|
|
|
|
Nose art painted by Annette 'Toni' Robin
380th Bomb
Group
Australia & New Guinea
THE BIG (ASS) BIRD B24J-10-CO 42-73113 529th
Squadron
Toni Robin painted a cute cartoon donkey on this Liberator
to avoid the use of the word "ass". Many of her contemporaries in the Pacific
region were far less sensitive about such things when they painted their nose arts.
Perhaps this was one of the differences
between the sexes during the era of WWII. Kaoe Bay was the destination for the aircraft's
first mission on 24th November 1943 - the start of a long 7-month campaign. The final number of
missions flown has yet to be determined but on 8th June 1944, Japanese fighters caught
the plane and badly damaged it. Unable to make it back to base, it was forced to put
down at Wakde Island where it was left and eventually scrapped. A second, similarly named
Liberator was also painted by Ms Robin.
© Ray Bowden
|
|