This aircraft was the first of 110 such airframes delivered by LAC in December 1943. Purpose- built as a photo platform, 192 presumably wore a bare metal finish. It was in this plane that Jim Frakes would fly his first combat mission over the airfields of the Channel Islands. Photo pending.

Originally flown by Lt. Glen Tovani, 42-68229 was named for crew chief Tony Pachecco's wife. 68229 also carried the name "Bret" on the port cowling as this was the name of Pachecco's son. After Tovani's departure in August 1944, "Mary" would be flown by Lt. Phillip V. Hooke. It was Hooke who flew the squadron's 1000th mission in "Mary" on 23 February 1945. Rumor has it that "Mary" is the only ship that never required an engine change and through the years has become a bit of a celebrity. Not only is "Mary" well known for widely circulated photos which have made her famous, but she was also the subject of a modern 1/48 scale plastic model kit manufactured by the Monogram Comapny! (Richard Kill)

Earliest pictures of 243 show her wearing only PRU. By the time of this photo, the day before intended D-Day, she had been christened "Bloomer Cricket". Seen here with her crew, "Bloomer Cricket" would eventually be shared between John Sanders and H. Gayle Vaughn and would be stripped of paint and have nose art repainted (sans pin-up). "Bloomer Cricket" was lost 01-November, 1944 while flown by newly transferred replacement pilot 2nd. Lt. John R. McKee. McKee was flying cover for Jim Lively when he reported turbo trouble and broke off to return to base. Pilot reported bailing out in vicinity of Luxeuill [sic] cause unknown. Unfortunatley Lt. McKee's head struck tail of the plane while bailing out. His body was recovered near scene of crash of 243. (Leo Landry)

Flown by original 34th pilot Lloyd Haslup, 250 was lost over the Channel with Haslup at the controls on 07-May/44. No known photos were taken.

Photographed here at Chalgrove, England -- 42-68253 wore natural metal and no prominent markings. Serial number is displayed on the tail with unit code of S9 on the booms. 253 was flown by many in the 34th, but it was Lt. Lloyd L. Sisemore who would be her last pilot. Sisemore was lost in 253 on a mission over France on 25-May, 1944. (Tom Stringham)

We expect to have a photo of this aircraft shortly. 261 was lost on Valentine's Day 1945 while flying slow time. The following entry was made on the event in the Daily War Diary: "F/O Davis was going to put an hour or so of slow time on 261. Runaway props on both engines forced him to make an emergency landing. Due to the condition of the runway and the presence of two P-51's in take off position he had to land long and in doing so he ran off the end of the strip across a road and out into a field. The plane was a washout, but the pilot was ok."

Built in January, 1944 and one of the last LAC F-5B-1s, "Daisy Mae" wore a natural metal finish with anti-glare paint on the top of the camera-bay doors and on the insides of the nacelles. Ray Beckley painted the nose art, which was in the likeness of the "l'il Abner" character Dasy Mae. Much to the consternation of Lt. Keith, 289 would be scrapped after a mission in which Capt. York, flying out of Chateaudun, took so much flak that it had to be written-off.