zoom_in
Source:
photos.384thbombgroup.com
Production-block:
B-17F-65-BO: 42-29632 to 42-29731
Manufacturer:
Boeing
- Bomb Group:
- 305th Bomb Group
- 384th Bomb Group
- Bomb Squadron:
- 364th Bomb Squadron
- 546th Bomb Squadron
- RCL: WF-G, BK-F
History of
B-17 42-29636 / Vanishing Virgin aka X-Virgin
Delivered Cheyenne 23/1/43; Gt Falls 31/1/43; Salina 3/2/43; Nashville 23/2/43; Assigned 364BS/305BG [WF-G] Chelveston VANISHING VIRGIN 24/3/43; transferred 546BS/384BG [BK-F] Grafton Underwood 30/9/43; 1 Base Air Depot, Burtonwood 15/3/44; Returned to the USA 12/5/44; Lockbourn 3/8/44; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Walnut Ridge 18/12/45. X-VIRGIN.
Last updated: 12. June 2022
B-17 42-29636 / Vanishing Virgin aka X-Virgin Details
Originally assigned to the 305th BG, 42-29636 bore the name “The Vanishing Virginian.” Her original Navigator, Mal Sweet, suggested renaming her “The Virgin.” A flak hit on May 14, 1943, above the “V” prompted yet another name change, de-flowering the plane and warranting the sobriquet “X-Virgin.” Captain David Tyler brought her in to a belly-landing after returning from Schweinfurt on August 17, 1943, and the plane was transferred to the 384th Bomb Group. The “X-Virgin” survived her combat tour and was returned to the United States on May 12, 1944.
Crew list of Schweinfurt-Raid see below.
B-17 42-29636 / Vanishing Virgin aka X-Virgin Crew
| Position | Rank | Name | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | --- | David A. Tyler, Jr | RTD | - |
| CP | --- | Wayne J. Hendricks | RTD | - |
| NAV | --- | Malvern R. Sweet | RTD | - |
| BOMB | --- | Louis W. Nelson | RTD | - |
| ENG/TT | --- | Fred E. Boyle | RTD | - |
| RO | --- | Cullen A. Lee | POW | - |
| BT | --- | Johnson | POW | - |
| WG | --- | Frye | KIA | - |
| WG | --- | Dougherty | POW | - |
| TG | --- | Stanley J. Salamon | POW | - |
18. December 2018 access_time 2:18
I spoke with David Tyler about 20 years ago after I found a letter he sent to the crew chief thanking him for keeping the plane operating. He told me that when the plane was flown the England by the original crew it had the name The Vanishing Virginian. Once the plane was in England it was transferred to a different crew with David Tyler as the pilot. Since no one in the crew had any attachment to the original name they painted over the letters to make it The Virgin. It became x-virgin when it suffered bad damage and had to be repaired over a number of days while the crew flew a different plane. When they got the virgin back they decided it was not a virgin any more and added the x. 364th squadron of the 305th bg. He said they finished their tour a few weeks after the Memphis belle.
28. January 2019 access_time 13:45
Mr. Tyler had sent me a xerox copy of his flight log as well as a photocopy of his private photo album. He took a picture of the crew after each mission. His last mission was in fact the Schweinfurt mission. So about 3 months after the Memphis Belle. They only returned with half of the crew as the plane was badly damaged, 4 members parachuted out and one was killed during the mission. He was an amazing man to talk with.
28. January 2019 access_time 13:59
Hello David,
thank you for sharing the information.
Do you have the crew list of the last mission?
23. February 2019 access_time 21:54
Hello,
Yes I do if I can make out all of the names.
The 5 that returned on the final mission:
David A Tyler Jr. Pilot
Louis W. Nelson Bombardier
Fred E. Boyle Engineer and top turret
Malvern R. Sweet Navigator
Wayne J. Hendricks Co-Pilot
4 Bailed out
Stanley J. Salamon Tail Gunner
Cullen A. Lee Radio Operator
Johnson Ball Turret
Dougherty must have been Waist gunner, but not the usual
1 man killed
Frye must have been a waist gunner, but not the usual
In the scrapbook he lists Larry Singleton and Bob Van Rees as waist gunners but they must not have been on the last mission.
I hope that helps and that it makes sense.
Dave
12. November 2020 access_time 3:43
My dad flew in the x-virgin. He was a BT gunner and was wounded in the second Schweinfurt raid. He did tell me one of the waist gunners was killed. I don’t recall him saying some of the crew bailed out.
21. November 2022 access_time 4:14
Would it be possible to obtain a copy of that flight log and photo album? Wayne J. Hendricks, Tyler’s co-pilot was my grandfather. Thank you.
26. November 2022 access_time 5:28
Hello,
What Have is a very bad xerox copy. I have information about Tyler’s son that I would like to follow up on to see if he has the photo album and if I might be able to get a much better copy. Let me do some checking and I will get back to you.
09. December 2020 access_time 1:53
Wow, that is interesting. Your dad must have flown after the plane was transferred to the other bomb group? What was your dads name? I always wondered how to turn this plane and its crew into a book.
20. November 2022 access_time 4:48
My Dad was the Malvern Sweet, navigator mentioned. Sad to hear of the recent crash of a B17
26. November 2022 access_time 5:25
Wow, I never thought I would hear from family of other members of the crew. I have no connection other than the letter that styler sent to the crew chief. I got in touch with Tyler through the 8th Air Force Association. They gave me his address, in Jacksonville Florida, and phone number. He has passed but my brother has information about his children that I would love to follow up with if I get down there soon. Were you able to talk with your dad about his experiences? Tyler was overwhelmed that someone would be interested and we talked for over an hour. He did not mention the crash landing on the final mission.
26. November 2022 access_time 5:34
Hello,
Yes very sad about the accident. I had toured that B-17 long ago. I flew as a passenger on the 909 that crashed a couple of years ago. If you have never been fortunate enough to fly in a B-17 I would totally recommend it. It gave me a very eye-opening perspective on how the crews flew during the war and just made you think, how did they do it? The “Virgin” flew very early when escort was non existent. Everyone of those guys was an absolute hero in my book. Do you know if they ever met after the war? Did your dad go to any of the reunions?