B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 43-38457 / Nine Lives

History of
B-17 43-38457 / Nine Lives

Delivered Cheyenne 4/8/44; Lincoln 15/8/44; Grenier 2/9/44; Assigned 350BS/100BG [LN- ] Thorpe Abbotts 3/9/44; Missing in Action Hamburg 31/12/44 with Bill McNab, Co-pilot: Nelson Vaughn, Henry Ethridge, Duane Rench, Francis Seyfried (5 Killed in Action); Jack Berkowitz, Ray Comer, Joe Chadwick, Ball turret gunner: Ed Woodall (4 Prisoner of War); mid air coll with 42-31987 (100BG) which came up to fill a gap in the formation after another ship went down, both aircraft were locked together and crashed Rustringen, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 11359. NINE LIVES.

Last updated: 15. July 2020

B-17 43-38457 / Nine Lives Details

Mid-air-collision with B-17 #42-31987 ‘Shilaylee’ aka ‘The Little Skipper’ on 31 December 1944. Both aircraft were locked together and crashed.

Eyewitness Accounts From MACR 11359

At 1250 hours, 19000 feet, 2 B-17’s believed to be A/C 43-38457 and A/C 42-31987 pancaked together, circled and crashed, still attached to each other. Six chutes were seen before the A/C landed, most of them are believed to have fallen on land. There was no fire from the A/C with in the air or on the ground although there was some smoke.

B-17 43-38457 / Nine Lives Crew