Bucket of Bolts II

Commisioned artwork showing the final moments of "Bucket of Bolts II" Liberator:
Text by Garret Brag:
" Originally brought over from the states in May of 1944 by Lt. Prather and his crew with the name of “PRATHER’S PANTHERS” adorned on the right side, B-24H 42-50400 was reassigned to a veteran 740th crew and renamed “BUCKET OF BOLTS II” (on her left side) after the loss of their original “BUCKET O’ BOLTS”, B-24H 42-52190.
On September 28, 1945, 1st Lt. Herdman and his crew aboard “BUCKET OF BOLTS II” formed up on the far left wing of Charlie Box made their way to the railroad bridge in Isarco-Albes, Italy along with 17 other Liberators from the 455th and their P-51 escorts from the 31st FG.
Hit by intense flak over the target, with 2 engines smoking, #400 was seen leaving formation shortly after bombing the target, with crew ditching equipment in an attempt to reduce weight. Struggling to maintain altitude, upon hitting 5,000' the crew began to bail out of the aircraft. 1st Lt. Joseph Herdman (pilot), 1st Lt. Jerome Weinberger (bombardier), S/Sgt. Killian Lutz (gunner), and S/Sgt. Joseph Weissblum (radio operator) were captured by German soldiers upon landing. The other 4 crew members managed to escape to Allied lines with help from local partisans. S/Sgt. Joseph Weissblum was later shot by German troops while supposedly attempting to escape. “BUCKET OF BOLTS II” found its resting place roughly 1 mile south of Kanfanar."