42-7463

Object Number - UPL 47756 - B-24E - '463' - V1

The TB-24-E-25-FO, was built at the Willow Run Ford plant and was known as, '63' and '463'. '63' was painted on the forward left and right side of it's nose. It's serial number was SN # 42-7463 - RCL #-V #-P.
It was one of the twelve B-24s that flew in Operation Halpro, the first high altitude mission to bomb the refineries at Ploesti. Romania in 1942.

The first mission of 'Halpro' was flown on 12 June, 1942, against the Romanian oil facilities at Ploesti. Thirteen B-24 bombers took off from Fayid in Egypt during the night of 11/12 June, and of these, 12 aircraft attacked at dawn. Four of the 13 aircraft later landed at a British base in Iraq which had been designated for recovery of the flight, three others landed at different Iraq airfields, two landed in Syria, and were interned in Turkey after landing in that country. Although the damage inflicted on the target was negligible, the raid was significant as the first USAAF combat mission in the European, African and Middle Eastern theatres in World War II, and as the first attack on a target which later become famous, indeed notorious, for its general survivability.

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Units served with

Missions

  • Date: 12 June 1942
  • Official Description: 13 B-24’s of detachment under command of Col Harry A Halverson en route from US to China take off during 11Jun from Fayid to bomb oilfields at Ploesti. Only 12 attack at dawn. 4 of the 13 land at base in Iraq which was designated for recovery of the...

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Unit: Halverson Detachment

Revisions

Date3 Jun 2021 15:53:59
ContributorEmily
ChangesChanges to nicknames, markings and description
Sources

Removed aircraft nickname which referred to the abbreviated serial number on the aircraft nose- not a valid nickname

Date28 Apr 2021 09:00:35
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to nicknames
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 42-7463

Date11 Mar 2021 06:23:29
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to description
Sources

Code Names - Secret Operations - Operation HALPRO

Date11 Mar 2021 06:07:17
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to aircraft associations, unit associations and mission associations
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Best Web - B-24 - SN # 42-7463 - '63'

Date11 Mar 2021 06:03:57
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to markings
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - SN # 42-7463 - '63'

Date11 Mar 2021 06:01:24
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to markings
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - SN # 42-7463 - '63'

Date11 Mar 2021 05:56:44
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to nicknames and markings
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - # 42-7463 - '63'

Date11 Mar 2021 05:53:12
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - # 42-7463 - '63'

Date11 Mar 2021 05:27:48
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesChanges to production block number, nicknames, markings and description
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - # 42-7463

Date13 Feb 2021 19:33:39
ContributorKickapoo
ChangesCreated entry with serial number, aircraft type, production block number, manufacturer and nicknames

42-7463: Gallery (2 items)