Consolidated B-24J-190-CO Liberator 44-40973 of the 43rd Bomb Group 64th Bomb Squadron. “The Dragon and His Tail” nose art
Liberator, serial number 44-40973, famously known as THE DRAGON AND HIS TAIL, was part of the 64th Bomb Squadron, 43rd Bomb Group, and was based at Ie Shima in mid-1945. This aircraft is widely regarded as having one of the most striking and colorful nose arts of World War II.
THE DRAGON AND HIS TAIL completed its first flight on June 3, 1944, and was delivered to the Army Air Forces shortly thereafter. The elaborate nose art, which spanned the length of the fuselage, was created by an artist named Bartigan. Bartigan was known for his distinctive and vibrant designs, making the aircraft of the 43rd Bomb Group visually iconic. His work on THE DRAGON is considered one of the most colorful and memorable examples of aircraft nose art from the war.
The B-24 operated out of Ie Shima, which one crew member described as “a lump of coral in the Bonins.” Despite its celebrated artwork and significant combat career, THE DRAGON AND HIS TAIL did not survive postwar preservation efforts. It was last seen at Kingman, Arizona, a center for the Reconstruction Finance Corporation, where it was ultimately scrapped.