Information about this photograph:

  1. Aircraft No: 42-97249
  2. Tail Letter:P
  3. Fuselage ID: N8-P
  4. Group/Squadron: 398th, 600th
  5. Official Name of Aircraft: How was it? Well?
    The story of this unusual name is that the crew chief would ask the question: "How was it? Well?" after each mission. It is thought he was asking about the aircraft he so well maintained.
  6. Date of Photograph: given 91 of 112 missions, probably around Spring of 1945
  7. Photo Location: Nuthampstead
  8. Crew at time of Photograph: Unknown
  9. Final Disposition of A/C: Originally assigned to the 398th Bomb Group 26 April 1944. It was used in 112 combat missions, the most of any 398th aircraft. It was re-assigned to the 92nd BG on 7 May 1945 and then re-assigned to the 398th on 12 May 1945. And then to Valley for return to ZOI 1 June 1945.
  10. Interpretive Comments: Above is a photo of How was it? Well? at Nuthampstead with 91 Missions tagged on its fuselage. The pilot in the aircraft is unknown and could be a crew chief, in fact, it could be the one that named her.

Source Information:

  1. Photo Source: via a contributor to the 398th Photo Collection
  2. Photo Reference: 398th: 42-97249 N8-P
  3. Photographer: Unknown
  4. Information compiled by the 398th Web team with special thanks to contributor.
  5. If you would like to add information about this photograph, please contact our Aircraft Photo Coordinator. Please include the title.