Skip to main content
Edit entry 

41-11613

B-24 Liberator

  • B-24D - The Blue Streak - 41-11613. - Lt. John S. Young and the famous B-24D Liberator bomber, The Blue Streak, were sent on a war bond tour of America after Young's last combat mission, which was to Ploesti, Romania. 1 Aug 43. The Blue Streak, was assigned to Capt. Young for the tour. Lt. Royden LeBrecht brought his airplane, The Squaw, and his crew, back to the U.S. for the tour, along with Col. Walter Stewart and his crew, flying the B-24D, Bomerang. Lt. Young's regular airplane, Kickapoo, crashed and burned on takeoff on the Ploesti mission, killing all but two of it's replacement crew, including Young's fellow pilot and friend, Lt. Robert Nespor. Col. John R. Kane's personal airplane, Hail Columbia, that he and John Young flew on the Ploesti mission, was heavily damaged over Ploesti. Col. Kane and Lt. Young crashed landed in the dark after running over a ditch the British had dug close to one of Nicosia Air Base's runways' thresholds, destroying, Hail Columbia, at Nicosia, Cyprus, after the mission. The Blue Streak, became famous to many Americans who saw it on it's war bond tour in 1944, and it was made into a popular model airplane by the Revell Model Company, even though it did not fly on the Ploesti mission. 1 August 1943.

    B-24D - The Blue Streak - 41-11613. - Lt. John S. Young and the famous B-24D Liberator bomber, The Blue Streak, were sent on a war bond tour of America after Young's last combat mission, which was to Ploesti, Romania. 1 Aug 43. The Blue Streak, was assigned to Capt. Young for the tour. Lt. Royden LeBrecht brought his airplane, The Squaw, and his crew, back to the U.S. for the tour, along with Col. Walter Stewart and his crew, flying the B-24D, Bomerang. Lt. Young's regular airplane, Kickapoo, crashed and burned on takeoff on the Ploesti mission, killing all but two of it's replacement crew, including Young's fellow pilot and friend, Lt. Robert Nespor. Col. John R. Kane's personal airplane, Hail Columbia, that he and John Young flew on the Ploesti mission, was heavily damaged over Ploesti. Col. Kane and Lt. Young crashed landed in the dark after running over a ditch the British had dug close to one of Nicosia Air Base's runways' thresholds, destroying, Hail Columbia, at Nicosia, Cyprus, after the mission. The Blue Streak, became famous to many Americans who saw it on it's war bond tour in 1944, and it was made into a popular model airplane by the Revell Model Company, even though it did not fly on the Ploesti mission. 1 August 1943.

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 15
  • B-24D 41-11613

    B-24D 41-11613 "The Blue Streak" of 514th BS, 376th BG, 9th AF. Originally named "Florine Ju Ju" then 'Teggie Ann'. The aircraft was a veteran of the first high level Ploesti mission in 1942, but not part of the 1943 low level raid. The A/C went on to survive 110 missions with the 376th bomb group and was sent home for a war bond tour.

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 15
  • B-24D 41-11613

    B-24D 41-11613 "The Blue Streak" of 514th BS, 376th BG, 9th AF. Originally named "Florine Ju Ju" then 'Teggie Ann'. The aircraft was a veteran of the first high level Ploesti mission in 1942, but not part of the 1943 low level raid. The A/C went on to survive 110 missions with the 376th bomb group and was sent home for a war bond tour.

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 15
  • B-24D, 41-11613, The Blue Streak, of 514th BS, 376th BG, 9th AF. Originally named, Florine Ju Ju, then Teggie Ann. The aircraft was a veteran of the first high level Ploesti mission in 1942, but not part of the 1943 low level raid on Ploesti. The A/C went on to survive 110 missions with the 376th Bomb Group and was sent home to Fort Worth, Texas, for a national war bond tour with Capt. John S. Young.

    B-24D, 41-11613, The Blue Streak, of 514th BS, 376th BG, 9th AF. Originally named, Florine Ju Ju, then Teggie Ann. The aircraft was a veteran of the first high level Ploesti mission in 1942, but not part of the 1943 low level raid on Ploesti. The A/C went on to survive 110 missions with the 376th Bomb Group and was sent home to Fort Worth, Texas, for a national war bond tour with Capt. John S. Young.

