| General | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Boeing |
| Production-Block: | , B-17F-20-BO: 41-24504 to 41-24539 |
| Operational History | |
|---|---|
| Bomb Group: | , 91st Bomb Group |
| Bomb Squadron: | , 324th Bomb Squadron |
| RCL | DF-G |
| Fate: |
, Crashlanding, Battle damaged (23 November 1942) |
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History of
B-17 41-24506 / The Shiftless Skonk
Assigned 324BS/91BG [DF-G] Bangor 2-Sep-42; Bassingbourn 29-Sep-42; Despatched on 23-Nov-1942 to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. The Group was unable to bomb because of 10/10 cloud cover and headed back to Bassingbourn. The aircraft was attached three different times by enemy aircraft, but managed to return to England. However the field at Bassingbourn was fogged in, so the pilot attempted an emergency landing at Watford but struck a pylon and crashed field near Black Boy pub, Leavesden, UK, killing two of the crew outright. Three others died of their injuries later.
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B-17 41-24506 / The Shiftless Skonk Crew
| Position | Rank | Name | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 1LT | Nathan M. Corman | RTD | - |
| CP | 2LT | Allen P. Lowry | RTD | - |
| NAV | 2LT | John A. Ball, Jr | KIA | - |
| BOMB | 2LT | Gene F. Davis | KIA | - |
| ENG/TT | T/SGT | Lloyd G. Martin | RTD | - |
| RO | S/SGT | Leroy H. Bonshine | RTD | - |
| BT | SGT | Shelby L. Welton | KIA | - |
| WG | S/SGT | Walter J. Wright | KIA | - |
| WG | SGT | Herbert Hoffman | KIA | - |
| TG | S/SGT | Earl E. Teats | RTD | - |
This page was last updated on 04 November 2017
14. September 2018 access_time 23:04
I have a special interest in this aircraft as it crash landed a few miles from my home. I have spent the last twenty plus years looking for photos of this aeroplane and/or crew and have only found a couple. If you can help I’d be most grateful. In the early days (before the wonders of the internet) I corresponded with several veterans, sadly they are no longer with us.
06. May 2020 access_time 13:00
Hi John,
I dont have much data of the actual aircraft or the crew, but I have original A-1 jacket which belonged to one of the crew members of this Aeroplane. If you are interested, please contact me.
12. July 2025 access_time 15:56
Do you Mean an A-2 leather jacket. Who does it belong to?
29. March 2022 access_time 15:16
We have adopted the grave of Sgt Shelby Welton KIA on B17 Shiftless Skonk in Nov 42 at the American Cemetry near us in Madingley and would love to know if you have any photos of Shelby at all or crew so we can put a face to our namesake. The American Cemetry Memorial Day puts up all the photos on the graves that they have and it would be great to have one for Shelby We have an interest in WW2 aircraft as our Dad Peter flew in Lancasters during the end of the war for 106 Squadron and we now run our annual reunion at Metheringham Lincs. Regards Theresa and John Welton
12. July 2025 access_time 15:53
Did a fare bit of research on this aircraft. I don’t have a picture of Sgt Welton but have a ‘Grainy’ pic if the Pilot Nathan Corman. If you get any info on this aircraft’s ‘ditching’ incident I would be happy to share you what I know..
28. August 2025 access_time 21:08
Nate Corman was my grandfather. I still have his pilot’s license.
20. September 2025 access_time 11:48
That’s amazing. I am having difficulty trying to make out what happened to Nathan after 23 Nov 1942. I spoke to him once when he told me that towards the end of the war he was flying C47s into Berlin. Would this be correct?
12. July 2025 access_time 16:04
Pictures found at this address:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56295459/shelby-layman-welton
12. July 2025 access_time 16:14
Walter J wright photo:
https://www.honorstates.org/index.php?id=413260
12. July 2025 access_time 16:25
Found this:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/51177665/nathan-harold-corman
12. July 2025 access_time 15:58
Would also like to hear from anyone who has any information about this aircraft.
22. August 2025 access_time 17:53
LeRoy Blonshine was my grandfather. He married in 1943 and had three children. He died June 15, 1973, of a heart attack.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/64615328/leroy-harold-blonshine
20. September 2025 access_time 12:03
Thanks for this information. It’s great to hear from family members. If anyone would like to get a copy of my research on the flying events of the 23 Nov 42, please let me know..
20. September 2025 access_time 15:49
Yes please. I would love to have a copy. LeRoy died when I was 3, so I have very faint memories of him. I have a cousin who never met him, and I think he would enjoy learning something about his grandfather.
20. September 2025 access_time 18:40
The eBay shop is ebay.co.uk :
a2artleatherartworkpainting. ..Robin Mott
20. September 2025 access_time 22:42
Contact me on wildblueyonder38@gmail.com
20. September 2025 access_time 18:26
Not sure how to do this. I’ve put my eBay.co.uk web shop as a link in this post. If you can see it then click the link, go to the shop and send an e-mail..perhaps?