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Quelle:
photos.384thbombgroup.com
Produktionsblock:
B-17F-65-BO: 42-29632 bis 42-29731
Hersteller:
Boeing
- Bomber-Gruppe:
- 305th Bomb Group
- 384th Bomb Group
- Bomber-Staffel:
- 364th Bomb Squadron
- 546th Bomb Squadron
- RCL: WF-G, BK-F
Geschichte der
B-17 42-29636 / Vanishing Virgin aka X-Virgin
Delivered Cheyenne 23/1/43; Gt Falls 31/1/43; Salina 3/2/43; Nashville 23/2/43; Assigned 364BS/305BG [WF-G] Chelveston VANISHING VIRGIN 24/3/43; transferred 546BS/384BG [BK-F] Grafton Underwood 30/9/43; 1 Base Air Depot, Burtonwood 15/3/44; Returned to the USA 12/5/44; Lockbourn 3/8/44; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Walnut Ridge 18/12/45. X-VIRGIN.
Zuletzt aktualisiert: 12. Juni 2022
B-17 42-29636 / Vanishing Virgin aka X-Virgin Details
Ursprünglich der 305. Bombergruppe zugewiesen. Die B-17 #42-29636 trug den Namen The Vanishing Virginian. Ihr Original-Navigator, Mal Sweet, schlug vor sie in The Virgin umzubenennen. Durch einen Flaktreffer über dem “V” am 14. Mai 1943, kam es zu einer Namensänderung. Entjungferte das Flugzeug und bevollmächtigte sie den Spitznamen X-Virgin zu tragen. Captain David Tyler brachte sie zurück vom Schweinfurt-Einsatz am 17. August 1943 und machte eine Bauchlandung. Die B-17 wurde dann der 384. Bombergruppe transferiert. Die X-Virgin überlebte Ihre Pflichteinätze und kehrte am 12. Mai 1944 in die USA zurück.
Besatzung beim Schweinfurt-Einsatz siehe unten.
B-17 42-29636 / Vanishing Virgin aka X-Virgin Crew
| Position | Rang | Name | Status | Bemerkung |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | --- | David A. Tyler, Jr | RTD | - |
| CP | --- | Wayne J. Hendricks | RTD | - |
| NAV | --- | Malvern R. Sweet | RTD | - |
| BOMB | --- | Louis W. Nelson | RTD | - |
| ENG/TT | --- | Fred E. Boyle | RTD | - |
| RO | --- | Cullen A. Lee | POW | - |
| BT | --- | Johnson | POW | - |
| WG | --- | Frye | KIA | - |
| WG | --- | Dougherty | POW | - |
| TG | --- | Stanley J. Salamon | POW | - |
18. Dezember 2018 access_time 2:18
I spoke with David Tyler about 20 years ago after I found a letter he sent to the crew chief thanking him for keeping the plane operating. He told me that when the plane was flown the England by the original crew it had the name The Vanishing Virginian. Once the plane was in England it was transferred to a different crew with David Tyler as the pilot. Since no one in the crew had any attachment to the original name they painted over the letters to make it The Virgin. It became x-virgin when it suffered bad damage and had to be repaired over a number of days while the crew flew a different plane. When they got the virgin back they decided it was not a virgin any more and added the x. 364th squadron of the 305th bg. He said they finished their tour a few weeks after the Memphis belle.
28. Januar 2019 access_time 13:45
Mr. Tyler had sent me a xerox copy of his flight log as well as a photocopy of his private photo album. He took a picture of the crew after each mission. His last mission was in fact the Schweinfurt mission. So about 3 months after the Memphis Belle. They only returned with half of the crew as the plane was badly damaged, 4 members parachuted out and one was killed during the mission. He was an amazing man to talk with.
28. Januar 2019 access_time 13:59
Hello David,
thank you for sharing the information.
Do you have the crew list of the last mission?
23. Februar 2019 access_time 21:54
Hello,
Yes I do if I can make out all of the names.
The 5 that returned on the final mission:
David A Tyler Jr. Pilot
Louis W. Nelson Bombardier
Fred E. Boyle Engineer and top turret
Malvern R. Sweet Navigator
Wayne J. Hendricks Co-Pilot
4 Bailed out
Stanley J. Salamon Tail Gunner
Cullen A. Lee Radio Operator
Johnson Ball Turret
Dougherty must have been Waist gunner, but not the usual
1 man killed
Frye must have been a waist gunner, but not the usual
In the scrapbook he lists Larry Singleton and Bob Van Rees as waist gunners but they must not have been on the last mission.
I hope that helps and that it makes sense.
