RED BALLOON
42-5734
B-17F YB-40
91/323 OR-R

This curiously named aircraft was a standard Vega-built B-17F that was one of a number selected for special conversion into the heavily armed YB-40 variant. The YB-40s were conceived as gunships to fly as escorts for the B-l7F bombers. They carried no bomb load themselves but instead had a remote chin turret and an additional top turret mounted over the radio hatch Position. Twin waist guns were also installed and on arrival in England even more armament was added in the form of nose side guns giving in total a 20% increase in firepower. Armor plating protected crew positions' and overall the YB-40 weighed some 4OOO lbs heavier than their standard B-17F counterparts. Initially the plane, together with the other YB-40s sent to England, was assigned to the 92nd Bomb Group until transfer to the 91st on 16th July 1943. The squadron records indicate that the name of Red Balloon was already applied to the ship upon assignment to the 91st but the reason and origin is unknown. In August it became known as Old Ironsides and although the aircraft flew no missions with the group it remained assigned until early October. Sent to the massive Air Depot at Burtonwood in preparation for the long flight home, the ship did not leave the UK until 25th January 1944 and returned to the USA.

"Story taken from Plane Names & Fancy Noses, by Ray Bowden"