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Source:
www.americanairmuseum.com
Production-block:
B-17F-10-BO: 41-24440 to 41-24489
Manufacturer:
Boeing
- Bomb Group:
- 91st Bomb Group
- Bomb Squadron:
- 401st Bomb Squadron
- RCL: LL-B
MACR: 15520
History of
B-17 41-24459 / Hellzapoppin
Assigned 401BS/91BG [LL-B] Bangor 2/9/42; Bassingbourn 1/10/42; Missing in Action Bremen 17/4/43 with John Wilson, Waist gunner: Walt Bohaczyk, Ball turret gunner: Gil Andrews, Waist gunner: Cliff Cadle,Tail gunner: Bob Ade; (5 Killed in Action); Co-pilot: Art Bushnell, Navigator: Bob Barton, Bombardier: Harry Romm, Radio Operator: Howard Barney, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Norman Thompson (5 Prisoner of War); enemy aircraft & intense flak barrage and dropped back to crashed Hassel, near Bassum, 12 miles S of Bremen, Ger; Missing Air Crew Report 15520. HELLSAPOPPIN.
Last updated: 19. June 2022
B-17 41-24459 / Hellzapoppin Details
The aircraft took part in a bombing mission to the Focke Wulf Plant at Bremen, Germany. 17 April 1943, at which time several aircraft were lost. Three or four minutes after the target there was a very hard jolt under the left side of the plane, close in to the fuselage. An anti-aircraft shell had exploded just under “Hellsapoppin”. Flak ripped into the left front side of the aircraft, flaking off chunks of metal from the fuselage and throwing them trough the interior of the plane. At the same time, three feet of the right wing was blown off by a flak burst. A one and one-half foot hole appeared in the nose compartment and all the nose window Plexiglas blew out. There was fire in the left wing and nose compartment. The radioroom became engulfed in fire from broken oxygen lines.
B-17 41-24459 / Hellzapoppin Crew
| Position | Rank | Name | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 1LT | John W. Wilson | KIA | - |
| CP | 1LT | Arthur A. Bushnell | POW | - |
| NAV | 1LT | Robert C. Barton | POW | - |
| BOMB | 1LT | Harold Romm | POW | - |
| ENG/TT | T/SGT | Norman : Thompson | POW | - |
| RO | T/SGT | Howard A. Barney | POW | - |
| BT | S/SGT | Gilbert F. Andrews | KIA | - |
| WG | S/SGT | Walter Bohaczyk | KIA | - |
| WG | S/SGT | Clifford E. Cadle | KIA | - |
| TG | S/SGT | Robert H. Ade | KIA | - |
19. January 2020 access_time 4:22
The Radio Operator was Howard Earney. He was my grandfather.
01. June 2022 access_time 23:23
My great uncle was the co pilot Art Bushnell. He survived being a pow, but died at 57. The toll of his injuries and being a POW took 20 years off his life. He was lucky to survive and make it home.
29. June 2022 access_time 11:40
Richard, do you know if your uncle ever mentioned being rammed by a german fighter? I have a book with a artist rendering of the Hellsapoppin being rammed. By Hans-ekkehard Bob, a German ace. My great grand-uncle was Clifford Cadle, left waist gunner, KIA.
19. December 2021 access_time 9:00
This unidentified photo on the American Air Museum is Hellzapoopin. http://www.americanairmuseum.com/media/158
The camouflage on the tail and at the cockpit, plus the letter B, match this known photo of Hellzapoppin. https://www.americanairmuseum.com/media/4796
30. June 2022 access_time 5:35
Have not heard that, know plane broke in half from one account.
30. June 2022 access_time 13:20
Here is a written account in English :
https://www.hyperscale.com/2008/reviews/books/apebookextract_1.htm
Here is a picture of the book in German. The cover art is of the Hellsapoppin:
shorturl.at/grxAV
21. November 2023 access_time 8:03
My father was Hans Ekkehard Bob, he rammed this B-17.
05. July 2024 access_time 22:51
my dad is still alive at 101 he was the top turret gunner and was a pow. he is the last one alive from the very first day light bombing mission 478 733 8205