PB4Y-2

[terveurn]

Didn't the Air Museum have a PB4Y-2 painted as Lady Be Good.

I remember in Steve's B-24 book a photos of this aircraft, yet I was never able to track down the BuNo

[NickV]

Yes, they did. At one time or another it was at the Movieland aircraft exhibit in Buena Park near Knotts Berry Farm. It wore the nose art "Lady Be Good" at the time. Dik Shepherd who was a active with Ed Maloney and was on the B-26 Marauder recoveries with Tallichet in the early 1970s says he has the data plate from the Maloney PB4Y-2. I saw it, and it reads Buno. 59838. Note that it is not your standard PB4Y-2 data plate.

There's a problem with Shepherd's data plate as the fuselage that it came out of was an early aircraft fitted with a Motor Products 250CH-5 nose turret (Bunos 59350-59433), so it could not be 59838 because the structure holding the turret ring is different. I've attached a photo of the fuselage at Ontario shot by Milo Peltzer.

Maloney's PB4Y-2 hulk reportedly came from China Lake. I have a photo shot by Milo of the fuselage on a trailer being towed to Ontario. The only identifying mark is the aircraft in squadron number of 201. The plane is missing its empennage, so there is no Buno. shown externally.
Nick