B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 42-29787 / Wilder Nell II

History of
B-17 42-29787 / Wilder Nell II

Delivered Cheyenne 18/2/43; Salina 5/3/43; Gulfport 31/3/43; Assigned 334BS/95BG [BG-F] Alconbury 15/4/43; Framlingham 12/5/43; Horham 15/6/43; 3m, transferred 326BS/92BG [JW- ] Alconbury 6/8/43, the transferred 525BS/379BG [FR-E] Kimbolton 4/9/43; Missing in Action Bremen 29/11/43 with Chas Lefevre, Co-pilot: John Miller, Navigator: Jan Spurgiasz, Bombardier: Alf Valsecchi, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Jim Mulliganwashed up 11/1/44, Radio Operator: Leon Dixonwashed up 19/12/43, Ball turret gunner: Bob Hunter, Waist gunner: Wesley Laird, Waist gunner: Lion Gorn (9KIA-several killed in dinghy by German soldiers, five never found),Tail gunner: Edgar Schooley (Prisoner of War); flak, ditched North Sea a mile off Dutch coast. Missing Air Crew Report 1332. WILDER NELL II.

Last updated: 4. June 2018

B-17 42-29787 / Wilder Nell II Details

‘Sgt. Edgar A. Schooley Jr. (tail gunner on the Wilder Nell II, 42-29787), the lone survivor, states that the plane was not hit over Germany while on their bombing mission to Bremen but was but shot down over the Netherlands by ground fire. In accordance with an eye witness, the plane was followed by two German fighters and the bomber crew threw some thing out. The bomber made a crash-landing at sea with the nose to the south. The German fighters circled above the bomber but didn’t fire. At least 4 crew members climbed into a dinghy and a few others were floating with their life jackets on in the sea. It was tidal and the sea was rough. Suddenly, a machine gun opened fire. T/Sgt Schooley reached a pier and was picked up by the Germans after a German officer stopped the shooting. The other crew members were killed by the fire or drowned. The time was 16.07 hrs. The Wilder Nell II was “shot down” by Oblt. Erich Bucholz in a Bf (ME) 109, type G-6 who claimed the victory’.

More information

• http://www.zzairwar.nl/dossiers/217.html