The B-24 Bomber that Vanished Without a Trace - The Story of "Lady Be Good"

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This is the historic tale of B-24 Liberator Bomber "Lady Be Good" and the tragic ending it would meet. This was made using the World War II flight simulator IL-2 Sturmovik Great Battles series. Hope you enjoy! Please like, comment, and subscribe. #WW2 #History #WarThunder
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[@TJ3]

Invest in blue-chip art for the very first time by signing up for Masterworks: masterworks.art/tj3history

[@henrysmith7276]

What is the music used?

[@garysilver718]

I was on Operation Climax. Spent 30 days in the desert searching for our fallen hero’s . The desert is very unforgiving. We lost 2 of our team in a sand storm and took days to find them. I sat on the side of the sand dune he was climbing and read his diary. I removed spark plugs from the Lady Be Good and donated them And other pictures to the Yankee Air Force here in Michigan after I got home. Years later the hanger where the items were kept burned to the ground.

[@TJ3]

Very interesting!

[@scrubbygoat]

My father was a B-17 Navigator with the 15th Airforce in 1944. I asked him why the Lady be Good crashed. He said only two words, bad navigation.

[@rileycpo]

A good rule in Leadership is to watch out for single-point failures. Never be one and never just trust in the word of one. Unless His Name is Jesus. Then you're good.

[@jamesburns2232]

I agree with your Dad. The B-24 Bomber Navigator could have grabbed his latitude by Polaris and known they were south of their base. 🥸

[@gdd29]

The last man, Sgt Harold Ripslinger, spending his final hours alone after such a cruel journey, still walking in the desert to the north, it's sad but I want to think it a triumph. I will remember him and learn from his strength when whatever hardship hits me in the rest of my life. Thanks for the video.

[@2NDCBT]

Did you know that Vernon Moore had polio as a child and walked the furthest. I also feel that knowing what these Men had gone through made me stronger whenever I had gone through tough times in my life.

[@TJ3]

I'm likely more proud of this video than any other I've ever made. So I hope you guys enjoy! I tried some new things here so let me know your thoughts! Correction - Someone said I accidentally said "B-25" around 8:39 - that was obviously supposed to be B-24.

[@yoosta22]

What game did you use for this video? IL-2 mod?

[@TJ3]

@@yoosta22 War Thunder

[@yoosta22]

@@TJ3 oh I gotta play that? Your view on that? I play DCS and IL2. Wanting a good pacific platform for the others are lacking? Is it too arcade like???

[@TJ3]

@@yoosta22 It is certainly more arcade than IL-2, but there are more realistic modes you can choose that are less arcade like. But overall, it has good content and is fun for Pacific style stuff since there isn't really another option. The downside is a lot of time grinding or you need to pay to get a lot of the higher tier planes.

[@yoosta22]

@@TJ3 thank you sir. I’ll check it out. Heard Pacific coming to DCS. F4-u and WW2 map.

[@brenthegarty3922]

When I was a boy I got the book, "The Lady be Good". I think it was from one of those book drives they had in schools back in the day, and I was fascinated by WW2 and had several books on it. I remember that book well to this day (and I still have it actually, although I'm now 50). It really left an impression on me, and I remember feeling very sad and haunted by the tale. The Book had many of the sane pictures in your video, but also several more including two diaries I believe. Reading those diary entries will bring a tear to your eye at any age. You can really feel what those men went through. Thanks so much for doing a video about this particular story that has stayed with me since I was a kid. It was really great to see it again. Brought back a lot of memories from when I was a kid reading this book.

[@TJ3]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@bad74maverick1]

I have that book as well. It's actually quite an expensive book now.

[@wiserguy7257]

My dad was a Bomb Aimer and Assistant Navigator in a B24 crew with the 357 Special Duty Squadron of the RAF. On long distance missions to drop agents deep in Japanese held territory he would constantly be taking astro shots (stars, moon, sun, etc.) for his Navigator in order to triangulate and plot their position. He said he survived the war because he was lucky to have a good Captain, a good Navigator and skilled ground crews. Some of his friends were not as lucky.

[@benwelch4076]

I have seen all of your videos and this is the best one. I can't even imagine the feeling of hopelessness when the landed in the desert expecting water and they got sand. The story telling in this documentary was the best I have seen on KZbin. As an aside you are a very good pitchman, weirdly I look forward to your advertisements, very smooth presentation. I am enjoying the many series your are doing. Cheers.

