B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 42-39897

B-17 Bomber Flying Fortress – The Queen Of The Skies 42-39897
General
Manufacturer: Lockheed/Vega
Production-Block: , B-17G-5-VE: 42-39858 to 42-39957
Delievered: Long Beach
Operational History
Bomb Group: , 95th Bomb Group
Bomb Squadron: , 336th Bomb Squadron
RCL: ET-O
MACR: 2199
German Document: KU-806
Fate: , Lost by enemy aircraft
(06 February 1944)
Missions: 8
Werbung/Advertisement

History of
B-17 42-39897

Delivered Long Beach 1/10/43; Gr Island 31/10/43; Assigned 336BS/95BG [ET-O] Horham 1/12/43; 8m, Missing in Action Evreux, Fr; 6/2/44 with Leo Hamby, Co-pilot: Horace Peay, Navigator: Dick Burke, Bombardier: Dominick Denare, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Allen Gaudet, Radio Operator: Francis Bleyenberg, Ball turret gunner: Gus Burgo,Tail gunner: Bill Starns (8 Killed in Action); Waist gunner: Clarry Leslie, Waist gunner: Don Reboulet (2 Prisoner of War); enemy aircraft hit #3 & #4, set wing alight then exploded in mid-air, crashed SE of Arbonne, near Fountainbleau, Fr. Missing Air Crew Report 2199.

Werbung/Advertisement

B-17 42-39897 Details

B-17G 42-39897 piloted by 1st Lt. Leo G. Hamby, was last seen leaving formation near Villacoublay, France at 11:22 hours. The ship was reported to have been hit by 20 MM shells from enemy aircraft. Number 3 and 4 engines apparently caught fire followed shortly by an explosion in the right wing which fell off and then the tail fell off. The aircraft was then seen to go down in a tight spin. No chutes were observed coming from the ship.

Source: MACR 2199

Werbung/Advertisement

B-17 42-39897 Crew

Position Rank Name (First Name, Middle Initial, Last Name) Status Note
P 1LT Leo G. Hamby KIA
CP 2LT Horace M. Peay KIA
BOMB 2LT Domenick Denardo KIA
ENG/TT T/SGT Allen J. Gaudet KIA
RO T/SGT Francis G. Bleyenberg KIA
BT S/SGT Augustine Burgo KIA
WG S/SGT Clarence O. Leslie POW
WG S/SGT Donald R. Reboulet POW
TG S/SGT William D. Starns KIA

This page was last updated on 03 May 2026

Write comment




Help preserve the archive: I invest a lot of time into these research results. If my work helps you, I would appreciate a small tip!

Werbung/Advertisement