment Group (Heavy), arrives on Saipan Island from Wheeler Field, Territory of Hawaii with B-24s.

FRIDAY, 4 AUGUST 1944

(Seventh Air Force): In the Marianas Islands, Saipan Island Island-based B-25s fly 2 strikes against Guam Island. B-25s staging from the Marshall Island, hit Ponape Island. HQ 30th Bombardment Group (Heavy) and 27th, 38th and 392d Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy) move from Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands to Saipan Island with B-24s; and the 9th Troop Carrier Squadron, Seventh Air Force, moves from Abemama Island, Gilbert Islands to Saipan Island with C-47s.


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## fly boy (Feb 25, 2008)

flyboyJ that could be a first verson b-17


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## MONDARIZ (Feb 25, 2008)

Did you not read the thread?

Its a B-24J and it has been identified as "Sky Scow III".

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## dtibby (Mar 1, 2008)

I uploaded the image that I have of Sky Scow III. Look in photo albums. Tail Number 42-73473 Lost 1 Oct. 1944 over Iwo Jima.

Dale Tibbetts


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## brat (Oct 23, 2011)

My father knew the pilot of the original "Sky Scow". My father was also in the 7th AAF, 30BG, 27BS, but came along later than "Sky Scow". 

He met the pilot many decades later, in the same small town in South Carolina. They had been unaware of each other's war service until they met and the subject came up in conversation.

"Sky Scow" was shot up badly in a mission around New Hebrides and made it back to base where it went under heavy repair. During this time the crew went on rest leave. When "Sky Scow" went on a test flight, it crashed. It was then used for parts.

"Sky Scow II" replaced it and was shot down on its first and last mission. I would guess it did not have enough time to be painted up with nose art.

"Sky Scow III" came along and my father entered into the combat zone to begin his missions in another B-24 as it's co-pilot, then later as its pilot. He was friends with the officers of that crew and their tents were side by side. The night before "Sky Scow III" was shot down, the two crews got together and played cards.

It flew off the right wing of my father's plane when it was shot down by a large group of Zeroes (after it had lagged behind the rest of the formation).

Hope ths helps.


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## Tommyt (Jun 6, 2019)

Sky Scow 111. Check it out. My uncle Buford Tidwell.

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## Tommyt (Jun 6, 2019)

MONDARIZ said:


> Ok, and now i had just made a fine pic showing it
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Are the two guys top left the same in both pics?


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## Wurger (Jun 6, 2019)

I would say all of the three guys in the pics are the same people. But it seems that both pics were taken at the different times.

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## Tommyt (Jun 6, 2019)

walla003 said:


> I recently found a bunch of old picture negative that were taken by my Grandfather during WWII. Now that I've gotten them developed I want to know "what" is in the pictures. I've attached a picture I need help with, any help would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Thanks,
> Brian


My uncle bottom right. Buford Tidwell from Birmingham, Alabama.

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