B17G's of the mighty Eighth AF Nose Art "Times a waistin" and "Liberty Belle"

That B-17 named "Time's-A-Wastin"

Time's-A-Wastin' was a B-17G. It was delivered to RAF Burtonwood, England to be modified for combat with the 8th Air Forces and delivered to the 91st Bombardment Group (H) stationed at Bassingbourn, 1st Combat Wing of the 1st Air Division, (Strategic).

Assigned to the 322nd Bomb Squadron on 11 May 1944; then transferred to the 401st BS as a replacement aircraft. Capt. Sam Newton, Pilot and Lt. Bert Stiles completed their Tour of 30 missions in #504. She was named by the Line Crew Chief, Roy Fratz who now lives in Florida. Newton lives in Colorado but Stiles was KIA flying P-51s on a 2nd tour.

#504 flew this crew's last mission on June 8, 1944; just two days after the Invasion of Normandy. Her call letters were LL-D, with the radio code for the 401st BS as "LL" (or "Mutter" - D-Dog) and the Triangle "A" on the rudder denoted the 91st BG with the triangle as the 1st Air Division. This identification was very important for assembly into the formation of 36 to 48 a/c and the "max effort" missions (somedays) totaled more than 2,000 a/c.

During the period of August through December 1944, the 10 man crew of Lt. Ed Garner, Co-pilot Kermit Burman, Navigator John Allen, etc. - Lt. Paul Chryst flew as the Bombardier and Nose Gunner in #504. Record photos show TAW with more than 65 black 'bombs' painted above her nose art (indicating a bomb for each mission flown) by November of '44. Chryst flew his 35th Mission in #504 on Dec. 15th and the Battle of the Bulge began the next morning (16th).