B-26G-1-MA Serial Number 43-34138 "Couchez Avec" VT-B 323rd Bomb Group 453rd Bomb Squadron from Jim Harris' Collection

B-26G-1-MA Serial Number 43-34138 "Couchez Avec" VT-B 323rd Bomb Group 453rd Bomb Squadron
FLOAT POINTER OVER IMAGE BELOW	FLOAT POINTER OVER IMAGE BELOW


	A screen shot from "White Tailed Marauders: The 323rd Bomb Group and their B-26s" from a Zeno's Flight Shop DVD
A screen shot from "The flight line at Denain Airfield (A-83) in France at end of WW II in Europe. B-26s of 323rd Bomb Group. " from CRITICAL PAST

Names painted on aircraft in picture: Lt. O. E. Brown - Barbardier, C. D. Haplar - Pilot. Robert Leo Carden(obit)wrote to b26.com that he flew this B-26G across the Atlantic via the "southern route" in 1944.^[5] The 'economy' coat of camouflage green evidenced by the dodged serial number block is consistant with 9th AF practices after late 1944 of painting aircraft at service depots in England before delivery.^[11] b26marauder.info has Couchez Avec listed under 323rd Bomb Group - 455th Bomb Squadron. (YU)^[12] Lloyd R. Bond's granddaughter has pics of him in front of Couchez Avec. Roy Bozych, Historian, 323bg454bs.org says Loyd was a T/Sgt with the 323rd Bomb Group - 453rd Bomb Squadron.^[6] The noseart on 'Couchez Avec...?' was painted sometime mid March 1945 by S/Sgt David Goss, 323rd BG 453rd BS.^[10] Below is everything I could find online about "Couchez Avec".
"Couchez Avec" is one of at least seven examples of nose art inspired by the same pinup. B-29 Lucky Lady, B-26 Miss Arkansas, B-24 Pom Pom Express B-26 Couchez Avec...?, PB4Y Blue Belle, B-29 Slicks Chicks, B-29 Chicago Sal
UPDATE AS OF 09-28-2016: SPECIAL THANKS TO GARY VELASCO FROM WWW.FIGHTINGCOLORS.COM !!! IN A RESPONSE TO ME ON FACEBOOK'S WWII Nose Art Fans PAGE!!! Gary was able to recognize the inspiration for this noseart as a Brown & Bigelow “pin-up” fold-out New Year’s card from boss 1944 drawn by artist was K.O. Munson. Here's one on ebay listed by nyc.estate_artwork.international.inc:
The following content was copied/used for reference!!! http://openlibrary.org/books/OL83823M/455th_Bombardment_Squadron_323rd_Bomb_Group_(M)_Whitetail_Marauders http://www3.uakron.edu/ul/archives/b26/bg-323rd.html http://forum.armyairforces.com/tm.aspx?high=&m=66650&mpage=1#66650 http://www.b26.com/guestbook/2001.htm http://www.b26.com/guestbook/2006.htm (Bob Cardens photo of Couchez Avec on B26.com) http://www.b26.com/marauderman/bob_carden.htm http://www.b26.com/marauderman/bc/05.htm http://www.b26.com/guestbook/2008.htm http://www.323bg454bs.org http://www.b26.com/marauderman/lloyd_r_bond.htm http://www.b26.com/guestbook/2006.htm http://www.b26.com/guestbook/2003.htm David Poulin's book "Gus and Guy" about his uncle Guy and father Gus. Gus was a B-26 top turret gunner in the 323rd BG 453rd BS. http://entrada1598.com/books/GG/g&g.html http://entrada1598.com/books/Marauder/Chapter8.pdf (page 9) http://320thbg.org/b-26_serial_numbers1.html http://www.b26marauder.info/B-26_NamesAndNumbers.htm (archive.org copy) whois.domaintools.com/b26marauder.info (Martin B-26 Marauder Film Clip Archive) forum.armyairforces.com (ALF EGIL JOHANNESSEN. RIP) http://www.worldmilitair.com/production/martin%20179.htm http://browningmgs.com/AirGunnery/03_nose.htm http://browningmgs.com/AirGunnery/Turrets/Nose/PB4Y_BlueBelle.jpg http://b24bw.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=PB4YAircraft&action=display&thread=20 http://img114.imageshack.us/img114/1310/vp111crew0225oct20014wx.jpg The same pinup appears on B-26C-45-MO 42-107752 Miss Arkansas of the 320th BG 444th BS. http://www.markstyling.com/b26s.10_320th.htm http://www.markstyling.com/B26.320BG/B26.320.90.cu.jpg http://www.markstyling.com/B26.320BG/B26.320.91.cu.jpg Page 77 in Max Allen Collin's "For The Boys" published by Metro Books 2000,2009 shows 3 more aircraft with the same pinup inspiring their nose art. B-24 Pom Pom Express(mission4today.com) B-24 44-50396 Pom Pom Express 351BS/380BG on 380th.org B-29 Slick's Chick's pic from mrprophead.com Slick's Chick's was painted by Sea Bees. Google Book Result B-29 Hunters of the JAAF B-29 42-24863 Lucky Lady from the 504th BG Repo painted panel K. Munson/Brown & Bigelow “pin-up” fold-out New Year’s card from boss ’44 Table of B-26-G-5-MA's with serial numbers 43-34XX1

created: 06-24-2010
Last Update: .