42-95592 | American Air Museum

42-95592 Black Cat

media-45399.jpeg UPL 45399 B-24J-1-FO #42-95592 "Black Cat" Code: T9-U
466th BG - 784th BS
PFF lead ship. Black Cat was the last 8th AF B-24 shot down during the war. 466th Bomb Group collection

Chris Brassfield personal collection

Object Number - UPL 45399 - B-24J-1-FO #42-95592 "Black Cat" Code: T9-U 466th BG - 784th BS PFF lead ship. Black Cat was the last 8th AF B-24 shot down during the war.

On 21 April 1945 B-24 Liberator "Black Cat" became the last heavy bomber to be shot down in the European Theatre of Operations.

The aircraft was hit by flak on a mission to Regensburg and the wing broke off. Three men were seen to escape, but the rest perished when the ship crashed.

Connections

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Units served with

466th Bomb Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

784th Bomb Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

People

Curtis M Adamy

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 466th Bomb Group 784th Bomb Squadron 786th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: O-716310
Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
Role/Job: Navigator

Frank B Bailey

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 466th Bomb Group 784th Bomb Squadron 786th Bomb Squadron
Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade)
Role/Job: Radio Operator

Jerome Barrett

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 466th Bomb Group 784th Bomb Squadron 787th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 12157563
Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
Role/Job: Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner

Lawrence E Bortness

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 466th Bomb Group 784th Bomb Squadron 787th Bomb Squadron
Highest Rank: Colonel
Role/Job: Bombardier

John C Brennan

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 466th Bomb Group 784th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 12206828
Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade)
Role/Job: waist gunner

Places

Attlebridge

Site type: Airfield
Known as: Attlebridge Arsenal, Station 120

Oberhinkofen

Site type: Aircraft crash site
Known as: Black Cat Memorial

Missions

Events

Event	Location	Date	Description
Other First 466th BG mission	Vechta, Germany	15 August 1944
Other Failed to Return (FTR)	Scharmassing, 93083 Obertraubling, Germany	21 April 1945	Hit in the left wing by flak. Crashed, killing 10 of 12 crewmembers of the Richard Farrington Crew. "I think I will never forget the image of "Black Cat" being hit and going down. She was flying as the 3rd squadron lead. In the turn to abort Black Cat slid slid underneath my deputy squadron lead until it seemed right off my left wing (underneath of course). I can still see the flames coming out of the bomb bay just before they tell me it exploded. The human interest story is that most of the crew were on their final mission, and so near the end of the war too. My crew reported only seeing two chutes coming out. When the abort turn was ordered by Col. (Brunow) Feiling, my navigator called and told me a left turn would take us right over Regensburg, a heavy flak area. I told my navigator to call the lead ship, which he did, only to catch hell for breaking radio silence." - Bill Proppe

Event

Location

Date

Description

Other

First 466th BG mission

Vechta, Germany

15 August 1944

Other

Failed to Return (FTR)

Scharmassing, 93083 Obertraubling, Germany

21 April 1945

Hit in the left wing by flak. Crashed, killing 10 of 12 crewmembers of the Richard Farrington Crew. "I think I will never forget the image of "Black Cat" being hit and going down. She was flying as the 3rd squadron lead. In the turn to abort Black Cat slid slid underneath my deputy squadron lead until it seemed right off my left wing (underneath of course). I can still see the flames coming out of the bomb bay just before they tell me it exploded. The human interest story is that most of the crew were on their final mission, and so near the end of the war too. My crew reported only seeing two chutes coming out. When the abort turn was ordered by Col. (Brunow) Feiling, my navigator called and told me a left turn would take us right over Regensburg, a heavy flak area. I told my navigator to call the lead ship, which he did, only to catch hell for breaking radio silence." - Bill Proppe