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 15
  • B-24D, 41-11613, The Blue Streak, of 514th BS, 376th BG, 9th AF. Originally named, Florine Ju Ju, then, Teggie Ann. The aircraft was a veteran of the first high level Ploesti mission in 1942, but not part of the 1943 low level raid. The A/C went on to survive 110 missions with the 376th bomb group and was sent home for a war bond tour. Left to right: Sgt Willard Tressler; Maj Ralph P. Thompson; Lt Thomas W. McGrain; Sgt Ivan Schwartz; Sgt Alfred Runyan; Sgt James E. Milne; Lt Jose R. Felix, Jr.; Sgt Richard E. Weizenegger; Sgt Henry Magaram; Lt Waino Hakkinen, and Sgt Arthur Weil.

    B-24D, 41-11613, The Blue Streak, of 514th BS, 376th BG, 9th AF. Originally named, Florine Ju Ju, then, Teggie Ann. The aircraft was a veteran of the first high level Ploesti mission in 1942, but not part of the 1943 low level raid. The A/C went on to survive 110 missions with the 376th bomb group and was sent home for a war bond tour. Left to right: Sgt Willard Tressler; Maj Ralph P. Thompson; Lt Thomas W. McGrain; Sgt Ivan Schwartz; Sgt Alfred Runyan; Sgt James E. Milne; Lt Jose R. Felix, Jr.; Sgt Richard E. Weizenegger; Sgt Henry Magaram; Lt Waino Hakkinen, and Sgt Arthur Weil.

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 15
  • B-24D, 41-11613, The Blue Streak, of 514th BS, 376th BG, 9th AF. Originally named, Florine Ju Ju, then, Teggie Ann. The aircraft was a veteran of the first high level Ploesti mission in 1942, but not part of the 1943 low level raid. The A/C went on to survive 110 missions with the 376th Bomb Group and was sent home for a war bond tour.

    B-24D, 41-11613, The Blue Streak, of 514th BS, 376th BG, 9th AF. Originally named, Florine Ju Ju, then, Teggie Ann. The aircraft was a veteran of the first high level Ploesti mission in 1942, but not part of the 1943 low level raid. The A/C went on to survive 110 missions with the 376th Bomb Group and was sent home for a war bond tour.

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 15
  • B-24D, 41-11613, The Blue Streak, of 514th BS, 376th BG, 9th AF. Originally named, Florine Ju Ju, then, Teggie Ann. The aircraft was a veteran of the first high level Ploesti mission in 1942, but not part of the 1943 low level raid. The A/C went on to survive 110 missions with the 376th bomb group and was sent home for a war bond tour. On the microphone Lt. Thomas W. Mcgrain.

    B-24D, 41-11613, The Blue Streak, of 514th BS, 376th BG, 9th AF. Originally named, Florine Ju Ju, then, Teggie Ann. The aircraft was a veteran of the first high level Ploesti mission in 1942, but not part of the 1943 low level raid. The A/C went on to survive 110 missions with the 376th bomb group and was sent home for a war bond tour. On the microphone Lt. Thomas W. Mcgrain.

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 15
  • B-24D, 41-11613, The Blue Streak, of 514th BS, 376th BG, 9th AF. Originally named, Florine Ju Ju, then, Teggie Ann. The aircraft was a veteran of the first high level Ploesti mission in 1942, but not part of the 1943 low level raid. The aircraft was sent home for a war bond tour. On the microphone is Major Ralph P. Thompson at Fort Worth, Texas.

    B-24D, 41-11613, The Blue Streak, of 514th BS, 376th BG, 9th AF. Originally named, Florine Ju Ju, then, Teggie Ann. The aircraft was a veteran of the first high level Ploesti mission in 1942, but not part of the 1943 low level raid. The aircraft was sent home for a war bond tour. On the microphone is Major Ralph P. Thompson at Fort Worth, Texas.

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 15
  • B-24D 41-11613

    B-24D 41-11613 "The Blue Streak" of 514th BS, 376th BG, 9th AF. Originally named "Florine Ju Ju" then 'Teggie Ann'. The aircraft was a veteran of the first high level Ploesti mission in 1942, but not part of the 1943 low level raid. The A/C went on to survive 110 missions with the 376th bomb group and was sent home for a war bond tour. Major Ralph P Thompson and the crew of #4111613 being introduced to the crowd at Fort Worth Texas.

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 15
  • B-24D, 41-11613, Teggie Ann, of the 514th BS, the 376th BG, and (TDY) to the 9th AF. Originally named, Florine Ju Ju, and lastly named, The Blue Streak. The aircraft was a veteran of the first high level Ploesti mission in 1942, but not part of the 1943 low level raid. The plane went on to survive 110 missions with the 376th Bomb Group and was sent home for a war bond tour in 1943 - 1944.