[@TJ3]

Thanks a lot! I greatly appreciate that Ben.

[@Nativeat1YT]

Yea Ben keep making these comments there very encouraging. XD

[@johnbockelie3899]

I have an old book that was my dad's. Inside it is an old news paper article from 1960 about the oil company that found this plane while looking for oil. The Twilight Zone episode " King Nine will not return " plot about a crashed B25 bomber was somewhat based on this mystery plane story.😳

[@johnbockelie3899]

There was an ABC movie of the week back in the early 70's, called " Sole survivor" . The plot had to do with a mysterious WW2 bomber crash. I was only a kid back then so I vaguely know the plot.

[@benwelch4076]

@@johnbockelie3899 cool, I will look for it, ty

[@SoloRenegade]

I've served in the military and watched many people get lost many times. I'd try to help, or point it out, but they always refused help out of stupid pride. I would never EVER rely solely on another person to navigate. I will Always do my own checking of where we are, and where we're supposed to be or going, even if I'm not the one responsible for navigating.

[@darrinsiberia]

in war as in life we fear an enemy might assail us and be our downfall how often it is though more times than not a human becomed his own worst enemy or a simple situation is compounded into a disaster because of panic. panic is the enemy.

[@SoloRenegade]

@@darrinsiberia very true.

[@2854Navman]

My dad was USAF stationed at Wheelus AFB, Tripoli Libya from 1962 to 1966. We, his family were there as well. Lived offbase in downtown Tripoli for the first 2 years then got on base housing for the second 2 years. The base chapel had a beautifully crafted stained glass window showing a crashed B-24 in the desert with some other symbols as well. I was pretty young so I don't remember exactly the whole scene but do remember I was always struck by the lonely, broken plane in it. Found out later the plane was the Lady Be Good and the story of her crew. Still tugs at me today every time I encounter reminders of them like this video. I'm commenting before watching this so I hope it serves them well.

[@MVelt7]

I really enjoyed this video and the way you presented the plight of this air crew. If you've ever read stores of people lost at sea after their ship was sunk in WWII, those tales are a lot like this in making you realize that in a world before GPS, cell phones, satellite maps, and similar technology, chances were high that you may never get rescued. The world was big and less well explored than it is today, and it was very easy to be overlooked or go the wrong direction and yet be so close to help without knowing it. You did a good job of making you think about the lonely, frightening situation these men were in and how tragic their deaths were.

[@TJ3]

Thank you!

[@DogWalkerBill]

I was about 11 years old when Lady Be Good was found. I had a plastic model of a B-24 Liberator that I hung from my ceiling light for years afterward.

[@Jakal-pw8yq]

What an incredibly heartbreaking story. I just can't imagine the fear that these young men experienced while trying to find a way to home and help. And then slowly having to break the group up one by one with the strongest continuing on to get help is just heart-wrenching. Rest in peace to these Brave Young Warriors.

[@luiscarlospassarini1566]

Some years latter a tv movie was made starring William Shatner. The plane was a B-25. The movie is Lone Survivor (1970).

[@yoosta22]

My cousin Dennis Cooney played the co-pilot in that movie......

[@altoncrane9714]

great movie was also thinking of it! I believe the actual title was Sole Survivor.

[@laurencethornblade8357]

@@yoosta22 I remember Dennis Cooney in the movie Fitzwilly

[@henryteja860]

I'm surprised the navigator did not have or used a compass. In WWII basic survival techniques nor basic survival equipment were not always taught or distribute to flight crews. In the Korean War airmen and flight crews had basic survival gear and survival training!

[@j.kaufmann7673]

Giff Marr, a military pilot of the 329th Geodetic Detachment (which later became the reactivated 64th Topographic Engineer Battalion, flew an Air Force LTC to the site in an L-19 in 1959 to determine if a C-47 could be landed there. As noted in the video some parts where used in other aircraft and an arm rest was removed and placed in one of the detachments Otters. In January 1960 that Otter, flew with two other Otters to Benghazi, but the pilot detoured across the the Gulf of Sirte (against orders) and that was the last time it was seen. Giff Marr with other members of the aviation section searched the coast line and one of the other pilots with him found a few pieces of the Otter with the arm rest taken from the Lady Be Good. The remains of the Otter with its pilot and a full survey crew from the detachment were never found.

