| General | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Boeing |
| Production-Block: | , B-17F-55-BO: 42-29467 to 42-29531 |
| Delievered: | Cheyenne |
| Operational History | |
|---|---|
| Bomb Group: | , 91st Bomb Group |
| Bomb Squadron: | , 324th Bomb Squadron |
| RCL | DF-K |
| MACR | 1915 |
| KSU/ME/KU: | 713 |
| Fate: |
, Lost by enemy aircraft (11 January 1944) |
| Missions: | 48 |
History of
B-17 42-29487 / Ritzy Blitz
Delivered Cheyenne 22/12/42; Salina 2/2/43; Duncan 23/2/43; Assigned 324BS/91BG [DF-K] Bassingbourn 9/3/43; 48m Missing in Action Oschersleben 11/1/44 with Wayne Hedglin, Co-pilot: Don Jones, Navigator: Carey Goodwin, Waist gunner: Bill Francisco, Waist gunner: Walt Williams (5 Prisoner of War), Bombardier: John McKewen (chute failed), Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Cody Wolf, Radio Operator: James Lascu Jr., Ball turret gunner: George Richardson,Tail gunner: Stan Lyttle (5 Killed in Action); hit by 20 enemy aircraft KO’d #1 and fire broke out in fuselage, crashed Wennigsen/Diester, 12 miles SW of Hanover, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 1915. RITZY BLITZ.
Information may include corrections and additions based on Jing’s research.
B-17 42-29487 / Ritzy Blitz Details
Aircraft B-17F, 42-29487, at 1128 hours, 5215N 0910E, while flying at 18,000 feet with number 1 engine on fire, was seen to explode after being attacked by approximately 20 fighters. Three to four chutes were reported after the explosion.
Source: MACR 1915
B-17 42-29487 / Ritzy Blitz Crew
| Position | Rank | Name | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 2LT | Wayne D. Hedglin | POW | - |
| CP | 2LT | Donald W. Jones | POW | - |
| NAV | 2LT | Carey E. Goodwin, Jr. | POW | - |
| BOMB | 2LT | John W. McKewen Jr. | KIA | chute failed |
| ENG/TT | SGT | Cody L. Wolf | KIA | - |
| RO | SGT | James Lascu Jr. | KIA | - |
| BT | SGT | George M. Richardson | KIA | - |
| WG | SGT | William O. Francisco | POW | - |
| WG | SGT | Walter F. Williams Jr. | POW | - |
| TG | SGT | Stanley E. Lyttle | KIA | - |
This page was last updated on 11 January 2026
10. March 2021 access_time 20:03
Sgt. Lyttle was born Stanley Cochran. He was adopted by the Lyttles as a small child. He is my half uncle. The Cochran clan are proud of his service to our country and his ultimate sacrifice. RIP…….
09. December 2023 access_time 20:37
I believe the dates on the aircraft’s arrival to the 324th Squadron/91st Bomb group are transposed. I’m researching my father’s missions and he is shown to have flown on the “Ritzy Blitz’ (A/C 487) with pilot Lt Anderson on 11 June 43 for a bombing mission to Bremen. Therefore, the date of arrival of the A/C shown above of 9/3/43 is incorrect. It is more likely 9 March 43 that it arrived. Military dates are more accurate.
09. December 2023 access_time 20:56
Well, disregard my last comment. I JUST realized that this is a .de website and therefore, the date of 9/3/43 means 9 Mar 43 in the European date system: DD/MM/YY.
14. December 2023 access_time 11:41
It’s ok 🙂 This web site was created by a German (my self)