B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 42-31383 / American Eagle

Geschichte der
B-17 42-31383 / American Eagle

Delivered Cheyenne 29/10/43; Denver 18/11/43; Kearney 16/12/43; Patterson 8/3/44; New Castle 26/4/44; Grenier 5/5/44; Assigned 751BS/457BG [F] Glatton 31/5/44; Missing in Action Brux 12/9/44 with Harry Selling (Prisoner of War); Co-pilot: Floyd French, Navigator: Bob Marcum, Bombardier: Howard Peterson, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Jim Shadman, Radio Operator: Erwin Krueger, Ball turret gunner: Don Conley, Waist gunner: Steve Gallucci,Tail gunner: Leo Ryder (8 Killed in Action); hit by enemy aircraft cannonfire in cockpit and bomb bay, only one chute seen, crashed Eberswalde, Ger; Missing Air Crew Report 10207. AMERICAN EAGLE.

Zuletzt aktualisiert: 25. Juli 2017

B-17 42-31383 / American Eagle Details

Attacked by FW-190’s just after the turn on the IP. Cannon shells from the fighters hit the pilots compartment and and Bomb bay. The plane spiraled down, caught fire and exploded.
The following 1945 account is by the only survivor, Pilot Lt Harry Selling:

“Everything normal till flak area reached over Berlin. Group commander took evasive action and in so doing shuffled the deck with another group. As I dropped under another ship, many fighter attacked, shooting the tail off my plane. Ship went into climb and then stalled and then into a tight spin. When ship was hit, copilot left seat going down through catwalk. Fire broke out in the cockpit. Last I saw, copilot was standing in catwalk covering his face. I remember ship trembling and imagined wings sheared off. I was knocked unconscious. When I regained consciousness everything was quiet. I found myself in the V of the windshield. Tried to get out through the window and realized I was floating down in the wreckage of the pilots compartment. Having on a backpack, I went out at about 800 feet. After parachute opened I was aware of pieces of wreckage falling around me. I was picked up about three hours later. I did not see any of the crew members or wreckage of the ship”

via http://www.457thbombgroup.org/Fate/RLF002.HTML

B-17 42-31383 / American Eagle Crew