[@darrinsiberia]

haunted

[@jimjacobson8758]

I’m from a small town in upper Michigan called Hancock. A short distance away is a town called Lake Linden. Sgt. LaMott who was on the Lady be Good crew is from that town. In front of their town hall is a memorial to the Lady be Good, & one of the propellers from the plane is mounted on the memorial!

[@161Sheriff]

Finding a body in that many square miles is amazing

[@SGTSnakeUSMC]

Glad they were at least found and laid to rest. Bringing some closure to their families. RIP

[@joemueller4738]

Sad today the one who died from parachute malfunction was the luckiest one,he didn’t have to die slowly from thirst and blazing sun and freezing nights.Tragic story.

[@jem5159]

Saw an episode based on this happening shown in the Twilight Zone television series when I was a young boy. Didn't realize it was a true story then. Very entertaining, made me so very sad for the crew even then. Many years later when I found out it was actually real it made me even sadder. Sense I could really appreciate what they must have gone through.

[@robertlucky781]

That Twilight Zone episode was called "King Nine Will Not Return", and it was always a favorite of mine. There was also a 1970 made-for-TV movie called "Sole Survivor", that was undoubtedly based on the story of the "Lady Be Good". That story was about a missing B-25 'Mitchell' bomber that was also accidentally found in the Libyan desert years after the war was over.

[@Nativeat1YT]

I'm sure there in a better place now. They may not have been saved on earth but they were saved in heaven

[@jimwiskus8862]

I am breathless and teary eyed. 😢

[@williamkirchmayer9450]

This story, while tragic was one I told the Scouts I was Scoutmaster for on campouts at the first night campfire. During the following day, the Scouts and adult leaders would hike and carry along water and food. When during the hikes some younger or new Scouts would goof around by throwing water from nalgenes or canteens...the older Scouts would tell them "The crew of the Lady Be Good" had to conserve their water and so the young Scouts would knock off the horseplay with water and think about how those men survived on so little for so long. This story should be taken on by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks for a docu-drama film.

[@darrinsiberia]

and the importance of being aware of your surroundings so you don't get lost!

[@COACHWARBLE]

Dessert rule #1 - sleep days walk nights

[@Maax1200]

Would definetly have increased their chanses. Why on earth didnt they come up with that themselfes? Seems so obvious.

[@abandonedaccount123]

Actually, dessert rule #1: Eat it.

[@darrinsiberia]

had they tried to find the plane thatmay have helped since there were some rations and more water and shelter. but it was the "wrong" direction. i think the navigator got spooked. probably felt guilty and then compounded his mistakes bh doubling over losing rationality ... suddenly panic takes over the whole team and they just want to rush back to base somehow. panic is the enemy of survival.

[@TylerHorstman]

Only word this guy has in vocabulary is heart wrenching

[@PopcornNSodaProductions]

And so my journey with the greatest Documentary Channel on the internet began. I only thought of the Channel as a new addition to my list of History Channels I watch. I had no idea what would be in store for me

[@abbeyjane1306]

January 31, 1956 a B-25 made an emergency landing on the Monongahela River in Pittsburgh. The crew got out but the plane sank and was never seen or located again.

[@mkivy]

Oh no, there were many many heart wrenching stories. Pick a topic i am able to have my college library for most topics u are curios about. My deceased father ( who died 6/21/2021), who was. In the Battle of the Bulge”, he was 97 years old!!! Believe me, I concentrated my studies on ( Wars that changed America), i loved my college experience…even doing the research in the college Library where i had access to JSTOR, and not Wikipedia…thank you for the gr8 representation of the Lady be Goode.

[@markkuiper5233]

Rod Serling's Twilight Zone featured an episode based on the Lady Be Good. All about a man who is haunted by the flight and the loss of his crew members.

[@kurtvonfricken6829]

It's called “King Nine will not return”

[@brokenbridge6316]

I've actually heard about this before. And from what I remember hearing about this. Had this crew actually been using their navigation tools and not following another plane this crew might've not gotten lost. The policy of having only a select number of planes use it's navigation tools was a flawed policy. Which was disastrously exposed after a bombing raid in the Romanian oil fields and Polesti. Nice video.

