"Sugar Baby"                
Photographs
Sugar Baby
"Sugar Baby" Photo Collection


Lt. L.J. Prucha Photo collection of A-26B "Sugar Baby"Aircraft
Fuselage Number 5H-S, Serial Number 41-39274.

Probable Photo Date Range: 6-Dec-1944 to 25-May-1945.
Click on an image to display a larger version.

Note the 4 variations of nose art:
Nose art variation 1) Name only
Lumir J. Prucha Caption: "My two crew chiefs in front and my armorer on top of Sugar Baby."

Description: A-26B "Sugar Baby" (5H-S) with 2 crew chiefs and armorer.

Image name: 19441206-19450426pruchalj_combat_536e_bfront_crewchiefs_rgb0600
Lumir J. Prucha Caption: "My two crew chiefs in front and my armorer on top of Sugar Baby."

Description: (Zoom) A-26B "Sugar Baby" (5H-S) nose zoom. Nose art consists of only name but no picture of a baby or bomb and has no "mission count bombs".

Image name: 19441206-19450426pruchalj_combat_536e_bfrontnose_crewchiefs_rgb2400
Lumir J. Prucha Caption: "My two crew chiefs in front and my armorer on top of Sugar Baby."

Description: (Back of Photo) A-26B "Sugar Baby" (5H-S) with 2 crew chiefs and armorer.

Image name: 19441206-19450426pruchalj_combat_536e_brear_crewchiefs_rgb0600



Nose art variation 2) Name and about 12 "Mission count bombs"


Description: 1st. Lt. Lumir "Lou" J. Prucha and A-26B "Sugar Baby" (5H-S).

Image name: 19450416pruchalj_combat_sugarbaby_front_rgb0600


Description: (Zoom) A-26B "Sugar Baby" (5H-S) nose zoom. Nose art consists of only name and shows about 12 "mission count bombs", but no picture of a baby or bomb.

Image name: 19450416pruchalj_combat_sugarbaby_nose_rgb2400


Description: (Back of Photo) 1st. Lt. Lumir "Lou" J. Prucha and A-26B "Sugar Baby" (5H-S).

Image name: 19450416pruchalj_combat_sugarbaby_rear_rgb0600



Nose art variation 3) Name with vertical baby dropping a bomb


Description: A-26B "Sugar Baby" (5H-S).

Image name: 19441206-19450426pruchalj_combat_sugarbaby_afrontprintreversedflip_rgb0600


Description: (Zoom) A-26B "Sugar Baby" (5H-S) nose zoom. Nose art consists of name with vertical baby dropping a bomb. but no "mission count bombs".

Image name: 19441206-19450426pruchalj_combat_sugarbaby_anoseprintreversedflip_rgb2400
Lumir J. Prucha Caption: "Old 274 on takeoff
Guess who's flying?"

Description: A-26B "Sugar Baby" (5H-S, S/N: 41-39274) on takeoff, Lt. Lumir "Lou" J. Prucha piloting.

Image name: 19441206-19450426pruchalj_combat_sugarbaby_bfront_rgb0600
Lumir J. Prucha Caption: "Old 274 on takeoff
Guess who's flying?"

Description: (Zoom) A-26B "Sugar Baby" (5H-S, S/N: 41-39274) on takeoff, Lt. Lumir "Lou" J. Prucha piloting.

Image name: 19441206-19450426pruchalj_combat_sugarbaby_bzoom1_rgb3600
Lumir J. Prucha Caption: "Old 274 on takeoff
Guess who's flying?"

Description: (Zoom) A-26B "Sugar Baby" (5H-S, S/N: 41-39274) nose zoom. Nose art consists of name with vertical baby dropping a bomb. Cannot distinguish if there is are "mission count bombs".

Image name: 19441206-19450426pruchalj_combat_sugarbaby_bnose_rgb9600
Lumir J. Prucha Caption: "Old 274 on takeoff
Guess who's flying?"

Description: (Back of Photo) A-26B "Sugar Baby" (5H-S, S/N: 41-39274) on takeoff, Lt. Lumir "Lou" J. Prucha piloting.

Image name: 19441206-19450426pruchalj_combat_sugarbaby_brear_rgb0600



Nose art variation 4) Horizontal baby dropping a bomb, no name.


Description: A-26B "Sugar Baby" (5H-S).

Image name: 19441206-19450426pruchalj_combat_sugarbaby_cfront_rgb0600


Description: (Zoom) A-26B "Sugar Baby" (5H-S) nose zoom. Nose art consists of horizontal baby dropping a bomb, but no name or "mission count bombs".

Image name: 19441206-19450426pruchalj_combat_sugarbaby_cnose_rgb2400
Lumir J. Prucha Caption: "Ferguson & 'Sugar Baby'"

Description: Sgt. Leland C. Ferguson at base A-69, Laon, France in front of A-26B "Sugar Baby" (5H-S).

