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Production-block:
B-17G-35-DL: 42-106984 to 42-107233
Manufacturer:
Douglas
- Bomb Group:
- 379th Bomb Group
- Bomb Squadron:
- 525th Bomb Squadron
- RCL: WA-O
MACR: 6737
History of
B-17 42-107068 / Powerful Katrinka
Delivered Tulsa 10/2/44; Gr Island 15/2/44; Grenier 5/3/44; Assigned 525BS/379BG [WA-O] Kimbolton 11/4/44; Missing in Action Toulouse 25/6/44 with Tom Butcher, Co-pilot: Joe Wells, Navigator: Franklin Vita, Bombardier: Dick Daniels, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Bob Reid, Radio Operator: Rollin Bonham, Ball turret gunner: Ben Burseth, Waist gunner: Rudi Supper,Tail gunner: Ralph Crawford (9INT); flak damage, crashed Espinal-Mezquiriz, Navarra, Spain; Missing Air Crew Report 6737. POWERFUL KATRINKA.
Last updated: 13. March 2020
B-17 42-107068 / Powerful Katrinka Details
Photo shows John G. Hamlin and crew.
Witness report from MACR 6737
A/C 42-107068 was last seen leaving the formation in the vicinity of the target, Toulouse, France. The A/C was presumably hit by flak. The co-pilot of this A/C called out over the radio, saying that they were being force to abandon the A/C. Evidently the A/C was under control.
1Lt. John L. Wanner
Air Corps, Pilot
B-17 42-107068 / Powerful Katrinka Crew
| Position | Rank | Name | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 1LT | Thomas D. Butcher, Jr. | INT | - |
| CP | 2LT | Joseph L. Wells | INT | - |
| NAV | 2LT | Franklin R. Vita | INT | - |
| BOMB | 2LT | Richard Daniels | INT | - |
| ENG/TT | T/SGT | Robert H. Reid | INT | - |
| RO | T/SGT | Rollin L. Bonham | INT | - |
| BT | S/SGT | Bennie G. Burseth | INT | - |
| WG | S/SGT | Rudolph F. Supper | INT | - |
| TG | S/SGT | Ralph F. Crawford | INT | - |
13. March 2020 access_time 17:05
To whom it may concern,
My name is Manuel Torres.
I would appreciate it if you could help me find WWII photographs of Unit 379th B-17 “Powerful Katrinka.” After being hit by anti-aircraft guns, this plane crashed near the city of Pamplona, Spain, close to the border with France.
I am working on a book about the connections of our town with WWII and we do need some topic-related photographs.
Thank you in advance for any kind of help.
Manuel Torres
13. March 2020 access_time 20:21
Hello Manuel,
I found and uploaded a photo of ‘Powerful Katrinka’ with John G. Hamlin and crew.
The source of the photo:
https://www.fold3.com/image/48252249
PS: I couldn’t send you an email. Maybe your email adress is wrong.
Hope you see my reply to your comment here.
Cheers
Jing
09. June 2020 access_time 12:21
Thank you very much from Pamplona (Spain). I’ got your information
12. June 2020 access_time 8:31
Great!
22. August 2020 access_time 0:19
Hi Manuel. I am an American Santiago Peregrino and have been in Espinal 4 times. Someone there once told me of the Katrina story, and I have been fascinated with it ever since. Last summer I talked to the local “bar” owner in town and he told me me the 16 y/o kid who first heard the crash is still living. Just yesterday i told a friend in Chicago that I want to donate a plaque to Espinal that would commemorate the incident. I hope to be in Espinal next year and would like to meet that man and also the family of the missionary priest who works in Africa, but was visiting his hometown in 2014 and told me how his father had helped feed the American pilots. I am going to post a lot of this story on St. Bartholomew Day (next Monday) in honor of the beautiful church in Espinal on various camino sites to make the story more well known.
29. January 2024 access_time 12:46
The photo depicts Katrinka’s first crew. My Father -in -law S/Sgt Boyce G. Nelson is front left, when one is facing the pic. The first crew completed 33 missions, and went to Northern Ireland to train new crews in a beat-up retired B-17 that turned out to be more dangerous than missions in Katrinka. The controls locks did not release properly on a takeoff and after rotation the pilot had to steer with the brakes, leaving skid marks all over the runway and using the trim tabs to stabilize the plane once it got airborne. That quick thinking saved the crew, but got some really funny, mocking comments from the British air traffic controllers in the tower regarding the takeoff.
02. August 2024 access_time 15:01
‘Powerful Katrinka’ assigned to 524 sqd, not the 525, as per first crew ‘Oral History’, EJ Army Armstrong (E), Library of Congress, Boyce G. Nelson (R) ‘Oral History’ and their crew plaque at National Museum of Mighty Eighth Air Force, Pooler, GA.