A replacement ship received into the 449th on 26 April ’44 after being flown overseas from Hamilton AAFB, CA, by Kinsinger’s crew. “Silver Babe” was the first all-aluminum, silver-colored ship in the 449th versus the olive drab ships. Some crews thought the silver ships would be more attractive to fighters and did not like flying them. Crew chief was Sgt. Arthur Friedman. The “Babe” crashed in the mountains of Yugoslavia after suffering heavy flak damage over the oil refinery at Moosbierbaum, Austria on 11 December ’44. Marrone’s crew all successfully bailed out and were subsequently returned by the Yugoslavian Partisans on 5 Jan ’45. 9 EVD. MACR 10389.
Pictures of Silver Babe