[@bobgreene2892]

Ploesti

[@alitlweird]

This story always freaks me out. Those poor bastards walking through the desert with no way out. Ugh!! What a terrible fate! 💔 edit: History channel (History’s Mysteries) did an episode on Lady Be Good. (late 90s/early 2000s if anyone is interested) Great info in your video! 💪🇺🇸

[@justarandomguylol6481]

They weren't 'Bastards'😡

[@blainekelley816]

Sad but powerful episode. Thanks for posting.

[@SNP-1999]

Horrific as it certainly was, the airman whose parachute failed to open most probably had a much swifter and less painful death than his more "fortunate" comrades who survived bailing out only to die of thirst in the desert. May God bless their souls and may they all rest in peace.

[@Minong_Manitou_Mishepeshu]

They have a prop from Lady B way up in the Keweenaw of Michigan, surrounded by many miles of fresh water, the exact opposite of it's desert life in Africa.

[@garycb8592]

Lake Linden Michigan was home to the radio operator.

[@Minong_Manitou_Mishepeshu]

@@garycb8592 Yup

[@AmyMartin-id3cg]

I would like to suggest a focus of an upcoming video be on researching the story of B-24 Ole Tomato. A story that deserves to be told...the bomber crashed over an island in the phillipines in September 1944. No survivors with several crew members still considered MIA as their bodies were never recovered. I stumbled upon this story in a historic cemetery in Atlanta, where the mother of radio operator JT Hooks had erected a grave stone next to hers on their family plot even though his body was never recovered with this quote...."He stands in the unbroken line of patriots who have dared to die that freedom might live."

[@AmyMartin-id3cg]

When I read that quote it drew me in to learn more about him and his story...born and raised in Atlanta, childhood home in Grant Park, worked as a grocer and store clerk at a local hardware store, died at 28 years old...miles and miles away from home in a B-24 bomber nicknamed the Ole Tomato. I would love to see if you can find out more about JT Hooks and his story... I've turned over just about every rock I knew to look - but thinking you can take this story much further!

[@jaymichaelruss6872]

Very sad story. RIP crew of the Lady Be Good!

[@williamvasilakis9619]

Excellent video. Never knew exactly what happened to this crew. Thank you. Broke my heart.

[@EJ-74]

It's heart breaking to think what they went through. 🙏 What are the odds of the arm rest washing to shore. That's crazy. Very good job telling this story. 👍✌️

[@TJ3]

Thank you!

[@perrywidhalm114]

Congratulations! You're doing a great job in creating these historical documentaries.

[@johnh1001]

This story would make an absolutely fantastic spooky movie of the B 24 going off coarse and disappearing . Hollywood should make this into a really good movie that would become an instant hit !

[@NickPenlee]

This crew died through lack of training; not uncommon in wartime.

[@xman7688]

Man this channel is truly captivating!

[@chriso5662]

The bombardier was the luckiest of the crew

[@l.1273]

In 1970 there was a movie made called Sole Survivor that was loosely based on this crash. It’s a haunting story of the men on the plane after the crash. It was a film that made an impression on me as a kid, a spooky one. I’d say more but doing so would make for spoilers in case someone decides to check it out. For those of you are that William Shatner fans he’s one of the crew.

[@1515327E]

A good story. Shatner was one of the investigating officers sent after the airplane had been found.

[@morenofranco9235]

Thanks TJ3. Machines take on the Spirit of the people associated with them. This might be difficult for some people to comprehend. All machines such as cars, ships, planes, tanks etc. are given NAMES for a reason. To give them power. Hence my AirMobil3 helicopter gunship was named: "Gravity's Angel". To lift men out of dark places. The Breath of an Angel. Everywhere. For One Thousand Yards. I loved to hear her sing.

