Thanks for the reply. The entries are interesting to me for 2 reasons. 1.) I have not seen multiple instances of such a unique name, so the entry for the 448th BG may be worth some more scrutiny. 2.) The 44th BG entry is the one that I believe I helped create when I contacted them investigating the nose art lead. That info stated that,
without solid records, the plane flew with the Eight Balls and had a tail no. of 42-100425, then the 5 was crossed out and a 3 replaced it. Before I knew it, the Leininger crew photo with the chalked 1st draft of the nose art showed up on the 44th BG web site as the Winn crew. As I examined 42-100423, it became obvious it was not the correct plane for these reasons:
a.) ...423 was a B-24J and not a B-24H. Dad was the navigator and a detail guy. He knew the difference.
b.) ...423 was a Consolidated built plane. The one Leininger signed for was Ford-Willow Run built. Still had olive drab paint in Jan '44. My info says that the J and H production overlapped between Nov'43-May'44 when the Emerson front turrets finally became available to all production lines.
c.) ...423 while listed as a 44th BG A/C, (when I started looking) never showed a name next to it; while many other numbers were named.
[The first place on the net where the Leininger crew photo appeared was on Klaus Zimmer's excellent aviation archeology site:
Flugzeugabstürze Saarland und Umgebung Flugzeugarchäologie
This site lists the crew's "eye of the needle" details from the Saarbruecken mission of 27 May '44.]
Bottom line: 42-100423 flew with the 44th BG but was not "Oh My Sufferin' Head". I believe I am looking for a B-24H-FO model from Dec'43 or Jan'44. I believe it was flown in the 8th AAF. The only definitive records proving this will be Leininger's signature alongside the model and tail number from ATC records from the Topeka, KS and/or Watton, Norfolk.
Anybody know anything about the 448th BG entry?