B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 41-2489 / Suzy Q

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Production-block:
Boeing B-17E: 41-2393 to 41-2669

Manufacturer:
Boeing

Bomb Group:
19th Bomb Group

Bomb Squadron:
93rd Bomb Squadron

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History of
B-17 41-2489 / Suzy Q

Delivered MacDill 4/1/42; Assigned 93BS/19BG Java 7/2/42 with Hardison; 7BG, took part in all Pacific battles except Midway; claimed 26 enemy a/c; transferred to Mareeba, Aus, 9/42; Returned to the USA Hamilton 23/10/42; Geiger 25/3/43 when mechanic Herb Turner was involved in taxi accident 25/3/43; to Colorado Springs with Marcellis Kerschen force landed Hamilton Fd 12/10/43; with Art Brashear force landed five miles N of Junction City, KS 10/5/44; Peterson 8/6/44; Smoky Hill 12/7/44; San Bernadino 31/12/45; Recl Comp for spares 15/7/46. SUZY-Q.

Source: The B-17 Flying Fortress Story (Affiliate-Link/CommissionsEarned)

Last updated: 12. June 2017

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Sherwood Parker
15. November 2019 2:39

Hello, I am trying to find out if there was more than one “Suzy-Q”? And if so, which one did the war bond tour when she came home?

Once I find the right one, I have a bit mo memorabilia which needs to rejoin the Suzy-Q.

thank youi,

Sherwood Parker

b17flyingfortress.de
15. November 2019 16:12

Hello Sherwood,

this is the only Suzy Q, which did war bond tour.
Other B-17s named Suzy Q or had this name, went lost in combat.

Richard H. Fesmire
02. August 2020 9:34

My dad was the second bombardier on Hardison’s crew and flew on her on most of her combat missions. New models replaced her in Australia. When the crew rotated back to the states they flew the Suzy Q. The plane and crew did a war bond tour around the United States. She was later scraped. My dad then went to England to fly 51 more missions.

Jack bartlett
23. September 2020 4:24

I am Felix Hardison’ son in law. I have some pix of your dad and many of the crew.

b17flyingfortress.de
26. September 2020 9:27

Hello Jack,

I have informed Richard about your comment.
Hope he will reply to your comment.

Cheers
Jing

Jack Bartlett
24. November 2021 16:29

Thank you, Jing.

Richard Fesmire
26. September 2020 17:05

Like to see any photos, thanks Rich

Marc V Carlsen
22. November 2021 23:08

My father was on the Suzy-q also, he was M.sgt. Norman Carlsen, photographer and waist gunner.
He is the person on the right hand side of the photo looking really sharp.
Please let me know if you have any photos, I have a lot.

Jack Bartlett
24. November 2021 16:34

Mr. Carlsen and Mr. Fesmire, I have several hundred photos and documents of the Suzy-Q. I have sent them to a location where there is soon to be a website about this subject. Contact me after the first of the year and I may know more.

Charles Geckeler
30. April 2022 1:03

My Dad John Geckeler was aerial engineer and top turret gunner for SuzyQ. He was part of the original crew that flew from Spokane Back in the 50’s Dad took the family to the Phillipines I believe we stayed with your family on the way back from there for a day or two. Do you have a copy of the book that Mrs Hardison wrote about Suzy Q?

Jack Bartlett
12. November 2022 22:30

Yes, we have a copy. You can order one on Amazon.

Laurence Smelser
07. June 2024 4:32

Just reread the book about The Suzy Q. My dad’s B-17, Small Fry, was in Java with it, destroyed on the ground at Broome. but my dad, Major Harold C. Smelser, had already left for Melbourne, ordered to report B-17 deficiencies to Washington.

Connie birsa
09. August 2021 18:11

Susie Q is stored in a hanger in Chino, CA. Has been stored after be8ing damaged in Miami hurricane many years ago.

John Evaskovich
09. January 2022 21:06

Life Magazine January 18, 1943 did a story on this plan3 and crew.

jeffrey fallang
06. March 2020 22:36

I believe this is the same one that came to HILL AFB to be refurbished
I found here locally at the HILL AFB Museum https://newsletter.lib.utah.edu/documenting-75-years-at-hill-air-force-base-2/

b17flyingfortress.de
06. March 2020 22:46

Yes, I am pretty sure it’s the same B-17
Thank you for sharing 🙂

Richard H. Fesmire
02. August 2020 9:18

The original Suzy Q came back from Australia and did the war bond tour and was later scraped. The Florida plane was used as a movie prop to be the Suzy Q. Was being restored but last I heard was badly damaged during a hurricane.

Keith Beaulieu
11. November 2020 23:39

I have a couple of pictures I’ve acquired from March Air Field Museum when I was doing research on something else that shows Suzy-Q at the scrapyard, on a flatbed, dismantled. Likely the last pictures before she was scrapped.

Jim Rubin
19. October 2020 10:55

I was just reading an account of the 401st Bomb Group in the ETO. One of the squadrons, the 613th, acquired a seasoned bombardier and the account reads: “During the month Crew No. 24 of the 613th Squadron had a battle wise
bombardier assigned to it. This bombardier, 1st Lt. Durward W. Fesmire
had seen service in the South Pacific as a member of the famous 19th Bombardment Group as a bombardier on the famous ship “Suzy Q”. He had
flown 92 missions and already held the Silver Star, D.F.C., Air Medal
and the 19th B.G. Special Award. He had returned home as a Master Sergeant
and had then been commissioned a 1st Lieutenant.”

Later on in this history of the 401st BG, they say Fesmire already had a total of 92 combat missions to his credit in the Pacific and flew a total 41 missions while in the ETO, for a grand total of 133 combat missions during the war! He finished WW2 as a Capt. He then flew 68 combat missions in the Korean War (although it doesn’t say in what a/c). That’s quite a record. I don’t recall where I downloaded this history, but it’s a PDF: 401stBG(H).pdf Probably from: http://401bg.org/Main/

steve huntley
01. April 2021 17:16

I have a LIFE magazine with the story of “Suzy-Q”. It deals with alot of her missions and has photos of her crew at the time.

Dan Linn
06. September 2021 1:27

What issue of Life magazine had that story on Suzy Q?

Jack Bartlett
12. November 2022 22:41

January 18, 1943.

rachel mallett
03. March 2022 18:40

My grandad Franklin Hooser flew with Colonel Johnson on the Suzy Q – the Ploesti Air Raid and wonder if anyone has any information/photo’s ? Thank you

Don
19. April 2022 4:23

There does seem to be evidence that a second aircraft has been painted as “Suzie-Q” or 41-2489. Flight of Fantasy museum of Polk Florida owned or still owns a damaged B-17 that does not appear to have been flown since 1988 when heavily damaged by hurricane Andrew. This aircraft 44-83525 was painted as “Susie-Q” 41-2489 for the 1977 movie “MacArthur” staring Gregory Peck. The real Susie-Q according the the site Pacific wreaks was used for spares in 1946. It would likely then have been scrapped and it serial number 41-2489 doesn’t appear in the list of surviving B-17s

Sherwood Parker
27. August 2022 3:34

I have a copy of a US Army General Order dated July 1944 for an incident in August 1943 which fills in a bit of history of the Suzy-Q (not sure which one) where she could have burned. You may have a scan of the Document for your archives if you wish it.

Thank you for your efforts for History.

Sherwood Parker
Tempe, Arizona, USA

Arledge Brashers
25. February 2023 19:56

As an about a ten year old – WW2 – playing in the street near Winnetka Elementary with three friends – one saw the plane go near overhead an fire – two of us ran the two miles to Hampton Airport – the plane got there and crashed before we got there