I recently learned of Rick Flack’s response to my 2011 post and I think a few things need to be clarified.

Firstly, a lot of those early 92nd Bomb Group B-17Fs certainly did display nicknames and nose art, including 41-24376 Hellzapoppin, 41-24473 Exterminator and Virgin Sturgeon.

Secondly, we know for certain that 41-24473 was renamed Kissy-Me-Kowboy in the 97th . . . as Rick Flack says, a play on the name of the pilot’s hometown, Kissimmee, Florida.

Finally, we know, thanks to Margaret Bourke-White, that Virgin Sturgeon was renamed Honey Chile II in the 97th, and that the name was changed in England.

I’m a little concerned that some websites seem to have used my “short story” as verification that Honey Chile II was 41-24419 . . . I think there’s a good case to be made that it is, but I still have not been able to definitively prove it.