Flight Assembly Ships

[Scott Rose]

I have always found the wide variety of schemes employed for these aircraft to be to be fascinating. If you have an image of a formation ship and would like to share, this is the thread to do it.


B-24 Liberator (serial number 44-40101, War Weary) nicknamed Tubarao of the 491st Bomb Group, used as a flight assembly ship.
(Source: Originally posted by Mark Allen in this thread, Anyone interested in looking at photos like these? ...)


A shark mouth B-24 Liberator (serial number 44-40101, War Weary) nicknamed Tubarao of the 491st Bomb Group, used as a flight assembly ship.
(Source: Originally posted by Mark Allen in this thread, Anyone interested in looking at photos like these? ...)


B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-7552) nicknamed Lil Cookie of the 489th Bomb Group, used as a flight assembly ship
(Source: Originally posted by Mark Allen in this thread, Anyone interested in looking at photos like these? ...)


B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-40722) nicknamed The Little Gramper of the 491st Bomb Group, used as a flight assembly ship.
(Source: Originally posted by Mark Allen in this thread, Anyone interested in looking at photos like these? ...)

[Scott Rose]

B-24H Liberator/Spotted Ass Ape, lead assembly ship for 754th BS/458th BG.
[Source: WWII Aircraft crash sites Collection]


B-24D-30-CO Liberator assembly ship First Sergeant, 458th Bomb Group.
[Source: USAF Photo]

[Bob B]

"First Sergeant" 42-40127 was previously named "Thar She Blows Again" and was a survivor of the August 1, 1943 Ploesti low level mission. Her pilot on the Ploesti mission was Charles T. Merrill, the step-father of a good friend. She was later named "Bucket of Bolts" by another crew, and as War Weary was renamed "First Sergeant" to become an assembly ship for the 458th BG. She was destroyed by fire on the ground on May 27, 1944 when a flare was set off in the fuselage by the radio operator at Horsham St Faith, England. The four crewmen escaped via the bomb bay, suffering burn injuries.

Bob

[Scott Rose]

B-24 Liberator/42-40370


No info

[JohnB]

Any theories on why it seems only B-24 units seem to have assembly ships?

[sandiego89]

Any theories on why it seems only B-24 units seem to have assembly ships?

One theory perhaps that the vertical stabilizer on the B-17 is larger than the B-24, so perhaps with more surface area the squadron markings were a bit easier to pick out? This link shows two B-17's- perhaps the only B-17's used in this fashion?

"Spotted Cow" from the 384th

And the "Birmingham Blitzkreig" of the 379th

http://www.mission4today.com/index.php? ... tertopic=1

[Lon Moer]

B-17F Flying Fortress ‘Spotted Cow’, assembly ship of 384th Bomber Group, 547th Bomber Squadron


Boeing B-17E of the 379th Bomb Group, 525th Bomb Squadron

[junkman9096]

Any theories on why it seems only B-24 units seem to have assembly ships?

Could it have been a greater priority for the 2nd Air Division/8th AF? It seems to have been populated by B-24s, moreso than the divisions.