American bomber B-24 H-30-FO “Liberator” “Extra Joker“. Serial number 42-95379, was a part of the 725th bomber squadron of the 451st Bomb Group of the United States Air Force. The aircraft took part in the raid on the Markerslorf airfield near the Austrian capital of Vienna and was attacked by two German Focke-Wulf fighter Fw 190 over the Austrian town of Turnitz. Within a few seconds, the flame enveloped the plane and it exploded. All 10 crew members were killed.
The author of the photo – photographer Sergeant Leo Stoutsenberger – flew together with the crew of the bomber B-24 “Liberator” “Extra Joker”. Due to a combination of circumstances, Leo survived and made a series of photographs of the plane’s death.
Bomber B-24 H-30-FO “Liberator” “Extra Joker” was named after a playing card that the flight engineer found near the plane while parking in Marrakech (Morocco) before flying to Tunisia.
Location: Austria
Time when the photo was taken: August 23, 1944
Author: Leo S. Stoutsenberger