[@elennapointer701]

With regards to the "Lady Be Good" name, I recommend reading "No Way Out" by Steven R. Whitby, which is the most comprehensive account of the tragedy I've read. According to Whitby, the Lady was named by her previous crew - the crew that took delivery of the Liberator fresh from the factory. This crew was led by Lt. Dawson "Doc" Rose and they accepted the Liberator, named it Lady Be Good, and flew it to Soluch in the full expectation of flying it on operations. At around the same time Lt. Hatton and his crew also took delivery of a brand new Liberator and named it "Zip". Independently, both crews made their way to Libya. Zip and Hatton arrived at Soluch without incident. Lady Be Good and Rose flew through a sandstorm and the engines were damaged. At Soluch Rose and his crew were deemed ready for operations but, because Lady was still under repair, for their first mission they were assigned to the squadron "hack" - the old, beat-up Liberator no one wanted to fly and which was good for spares and not much else. So they left Lady Be Good on the ground, took off in the hack, and were plagued by unreliable engines. They aborted the mission and landed on the island of Malta (maybe Rhodes?) to make repairs, which took more than 24 hours to complete. Meanwhile, at Soluch, Hatton's bomber, Zip , was redeployed to (I think) the 91st Bombing Group, leaving them without an aircraft even though they were ready to fly operations. So the powers that be assigned them to Rose's plane which, by then, was repaired and ready. When Rose and his crew got back to Soluch, it was just in time to watch the Lady Be Good take off with the rest of the squadron on the April 4th mission that was Hatton's first and last. Rose and his crew survived the war, albeit as POWs after being shot down on their 20th or so mission. Incidentally, the Lady Be Good was a variant of the B24 Liberator that was constructed without a ball turret in the belly. The reason for this, again according to Whitby, is that the aircraft was originally planned to be a cargo carrier - a Liberator Express - but plans were changed and this and the other aircraft in its production run were converted back to bombers. At this stage in construction it wasn't deemed feasible to install a ball turret because of the work that had already been completed, so as a compromise a socket was made in the crew egress hatch in the tail, through which a machine gun could be fired if needed.

[@TheRealMrMoonlight]

Good info. Thanks. This explains why this aircraft had a nine-man crew as opposed to the usual ten men in a B-24.

[@SNP-1999]

You mentioned that the aircraft named "Zip" was re- allocated to the 91st Bomb Group. However, the 91st flew from Bassingbourn, England, in the 1st Air Division for the entire air war over Europe and always flew B-17's, never B-24,s. You must therefore mean a different Bomb Group.

[@netherwolves3412]

Amazing video, definitely one of (if not) your best videos.

[@jasonrusso9808]

Teej, I would like to see if you could do one on Foo-Fighters, Flight 19, & other mysteries of WWII. I love these videos.

[@jongrossardt7542]

There was a documentary film that was shown almost annually on TV in the late 1950's- early 1960"s that featured the Lady Be Good and at that time the mystery of the crash and crew. After they finally started to make discoveries the movie was no longer shown.

[@pacokrikotania1523]

Superb Video! I'm speechless! Those creepy/ mistery stories are always the best! They were all brave men! May they rest in peace

[@TJ3]

Thanks!

[@lawster1946]

I remember this story and the Life Magazine article.

[@crazymoose9875]

What an emotional vid dude,!!! good job and Respect for those brave men...!!!

[@TJ3]

Thanks!

[@Truths_Sayer]

Thanks for the great video!

[@aaaht3810]

I remember when the "Lady Be Good" was found. Quite an interesting news story. Some time later the TV program Armstrong Circle Theater presented a dramatization of the story which I thought was very good. Also, there was an episode of the Twilight Zone titled "King 9 Will Not Return" starring Robert Cummings about a B-25 that crashed in the desert that was inspired by the "Lady Be Good" discovery.

[@jonathansteadman7935]

Remember seeing a colour film in the 70s as you describe (UK), the crashed crew starts disappearing one by one, it's because they're ghosts and as their bodies are found they 'disappear'. Didn't remember it being Twilight zone.

[@Bodneyblue]

There is also a movie loosely based on it...called "Soul Survivor" as i recall...or Sole.

[@richardpacheco6341]

Soul Survivor, if I recall, had William Shatner in it.

[@PauloPereira-jj4jv]

@@Bodneyblue ... "Sole".

[@PauloPereira-jj4jv]

@@richardpacheco6341 ... "Sole".

[@adriandumitru7353]

Very very good video

[@martinbruce6651]

Another good one!

[@LeopardIL2]

Congrats TJ. Well done and narrated. 😎

[@TJ3]

Thank you!

