| General | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Lockheed/Vega |
| Production-Block: | , B-17G-80-VE: 44-8701 to 44-8800 |
| Operational History | |
|---|---|
| Bomb Group: | , 486th Bomb Group |
| Bomb Squadron: | , 833rd Bomb Squadron |
| RCL | 4N-S |
| MACR | 13738 |
| Fate: |
, Lost by flak/aa-fire (08 April 1945) |
| Missions: | 13 |
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History of
B-17 44-8712 / Lonesome Polecat
Delivered Cheyenne 3/12/44; Hunter 15/12/44; Dow Fd 3/1/45; Assigned: 833BS/486BG [4N-S] Sudbury 8/1/45 (last aircraft assgd to Grp); {13m} MIA Grafenwohr 8/4/45 Pilot: Tom Hohmann, Bob Crain, Elwin Newell (3POW); Paul Loreen, Fernandi DeLuma, Bob Brown, Bill Schneider, Norman Robins {tg}, Lt Henry Bodzin {radar nav} (6KIA); flak, crashed Rehau, Germany. MACR 13738. LONESOME POLECAT.
Information may include corrections and additions based on Jing’s research.
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This page was last updated on 19 October 2018
04. November 2024 access_time 21:56
Hallo an Alle.
Das Angebot von Frank Wacker sich auszutauschen habe ich sehr gerne wahrgenommen. Zum Glück möchte ich sagen, denn nach kurzer Zeit konnten wir feststellen, dass Teamwork schließlich doch zum Ziel führt. Nach Abgleich unserer beider Daten können wir nun mit an Sicherheit grenzender Wahrscheinlichkeit davon ausgehen, dass es sich bei der abgestürzten Maschine vom 08.April 1945 in Herreth um die “Lonesome Polecat” mit der Crew des Piloten “Hohman” handelt. Meine Annahme, es handele sich hierbei um die “Blue Fairy” ist definitiv falsch, dieser Absturz konnte zweifelsfrei bei Rehau lokalisiert werden.
Ich bedanke mich hiermit herzlich bei Frank Wacker und Manfred Künzel, die tatkräftig mitgeholfen haben, den Absturz von Herreth endlich aufzuklären. Vielleicht schaffen wir es ja noch die Angehörigen in den USA zu informieren, mal sehen, was daraus wird.
Helmut Vorndran
02. September 2025 access_time 17:56
Hi Helmut,
in poblication Zum Luftkriggeshehen im Vogtland is information, that Lonesome Polecat crashed near Heinersgrün. If Polecat crashed near Herreth, what B-17 crashed near Heinersgrün?
Regards! Pavel
07. September 2025 access_time 9:07
Hello Pavel,
I am a friend of Helmut and was informed by him about your request.
I have been trying to get in touch with you for some time,especially because of
your discovery of the maker s mark of the Picadilly Lilly 43-38688 in Ruderitz.
Withe this incredible find you have solved a puzzle that we have been working on
for serval years.
The Lonesome Polecat,44-8712,is the only one of the 5 planes to which we
cannot assign a crash location with absolute certainty.Herreth in Bavaria is very
likely,but Kirschkau in Thuringia would also be conceivable.
We can definitely assign the crash locations to the other 4 aircraft that crashed
over Hof on April 8,1945.
In Heinersgrün the 44-8547 of Leon R. Milner came down without doubt and proven
widely scattered,this maschine already exploded in the air and fell apart.
I would be pleased if we could meet sometime,perhaps halfway between
Vogtland and Prague,and there is certainly a lot to exchange on the matter.
Frank Wacker
08236 Ellefeld/Germany
03745/72524 /01623470463
Greetings from the Vogtland
Frank