“Racy Tomato” arrived in the 449th in April ’44 with Isaac’s crew aboard. She was named by Isaac — a former Disney cartoonist — who painted her nose art. Crew chief was Sgt. Francis Weaver. The ship was reported by several pilots as a “gas hog”, with several landings being made “up the leg of the Italian boot” at Allied airfields when returning from across the Alps. “Racy Tomato” was ditched in the Adriatic Sea, out of fuel, by Orchard’s crew on 25 December ’44 returning from the Innsbruck, Austria mission. 9 KIA. MACR 10915.

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