[@mattheweagles5123]

They seemed to be heading in the correct direction for Benghazi, but probably by coincidence. Excellent video.

[@kevinsteele2773]

Have a listen to Paul Carter’s story on this one. His dad was the spotter that found the pilot in the sand only a couple of decades ago

[@tomahawk1556]

A lot of people didn't know about this mysterious aviation incident! Thank You So Much for paying Tribute to the Crew of Lady Be Good B~24 Bomber >>> 🙏 May Good Gods & Goddesses Blessed All the Courageous Crew of the Lady Be Good to a Better World & Realm! 🕯🌻🌿🌍💖🇺🇸

[@michaelswhitcomb]

What narrative talent you have! Fantastic video!

[@TJ3]

Thank you!

[@landotm9835]

the similarity with the events between the one that happened at the B-24 and the SM 79 is incredible

[@mistervacation23]

Excellent I've been studying about this for many years I wish they make a movie about it. 41-24301. Lest we forget

[@ronaldtillberry3253]

I live about a half-hour north of Wright Patterson AFB (near Dayton, Ohio). Part of the base hold the National Museum of the United States Air Force.Within the museum is an exhibit dedicated to this very tragedy. If you are ever in the area, I recommend going to the museum and seeing this display. You won't be disappointed.

[@joemueller4738]

They did have one of the engines in the museum,from Lady be Good

[@jibeco]

TJ once again 2 thumbs up. Heroic souls. Thank you.

[@manofthetombs]

Beautiful!

[@hackcult3738]

You have the perfect voice for commentary videos. Nice work

[@TJ3]

Thanks!

[@AtomicExtremophile]

I think that their desert trek(s) were astounding feats of endurance! Interesting that the remains were found in practically straight line towards Benghazi...I wonder how they ascertained that bearing with no local reference to start with? My belief is that the navigator was relying on the radio bearing to get home - possibly thinking if they flew for a certain time they'd be over the base: dead reckoning. This is probably why he wrote nothing further down in his log. I think he got the time wrong - perhaps due to wind drift , and, so, when they didn't see Benghazi the crew thought the direction finder wasn't working!

[@seti48]

Good video and good narration.

[@alessandrofantini891]

I cant immagin. The terror of that kind of death . Poor guys.

[@jimfinlaw4537]

My father flew 5 combat missions for the 512th Bomb Squadron, 376th Bomb Group, 12th Air Force stationed at Benghasi, Libya in North Africa as a co-pilot in the B-24D Liberator. In adition to being a pilot, my father was cross trained as a navigator and as a flight engineer on B-24 Liberators. He figured why the Lady Be Good got so lost. At night over the desert, if the winds are blowing just right and the moon is out, the desert sands actually appear as waves of water instead of sand. He believed the crew of the Lady Be Good fell victim to this phenomenon, by thinking they were still flying over the Mediterranean Sea, but were actually flying over the desert, which is why they became so lost and over shot their base by over 500 miles. The crew were too busy looking for the coast, but obviously over flew it without seeing it. Its strange their navigator's body was never found. When the plane was found in 1959, all his navigation tools were packed away neatly in the wreckage. This suggests that they didn't have a functioning navigator onboard and that he was just there along for the ride. The radios worked just fine and they had provisions for water and tea. Even one of the engines ran just fine. Overall, its a sad story of survival that went terribly bad for this crew.

[@justforfunaviation6342]

Awesome video !!!

[@patrickbarrett5650]

You put a very personal slant on this, well done.👏🏻

[@TJ3]

Thank you

[@marchellochiovelli7259]

Yet another horror of war.

[@wolfmantiptip6218]

Great Video ...................

[@calicoasting]

Great job on this production and what a story !

[@glenjohnson9302]

This inspired a great twilight zone episode "King Nine Will Not Return". Love the episode.

[@PJHEATERMAN]

Time, speed, and distance. Plot a course after the secondary target and your enroute time to base is pretty much known. Hell, the secondary target and return should have already been plotted. I used this basic navigation when training for my pilots lic. in the 1980's.

[@Maax1200]

Seems the crew did everything they shouldnt have done because of inexperiance. Just one of those things that shouldnt happen but does due to a multitude of "little" things.

