This B24 was retired after suffering battle damage in late July or early August. It was the first of two similarly named Liberators assigned to the 33rd Squadron, both painted by Sgt Chestnut. On this olive drab aircraft he painted a beautiful languishing nude having previously painted out a large section of background with fresh olive drab possibly to obscure a prior name.

Yankee Gal began its combat career on 11th March 44 and is believed to have completed 28 missions at least before being salvaged. Interestingly, although only two Yankee Gal B24s are generally recorded as being assigned to 33rd Squadron, Chestnut actually painted three different nose arts with that title, all nudes, two of them on natural metal surfaces. Whether there was a third similarly named aircraft in the group or the later silver B24 was repainted for some reason, or possibly the OD Liberator was stripped of its camouflage paint has yet to be established.

 

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© Ray Bowden 9 December 2023