SNAFU (V2) (PIC 1)

NAME

SER

BLK

SERIAL #

RCL/#

V#-P

PHOTO CREDITS

SNAFU

40-2354

02-1

N/A

Starboard (Right) Side - "Situation Normal All (Fouled) Up" - Shown 1 Sep 42, ENG
Lost 16 Feb 43, FRA - MACR 5095 - Pilot Fred M. Billings
MAC over the English Channel with BELA 41-23818

Contributor - Brendan Wood

Info Contributor - Stephen Adams
Caught fire, exploded and fell through a formation of B-17s into the English Channel off Selsey Bill, Sussex.

Info Contributor - Al Blue
One of a batch of 20 B-24Ds with serials 40-2349/2368. The reason for the early serials, which are part of the B-24A serial run, is that 20 B-24As were exchanged with the British (which assigned serials AM910/AM929 to the ex-B-24As) and the AAF took 20 later planes from British allocations (the Ds) and gave them the (now unused) early serial numbers. The first two numbers of any AAF serial designate the Fiscal Year funds used to pay for the airplane. Thus the use of 40- serials for these planes was entirely appropriate since that was where the money came from. The apparent lack of oval cowls is a photographic illusion - they are there. The low pitot masts are typical of all the early B-24Ds. Ship has been modified to include a scarf-mounted .50 gun and scanning windows in the ventral position.