    B-24D, 41-11613, Teggie Ann, of the 514th BS, the 376th BG, and (TDY) to the 9th AF. Originally named, Florine Ju Ju, and lastly named, The Blue Streak. The aircraft was a veteran of the first high level Ploesti mission in 1942, but not part of the 1943 low level raid. The plane went on to survive 110 missions with the 376th Bomb Group and was sent home for a war bond tour in 1943 - 1944.

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 15
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  

The B-24D, 41-11613, that was in the 376th Bomb Group, had several names : Florine JuJu - The Blue Streak - Liberandos - Teggie Ann. It should not be mistaken for another B-24D Liberator bomber, 42-40664, also named, Teggie Ann, which was flown on the Ploesti mission, as one of several element lead aircraft. The plane, now named, Teggie Ann, was piloted by Col. K.K. Compton, and commanded by Mission Commander Gen. Uzal Ent, for the 93rd and the 376th Bomb Groups over Ploesti and Operation Tidal Wave.

The B-24D, 41-11613, last named, The Blue Streak, in the 514th Bomb Squadron, the 376th Bomb Group, and the 9th Air Force, originally named, Florine JuJu, then, Liberandos, Teggie Ann, and, last, The Blue Streak. Number 41-11613, was an original member of the 1942 Halverson Detachment Unit that eventually became part of the 376th Bomb Group. The aircraft was a veteran of the first, high level, Ploesti mission in 1942, but did not fly on the second, large, low level, Ploesti mission, Operation Tidal Wave, in August 1943.

The plane had a long and distinguished combat career, surviving 110 combat missions with the 376th Bomb Group. After the low level Ploesti mission, the plane was sent back to Britain. From Britain, it was flown back to Fort Worth, Texas, by Lt. John S. Young and crew, with Lt. Royden LeBrecht and his crew, flying Lt. LeBrecht's plane, The Squaw, and Walter Stewart flew home in the B-24D, Bomerang. The Blue Streak's last 10 missions, before it was sent home, were flown by Captain Melvin H. McClain from Bend, Oregon.

The Blue Streak, survived 19 months of air battles overseas, and 1,058 combat hours. Her score board reads, one destroyer, one merchant ship, one tanker, and 23 enemy aircraft destroyed. She dropped 297 tons of bombs, and never lost a crewman in combat. The ship required 19 engines, two new wings, one new rudder, and many aluminum patches to keep her flying during her career.

The Blue Streak's last crew :
Jose Felix
Waino Hakkinen
Henry Magaram
Thomas McGrain
James Milne
Alfred Runyan
Ivan Schwartz
Ralph Thompson
Willard Tressler
Arthur Weil
Richard Weizenegger
John Young

Service

Aircraft

  • 42-40664 - Honey Chile - Liberandos - Teggie Ann

    B-24 Liberator
    The B-24D, 42-40664, named, Teggie Ann, should not be mistaken for another B-24D, 41-23754, (of three) also named, Teggie Ann, that were in the 8th Air Force. Later, this, Teggie Ann, 42-40664, was changed to, Little Lady. ...

Show more

Units

  • 376th Bomb Group

    376th Bomb Group

    Group
    Constituted as 376th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 19 Oct 1942 and activated in Palestine on 31 Oct. Began combat immediately, using B-24 aircraft. Operated with Ninth AF from bases in the Middle East, Nov 1942-Sep 1943, and with Twelfth AF from Tunisia...

  • 514th Bomb Squadron

    514th Bomb Squadron

    Squadron

  • Halverson Detachment

    Halverson Detachment

    Detachment
    HALPRO or the Halverson Detachement was a group of 23 B-24 Liberators originally destined to join the 10th Air Force in the China, Burma, India Theatre of operations. ...

People

  • Jose Felix

    Military | First Lieutenant | B-24 Bombardier | 376th Bomb Group
    Lt. Jose Reis Felix was a bombardier on the B-24D, 41-11613, The Blue Streak, of 514th BS, 376th BG, 9th AF. The plane went on to survive 110 missions with the 376th Bomb Group and was sent home for a war bond tour. Awards: DFC, AM, WWII Victory, EAME.

  • Waino Hakkinen

    Military | Captain | Co-Pilot | 376th Bomb Group
    Lt. Wiano Hakinnen was assigned to 514BS, 376BG, 9AF USAAF. Co-Pilot of B-24D, 41-11613, The Blue Streak, of 514th BS, 376th BG, 9th AF. A/C went on to survive 110 missions with the 376th bomb group and was sent home for a war bond tour. ...