Image name: 19450210-0525pruchalj_a-69laonfr_070_ffront_rgb0600
Lumir J. Prucha Caption: "Ferguson & 'Sugar Baby'"

Description: (Zoom) A-26B "Sugar Baby" (5H-S) nose zoom. Nose art consists of horizontal baby dropping a bomb, but no name or "mission count bombs".

Image name: 19450210-0525pruchalj_a-69laonfr_070_ffrontnose_rgb2400
Lumir J. Prucha Caption: "Ferguson & 'Sugar Baby'"

Description: (Back of Photo) Sgt. Leland C. Ferguson at base A-69, Laon, France in front of A-26B "Sugar Baby" (5H-S).

Image name: 19450210-0525pruchalj_a-69laonfr_070_frear_rgb0600


Description: A-26B "Sugar Baby" (5H-S).

Image name: 19441206-19450426pruchalj_combat_sugarbaby_dfront_rgb1200


Description: (Zoom) A-26B "Sugar Baby" (5H-S) nose zoom. Nose art consists of horizontal baby dropping a bomb, but no name or "mission count bombs".

Image name: 19441206-19450426pruchalj_combat_sugarbaby_dnose_rgb7200


Description: A-26B "Sugar Baby" (5H-S).

Image name: 19441206-19450426pruchalj_combat_sugarbaby_efront_rgb1200


Description: (Zoom) A-26B "Sugar Baby" (5H-S) nose zoom. Nose art consists of horizontal baby dropping a bomb, but no name or "mission count bombs".

Image name: 19441206-19450426pruchalj_combat_sugarbaby_enose_rgb7200


Photos of "Sugar Baby" originally taken by a USAAF Aerial Photo Officer
Captain Francis J. Cachat assigned to the 416th BG.

Mr. Andy Fluxe acquired and digitized them, and sent copies to Carl Sgamboti,
who posted them on his website "416th Bombardment Group (L) Photo Gallery".
These and additional photos were also scanned by Cachat's son-in-law, Ron Papajcik and provided to the 416th Archive,
and are available at the "Captain Francis J. Cachat's 416th Photo Collection" webpage.


Description: The "Original" Sugar Baby - The A-20 model aircraft with the name "Sugar Baby".
Photo dated 28-Apr-44.

Image name: 19440428_472-gp-27-8-416_28-apr-44_combat_crew


Description: Just before takeoff for 416th BG Mission # 244 against Marshalling Yards at Geisecke, Germany. Lou did not fly this mission, but according to the Loading List in the AFHRA documents, the crew of Sugar Baby on this mission was Lt. Thomas D. McCready (pilot) and Cpl. Donald W. Hawk (gunner).
Note the Nose art consists only of the name "Sugar Baby".
Photo dated 20-Mar-45.

Image name: 19450320_157-gm-40-3-416_20-march-45_a-26_before_take-off


Description: Sugar Baby on the Tarmac, likely preparing for 416th BG Mission # 248 against Berken Communication Center, Germany. Lou piloted Sugar Baby on this mission.
Note the Nose art consists only of the name "Sugar Baby".
Photo dated 22-Mar-45.

Image name: 19450322_139-gpr-62-6-416_22-march-45_a-26


Description: Sugar Baby on the Tarmac, likely preparing for 416th BG Mission # 248 against Berken Communication Center, Germany. Lou piloted Sugar Baby on this mission.
Photo dated 22-Mar-45 (?).

Image name: 19450322_154


"Sugar Baby" Photos from the collection of Lt. James Potter "Jim" Phillips.

668th Bomb Squadron (L) A-26 pilot Jim Phillips who flew with my father, sent me prints of these photographs in December, 2003.
His note read: "Rick: I found some old pictures which you may enjoy. See back of each for comment. -- Jim"


Description: "Sugar Baby" in flight, piloted by Jim Phillips.

Jim Phillips Caption: "Bill Laseter took this picture of me, flying "Sugar Baby"."

Image name: jimphillipspic09_rgb0300


Description: (Back of Photo) "Sugar Baby" in flight, piloted by Jim Phillips.

Jim Phillips Caption: "Bill Laseter took this picture of me, flying "Sugar Baby"."

Image name: jimphillipspic09_rgb0300_back


Description: Jim Phillips was one of the pilots who ferried a group of A-26 aircraft, including "Sugar Baby", back to the United States after the War. He took this photo while flight over the South Atlantic, August, 1945 and used it on the cover of his self-published book Pillars in the Sky, World War II from the Air.

Jim Phillips Caption: "A better print of the cover photo on my book."

Image name: jimphillipspic11_rgb0300


Description: (Back of Photo) Jim Phillips was one of the pilots who ferried a group of A-26 aircraft, including "Sugar Baby", back to the United States after the War. He took this photo while flight over the South Atlantic, August, 1945 and used it on the cover of his self-published book Pillars in the Sky, World War II from the Air.

Jim Phillips Caption: "A better print of the cover photo on my book."

Image name: jimphillipspic11_rgb0300_back


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Last Updated: 17-Sep-2021