42-40777 Flossie Flirt
B-24D 42-40777 "Flossie Flirt" 44BG/66th BS was sent on a temporary duty (TDY) assignment with the 9th Air Force at Benina Main, Libya on 28-Jun-43 and participated in Operation TIDAL WAVE, the first attack on the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania on 1-August-1943. The aircraft was piloted by 1Lt Charles A. Hughes on that raid and sustained heavy damage from flak over the target. Knowing that the aircraft would never make it back to Libya, 1Lt Hughes made a forces emergency landing at Corlu Airfield in Turkey and he and the crew of 8 were Interned. He later escaped on a fishing boat to Cyprus and eventually returned to England (No E&E report was issued for that event).
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 44th Bomb Group 66th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13087450
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 44th Bomb Group 66th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 44th Bomb Group 66th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 44th Bomb Group 66th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 44th Bomb Group 491st Bomb Group 66th Bomb Squadron 68th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-662790
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot / Co-Pilot
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Pathway
Missions
- Date: 1 August 1943
- Official Description:
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Other Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) |
59850 Çorlu/Tekirdağ, Turkey | 1 August 1943 | Sustained flak damage on mission to Ploesti, Romania and made a forced emergency landing at Corlu, Turkey where the aircraft and crew were Interned. Salvaged in Turkey. |
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 17-Feb-2015. Made connection to Charles E. Hughes within existing website data.
Lee Cunningham 17-Feb-2015. New entry, all data based on "The Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.