Note - This B-24H, 41-29128, was in the 8th Air Force, the 446th Bomb Group, and the 704th Bomb Squadron, in the U.K. in 1944, and should not be mistaken for another older B-24D Liberator bomber, 41-23778, also named, Lady Luck, also in the 8th Air Force, but in the 44th Bomb Group, and the 66th Bomb Squadron, in the U.K. in 1942 and 43, detached (TDY) to the 9th Air Force in North Africa, for Operation Tidal Wave. It was originally named, Jenny, but later renamed, Lady Luck, By it's Ploesti pilot Lt. Rocco Curelli, for it's having surviving the Ploesti mission with no casualties of it's crewmen. After it flew on Operation Tidal Wave over Ploesti, as, Jenny, and was renamed, Lady Luck, it's original, Lady Luck, name and nose art was copied onto the newer, Lady Luck, the B-24H, 41-229128, except that the new, Lady Luck, had no 8 ball decorations on her black bikini top, since she was not in the 44th Bomb Group (The Flying 8 Balls).







The B-24H, 41-29128, was one of the original B-24H models of the B-24's assigned to the 446th Bomb Group, the 704th Bomb Squadron, and the 8th Air Force. It was the second one of the two B-24s in the 8th Air Force in Britain, with the same, Lady Luck, name and similar nose art.



- The B-24D, 41-23778, Jenny - Lady Luck, was shot down and lost over Foggia, Italy. 16 Aug 43, after surviving the Ploesti bombing mission. 1 Aug 43. MACR 2141-3150.



The B-24H, 41-29128, Lady Luck, as part of the 446th Bomb Group, was based at Station 125, Bungay, Suffolk, U.K. and completed 49 successful missions over Europe, before it, too, was shot down. 15 Oct 44.



Lady Luck, 41-29128, flown by Lt. Glen E. Rowe, was damaged by flak on the bombing mission # 171 to Cologne, Germany. 15 Oct 1944, when it was hit by flak, returning from the mission, crossing the Rhine River. The #4 engine was hit and destroyed immediately, and the #1 engine hit about ten minutes later. Both engines were shut down and the props feathered. With the plane losing altitude, the crew threw out everything they could, that was not attached or nailed down, to keep the plane flying as long as possible : .50 cal. guns, ammunition, radios, etc. Lt. Rowe decided to set up and try an emergency approach and landing on St.Trond airfield. On the approach, realizing he was too high and landing long, Rowe tried for a go around, but he was committed to land and could not abort the landing and climb, with two engines out. The plane hit the ground and crashed, ripping off the landing gear. Fire broke out in the bomb bay, and the plane exploded. Lt. Rowe and the tail gunner, SSgt. Howington, were killed, and the RO TSgt. Frank J. Janik, is believed to have suffocated. 3 KIA. 5 RTD. 15 Oct 44.

The plane exploded and crashed during an attempted emergency crash landing at Saint-Trond Airfield, in Belgium. The pilot, Lt. Glen E. Rowe, was killed (KIA) in the crash landing. Copilot James H. Royer Jr., Bombardier Irving Siegel, Navigator James H. Hedren, Engineer William L. Hendricks, Right Waist Gunner Leroy L. Weese, Radio Operator Frank J. Janik, and Tail Gunner Luchious L. Howington, were all killed in the crash landing. 15 Oct 44. MACR 2141-3150.



1st Lt. Glen E. Rowe - Pilot - KIA

1st Lt. James Royer - Co-Pilot

1st Lt. Irving Siegel - Bombardier

1st Lt. James Hedren, - Navigator

SSgt. William L. Hendric - Engineer

SSgt. Leroy Weese - R Waist Gunner

SSgt. Luchious Howington - Tail Gunner - KIA

TSgt. Frank J. Janik - Radio Operator - KIA