Production-block:
B-17F-75-BO: 42-29832 to 42-29931
Manufacturer:
Boeing
- Bomb Group:
- 351st Bomb Group
- Bomb Squadron:
- 510th Bomb Squadron
- RCL: TU-H
MACR: No MACR / KSU/ME/KU: AV 96/43
Missions: 1
History of
B-17 42-29859 / The Annihilator
Delivered Cheyenne 28/2/43; Gore 12/3/43; Presque Is 8/4/43; Assigned 510BS/351BG [TU-H] Polebrook 16/4/43; Missing in Action 1m Courtrai 14/5/43 with Capt Bill Forsythe, Co-pilot: R. C. Stewart, Navigator: Jim McDonald, Bombardier: Bob Ostheimer, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Wilton Wixom, Radio Operator: Francis Daly, Waist gunner: Tom Culkin,Tail gunner: Ralph Tarr (8 Prisoner of War); Waist gunner: Leroy Donaldson, Ball turret gunner: Albert Jensen (2 Killed in Action); one engine was smoking and dropped out of formation before enemy aircraft attacked, crashed Dadizele, near Ypres, Bel. THE ANNIHILATOR.
Last updated: 21. December 2021
B-17 42-29859 / The Annihilator Crew
| Position | Rank | Name | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | CPT | William R. Forsythe | POW | - |
| CP | 1LT | R. C. Stewart | POW | - |
| NAV | 2LT | James T. McDonald | POW | - |
| BOMB | 2LT | Robert V. Ostheimer | POW | - |
| ENG/TT | T/SGT | Wilton A. Wixom | POW | - |
| RO | SGT | Frances M. Daly | POW | - |
| BT | S/SGT | Albert L. Jensen | KIA | - |
| WG | SGT | Thomas P. Culkin | POW | - |
| WG | S/SGT | Leroy D. Donaldson | KIA | - |
| TG | S/SGT | Ralph C. Tarr | POW | - |
10. February 2020 access_time 21:13
I believe these are final moments of this aircraft recorded by a Luftwaffe gun camera:
https://i.imgur.com/OlzOTu0.gifv
The clip appears at the end of Die Deutsche Wochenschau Nr. 689 dated November 17th 1943. The aircraft can be seen leaving the formation with an engine of fire as mentioned in the description and at the very end it seems that the code on the fuselage reads H-TU which would match this aircraft. What appears to be a crew member bailing out is also visible.
12. February 2020 access_time 15:22
Thank you for the comment.
It looks plausible. I wish, the last scenes are 1 or 2 seconds longer, to see the letter on tail.
21. December 2021 access_time 4:23
Incredible Heroism displayed by the men flying missions in the B-17. God Bless them all!!!!
29. May 2022 access_time 18:12
I have the flight trouwsers of on of this crew crached at Geluwe. Can anyone help me to get more info please?