[@elennapointer701]

My own guess - based on nothing much - is that Navigator Hays' oxygen equipment may have malfunctioned and the rest of the crew didn't notice. It could explain why he stopped navigating on the flight home. If he was conscious but hypoxic they might not have felt the need to check on him, since he'd have still been talking. After all, Hays navigated the bomber they picked up in America (A different Liberator named "Zip") from the USA to Ascenscion Island and, via the African continent, eventually to Soluch air base without any incidents. He was bang on the money every time, but on the Naples raid he seems to have stopped doing his job. I just find that odd, given his otherwise competence.

[@maty1229]

@@elennapointer701 Interesting hypothesis. Personally Whitby's book showed me that the biggest missing puzzle piece was taken by the BP crew when they first visited the wreck. He says they took all maps, charts and navigational equipment, and anything else that was valuable. As far as I can tell those haven't turned up anywhere since. People speculate about Lt. Hays' log but the one thing that would truly show what he was up to during the return leg would be those maps. Not ruling out navigational error in general, since even experienced navigators can mess up, but the fact that Hays got them through the Atlantic with no issues is something.

[@Three-LeggedCat]

I love your videos dude

[@johnericmalla8233]

Keep it up tj3 your a excellent content marker 🔥

[@TJ3]

Thanks!!

[@tombartram6842]

The guy whose chute didn't open was the lucky one.

[@greentriumph1643]

Someone in my boat club names their yacht Lady be Good. Knowing the story I could only shake my head.

[@bad74maverick1]

Half my family was raised in the small town of New Boston. My grandpa Bill was friends with Vernon Moore. Shortly after he disappeared my grandfather joined the army air force. Moore is the only one who hasn't been found.

[@nelsonhelmutt5076]

Nicely Done. My Hats Off To Ya TJ3. Breaking Spooky Story.!!

[@vinniemaru]

Very well done! I really enjoyed this! I just recently discovered your channel and really love your content! You got a subscribe from me today and I look forward to more great presentations! Have a great day and thanks again! 👍👍

[@TJ3]

Thank you!

[@theconvictedquokka]

reminds me on a b24 lost in australia named beautiful betsy and was found 50 years later are hitting a mountain top

[@mathguy8840]

I wonder if Rod Serling used this true story as the basis for the episode entitled "King NIne Will Not Return" in the original Twilight Zone series?

[@MGB-learning]

Outstanding video and presentation.

[@TJ3]

Thank you!

[@thehitmangaming1980]

Can we all take a moment to tell him that he is a beast at war thunder. I mean just look at all the planes he has.

[@aaroncoberg68]

Sad story. thanks for this content, loved it.

[@TJ3]

Thanks!

[@sunshinekid6922]

One thing to keep in mind for future multi-engined aircraft: Engines are only started one at a time due to the very heavy load on the batteries during startup. Normally, the starting sequence is starboard outboard, inboard, port outboard and then inboard (US aircraft). Your video showing all four engines starting at the same time could not happen, especally on those old 12 volt systems.

[@bonnerscott5374]

Thank you, I enjoyed that, nice.

[@troygroomes104]

People say that aircraft was cursed, aa parts fitted to other aircraft were the only things found from the crashes

[@troygroomes104]

That was mentioned in the history channel show History Mysteries episode Ghost Plane Of The Desert

[@joebikeguy6669]

A bit late here but . . . I remember as a kid, Life or Look magazine ran an article/photo spread on this story after the plane was discovered. As a young boy, I found the story fascinating and tragic. BTW, "Oh, Lady Be Good!" was a popular song written by George and Ira Gershwin and introduced in !924. Nice job on the editing, writing and narration.

[@nickgarcia7415]

Sadly the lady be good crew isn't the only crew to go missing without trace from ww2. Many fighters and bombers went down over the pacific without a trace. They might as well have been in the desert no drinkable water.

[@pedrojuliancereceda8301]

Awesome! My Thanks!

[@kennethnew3075]

There is a Rod Serling written episode of the Twilight zone called "King Nine Will Not Return". I always felt it touched on this story. Thanks for sharing this history. Well done.

[@BobMuir100]

Oh Gosh!! So many of these stories out there today we can’t follow how it happens, today GPS, PC’s would bring us home. Bob England

[@vieldeem9614]

nice vid man your my favorite flight sim youtuber renzic is 2nd