Dave
12. November 2020 access_time 3:43
My dad flew in the x-virgin. He was a BT gunner and was wounded in the second Schweinfurt raid. He did tell me one of the waist gunners was killed. I don’t recall him saying some of the crew bailed out.
27. Februar 2024 access_time 4:25
I believe the original name of the plane was Vanishing Virginia.
21. November 2022 access_time 4:14
Would it be possible to obtain a copy of that flight log and photo album? Wayne J. Hendricks, Tyler’s co-pilot was my grandfather. Thank you.
26. November 2022 access_time 5:28
Hello,
What Have is a very bad xerox copy. I have information about Tyler’s son that I would like to follow up on to see if he has the photo album and if I might be able to get a much better copy. Let me do some checking and I will get back to you.
09. Dezember 2020 access_time 1:53
Wow, that is interesting. Your dad must have flown after the plane was transferred to the other bomb group? What was your dads name? I always wondered how to turn this plane and its crew into a book.
20. November 2022 access_time 4:48
My Dad was the Malvern Sweet, navigator mentioned. Sad to hear of the recent crash of a B17
26. November 2022 access_time 5:25
Wow, I never thought I would hear from family of other members of the crew. I have no connection other than the letter that styler sent to the crew chief. I got in touch with Tyler through the 8th Air Force Association. They gave me his address, in Jacksonville Florida, and phone number. He has passed but my brother has information about his children that I would love to follow up with if I get down there soon. Were you able to talk with your dad about his experiences? Tyler was overwhelmed that someone would be interested and we talked for over an hour. He did not mention the crash landing on the final mission.
26. Januar 2024 access_time 18:35
Mr. Shirley, My wife’s grandfather was Capt. Tyler, I’d love to find out more info for her regarding her grandfather and his missions. Her mom, Mary (Capt. Tyler’s youngest) and uncle Duffy (Capt. Tyler’s oldest son, David III) have a few pics but none of his flight logs or that letter he wrote the crew members’ family. I’d be interested in seeing that or obtaining a copy somehow. We just started watching Spielberg and Hanks’ newest “Masters of the Air” and my wife is curious about the grandfather she barely knew and his missions/plane. Wondering if there are pics of his plane in flight as well? Hope to hear back from you -be well.
Eric
28. Januar 2024 access_time 5:14
Hello Eric,
Wow, I never really expected to hear from a relative of Pilot Tyler. Let me just say at the beginning. I talked with him one time on the phone and we exchanged a couple of letters. He was living in Jacksonville at the time. He sent me a xerox copy of his flight log as well as a very grainy xerox copy of the scrapbook he made while over there. I surely hope that someone in the family kept this things when he passed away. Have you asked his children (your mom’s about his documents and anything he saved from the war? It would be a great pity if somehow those things were lost. If that is in fact true then we could definitely arrange getting you a copy of what I have. He also showed me a couple of pictures of a B-17 model that had been pinned up to look like his plane. Please let me know. If you find his log and scrapbook I would love a better copy than what I have. Where do you live? I am coming down to Florida in a couple of weeks to visit my brother.
I hope that all makes sense. I know there are others in this list of comments that would also be interested in the scrapbook.
I will tell you it was a joy talking with him. Those guys that flew early in the bomber offensive without fighter escort were truly the bravest of the brave. His last mission was the Schwienfurt mission where we lost 60 bombers. He crashlanded his bomber. What a way to finish your tour.
Please get back to me.
Thank you
Dave
03. Februar 2024 access_time 5:32
Hello,
I am not sure if you received my previous reply. I would love to make contact. Just to let you know, the copy I have is not very good. Did someone from the family keep his flight log and the scrapbook? It sure would be a pity if those things were somehow lost. Mr. Tyler also sent me a couple of pictures of a model someone had made for him with the makings of his plane.
26. November 2022 access_time 5:34
Hello,
Yes very sad about the accident. I had toured that B-17 long ago. I flew as a passenger on the 909 that crashed a couple of years ago. If you have never been fortunate enough to fly in a B-17 I would totally recommend it. It gave me a very eye-opening perspective on how the crews flew during the war and just made you think, how did they do it? The “Virgin” flew very early when escort was non existent. Everyone of those guys was an absolute hero in my book. Do you know if they ever met after the war? Did your dad go to any of the reunions?
14. Februar 2024 access_time 1:29
The Frye mentioned was T/Sgt William Wayne Frye from Petersburg, West Virginia (See the WV Veterans Database at https://archive.wvculture.org/history/wvmemory/vetdetail.aspx?Id=11780)
27. Februar 2024 access_time 4:26
That is interesting. Nice find on that.