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B-24 Liberator Lead Ship aka Judas Goat


Gerhard

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On 1/19/2019 at 10:21 AM, Gerhard said:

I learned something new!!

 

The phrase (Judas Goat) was also used in World War II by the 8th Air Force, U.S. Army Air Forces B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator crew members. Each bomb group employed a nearly worn-out bomber known as a formation, lead, or assembly ship. These aircraft were brightly painted with group-specific high-contrast patterns in stripes, checkers, or polka dots, enabling easy recognition by their flock of bombers to form up from various airbases over England and fly strategic bombing missions over Europe. After guiding their own combat bombers into the appropriate formation groups the assembly ships would return home—thus their poor condition and lack of camouflage and weapons mattered little.

 

b24d-jpg.606000

 

Just to clarify: the assembly ships were predominantly used by the 2nd Air Division, ie the B-24 groups in Norfolk.  Very few B-17 groups used them, in fact I can only ever recall seeing one or two examples at the most.

 

Some years ago I did my Monogram 1:48th B-24D as the "Green Dragon", 389th BG, Hethel.  She now resides in the 389th museum.

 

Sorry, can't see any pics here either.

 

 

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