  • Henry Magaram

    Military | Staff Sergeant | B-24 Armorer / Gunner | 376th Bomb Group
    SSgt. Henry Magaram was assigned to 514BS, 376BG, 9AF USAAF, as an armorer/ gunner of the B-24D, 41-11613, The Blue Streak, of 514th BS, 376th BG, 9th AF. the plane went on to survive 110 missions with the 376th bomb group and was sent home for a war...

  • Thomas McGrain

    Military | Lieutenant Colonel | B-24 Navigator | 376th Bomb Group
    Lt. McGrain, of the 515th Bomb Squadron, flew on the Operation Tidal Wave mission with Lt. Edwin L. Gluck on, 030, B-24D, 41-24030. It was his eighth combat mission. He referred to this aircraft as, Good Time Charley. He also flew on the B-24 42-73084,...

  • James Milne

    Military | Staff Sergeant | B-24 Gunner | 376th Bomb Group
    SSgt. James Milne was assigned to the 514BS, the 376BG, (TDY) to the 9AF USAAF. ...

  • Alfred Runyan

    Military | Technical Sergeant | B-24 Waist gunner | 376th Bomb Group
    TSgt. Alfred Runyon was assigned to 514BS, 376BG, 9AF USAAF. Crewmember of B-24D, 41-11613, The Blue Streak, of 514th BS, 376th BG, 9th AF. A/C went on to survive 110 missions with the 376th Bomb Group and was sent home for a war bond tour. ...

  • Ivan Schwartz

    Military | Sergeant | 376th Bomb Group
    SSgt. Ivan Schwartz was a crewmember on the B-24D, 41-11613, The Blue Streak, of 514th BS, 376th BG, 9th AF. The A/C went on to survive 110 missions with the 376th Bomb Group and was sent home for a war bond tour. Awards: AM, WWII Victory, EAME.

  • Ralph Thompson

    Military | Major | B-24 Command Pilot | 376th Bomb Group
    Pilot of the B-24D, 41-11613, The Blue Streak, of the 514th BS, the 376th BG, (TDY) to the 9th AF. The airplane and crew went on to survive 110 missions with the 376th Bomb Group and was sent home for a war bond tour.

  • Willard Tressler

    Military | Technical Sergeant | B-24 Gunner | 376th Bomb Group
    TSgt. Willard Tressler was assigned to 514BS, 376BG, 9AF USAAF. Crewmember of B-24D, 41-11613, The Blue Streak, of 514th BS, 376th BG, 9th AF. A/C went on to survive 110 missions with the 376th bomb group and was sent home for a war bond tour. ...

  • Arthur Weil

    Military | Staff Sergeant | B-24 Gunner | 376th Bomb Group
    SSgt Arthur Weil was a crew member of B-24D, 41-11613, The Blue Streak, of 514th BS, 376th BG, 9th AF. A/C survived 110 missions with the 376th bomb group and was sent home for a war bond tour. Awards: WWII Victory, EAME.

Show more

Missions

  • HALPRO Task Force

    12 June 1942
    The first Army Air Force Combat mission in Europe during the Second World War, saw 13 B-24 Liberators, originally destined for China, bomb oil refineries in Ploesti, Roumania. While the raid had little impact, it proved the concept that Heavy bombers...

Places

  • Berca

    Military site : airfield

  • Lete

    Military site : airfield

Events

Event Location Date
Assigned

514th BS, 376th BG, 9th AF.
War Bond Tour Fort Worth, TX, USA

Started War Bond Tour at Fort Worth, TX, USA.
Nicknames
- Florine JuJu - Liberandos - Teggie Ann - The Blue Streak
Production block number
B-24D-CO
Manufacturer
Consolidated
Markings and paint scheme/livery

The B-24D, 41-11613, last named, The Blue Streak, was painted with the U.S. Army's standard olive drab color on it's fuselage sides and the upper surfaces of both the fuselage, horizontal stabilizers, and wings. The undersurfaces of the fuselage and wings were painted in the standard gray color for camouflage.

The aircraft's first name, Florine JuJu, was painted on it's left and right side nose with it's unit number, 10. Later, Liberandos, was painted on right side nose and, Teggie Ann, on left side nose, changing the unit number to, 71, on the nose of the plane. Later, the new name, The Blue Streak, was painted on left side nose with a smaller name, Teggie Ann, under the pilot's side window and the unit number, 71. A large map of the MTO was added to the plane's LH side forward nose.

It's national insignias were white stars on blue roundels, with yellow surrounds. Later in 1943, white rectangular wings were added to the stars and roundels with red borders around the entire insignia. Then, a dark blue border surround was painted over the entire insignia's red border, later in 1943.

