Production-block:
B-17F-60-BO: 42-29532 to 42-29631
Manufacturer:
Boeing
- Bomb Group:
- 2nd Bomb Group
- 483rd Bomb Group
- 99th Bomb Group
- Bomb Squadron:
- 49th Bomb Squadron
- 840th Bomb Squadron
Fate:
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History of
B-17 42-29628 / Mel’s Mess
Delivered Cheyenne 18/1/43; Salina 28/1/43; Kearney 4/2/43; Memphis 9/3/43; Assigned 49BS/2BG Navarin 17/4/43; Chateau-du-Rhumel 27/4/43; Ain M’Lila 17/6/43; Massicault 31/7/43; Bizerte 2/12/43; Amendola 9/12/43; {80m} transferred 99BG Tortorella 28/3/44; 840BS/483BG Tortorella 31/3/44; Returned to the USA Morrison 14/5/44; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Bush Fd 23/5/45. MEL’S MESS.
Last updated: 18. August 2017
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07. March 2018 access_time 6:12
My father flew Mels Mess 229628 in 1944
02. October 2019 access_time 18:22
My Grandfather was the flight engineer for Mel’s Mess.
14. October 2023 access_time 21:40
my Dad Alfred P. Blea flew on it. Rear Gunner, two crash landings in Libia, got credit for 2 German kills. His unit was chasing Rommel.
04. April 2021 access_time 21:31
My Uncle Tom (Thomas F. McCaffrey) S/Sgt was the ball turret gunner for 50 missions with this plane. He was credited with 3 kills. He gives an extensive interview when he returns home in fall 1943. This is printed in the Atlantic City Press’s Sunday Nov. 21st 1943 edition. In it he mentions his three kills and mentions the tail-gunner was S/Sgt Alfred Blea from New Mexico and of course the plane was named after the pilot Cpt. Melvin L. Ritchey of Hale’s Center, Texas. He says he was with the same outfit for all 50 missions so it seems likely they were in the same plane. They deployed to Africa on March 17th 1943.
26. September 2023 access_time 16:41
My father S/Sgt. Alfred P. Blea flew those 50 missions you talked about. I think he was credited for 1 and 1/2 kills.