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
29 December 2021 00:12:12 Kickapoo Changes to markings and description
Sources

Detail changes. Wording changes for clarity and readability. - Kickapoo
Date Contributor Update
28 December 2021 23:58:26 Kickapoo Changes to markings
Sources

Details added to include the aircraft's unit numbers. - Kickapoo
Date Contributor Update
28 December 2021 23:50:23 Kickapoo Changes to markings
Sources

Detail changes to markings. - Kickapoo
Date Contributor Update
28 December 2021 23:46:58 Kickapoo Changes to markings
Sources

Details added. - Kickapoo
Date Contributor Update
28 December 2021 23:00:20 Kickapoo Changes to nicknames, markings and description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 41-11613 - The Blue Streak - Florine Juju - Liberandos - Teggie Ann
Date Contributor Update
13 October 2021 06:12:33 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill
Date Contributor Update
13 October 2021 05:29:31 Kickapoo Changes to nicknames
Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill
Date Contributor Update
13 October 2021 05:28:25 Kickapoo Changes to markings and description
Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill
Date Contributor Update
22 August 2021 01:26:03 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 42-40664 - Teggie Ann
Date Contributor Update
22 August 2021 01:08:47 Kickapoo Changes to description and place associations
Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill
Date Contributor Update
17 August 2021 12:38:15 Emily Changes to nicknames, markings and description
Sources

Changed all instances of aircraft name into sentence case to as per best practice for accessibility.
Date Contributor Update
05 August 2021 12:39:23 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 41-11613 - THE BLUE STREAK
Date Contributor Update
05 August 2021 00:46:04 Kickapoo Changes to nicknames, markings and description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 41-11613 - FLORINE JUJU - THE BLUE STREAK
Date Contributor Update
03 June 2021 16:03:05 Emily Changes to nicknames
Sources

Removed nose number wrongly described as nickname
Date Contributor Update
03 June 2021 15:49:34 Emily Changes to nicknames
Sources

Reformatted aircraft nickname to remove unnecessary punctuation and quotation marks
Date Contributor Update
06 May 2021 10:50:58 Kickapoo Changes to markings
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 41-11613
Date Contributor Update
06 May 2021 10:46:11 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 41-11613
Date Contributor Update
06 May 2021 10:43:30 Kickapoo Changes to nicknames, markings, description, person associations, place associations and mission associations
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 41-11613
Date Contributor Update
11 February 2020 13:44:11 Emily Changes to nicknames
Sources

Removed 71 from aircraft name field as this was the aircraft's identification number within its unit
Date Contributor Update
10 February 2020 17:48:46 phil marchese Changes to markings
Sources

Al Blue, The B-24Liberator.
Date Contributor Update
26 November 2019 19:45:28 skymcclain Changes to description
Sources

R Sky McClain - daughter of Melvin H. McClain
Date Contributor Update
14 August 2019 18:00:34 Kickapoo Changes to description
Sources

Anatomy Of A Disaster - Gen. Hoyt S. Brandenberg ---- Into The Fire - Duane Schultz ---- John S. Young, Jr. - personal archives
Date Contributor Update
12 August 2019 21:57:04 Kickapoo Changes to unit associations
Sources

Anatomy Of A Disaster - Gen. Hoyt S. Brandenberg ---- Into The Fire - Duane Schultz ---- John S. Young, Jr. - personal archives
Date Contributor Update
12 August 2019 21:56:18 Kickapoo Changes to person associations
Sources

Anatomy Of A Disaster - Gen. Hoyt S. Brandenberg ---- Into The Fire - Duane Schultz ---- John S. Young, Jr. - personal archives
Date Contributor Update
12 August 2019 21:20:09 Kickapoo Changes to markings
Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- Into The fire - Duane Schultz
Date Contributor Update
12 August 2019 21:19:04 Kickapoo Changes to nicknames and markings
Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- Into The fire - Duane Schultz
Date Contributor Update
12 August 2019 20:31:28 Kickapoo Changes to markings
Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- Into The Fire - Duane Schultz
Date Contributor Update
12 August 2019 20:26:23 Kickapoo Changes to nicknames, markings and description
Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- Into The Fire - Duane Schultz
Date Contributor Update
12 August 2019 20:10:36 Kickapoo Changes to nicknames and markings
Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- Into The Fire - Duane Schultz
Date Contributor Update
23 March 2015 15:55:37 Al_Skiff Changes to events
Sources

AAM Database / http://www.b24bestweb.com
Date Contributor Update
23 March 2015 15:19:42 Al_Skiff Changes to production block number, nicknames, description, events and unit associations
Sources

AAM Database / http://www.b24bestweb.com
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:40:01 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

MACR 333 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

Share