zoom_in
Source:
www.fold3.com
Production-block:
B-17F-75-BO: 42-29832 to 42-29931
Manufacturer:
Boeing
- Bomb Group:
- 379th Bomb Group
- Bomb Squadron:
- 527th Bomb Squadron
- RCL: FO-Y/V
History of
B-17 42-29896 / Tondelayo
Delivered Cheyenne 5/3/43; Sioux City 20/3/43; Tinker 28/3/43; Kearney 8/4/43; Dow Fd 16/4/43. Assigned 527BS/379BG [FO-Y/V] Kimbolton 2/5/43. Missing in Action Stuttgart 6/9/43 with Bohn Fawkes, Co-pilot: Chas Mauldin, Navigator: Elmer Bendiner, Bombardier: Bob Hejny, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Larry Reedman, Radio Operator: Fred Reinhard, Ball turret gunner: Walt Gray, Waist gunner: John Leary, Waist gunner: Harry Edwards,Tail gunner: Mike Arooth (10 Returned to Duty); ditched Channel, all rescued by Air Sea Rescue launch HSL180 from Dover, Kent, UK. No MACR. TONDELAYO.
Last updated: 2. July 2019
B-17 42-29896 / Tondelayo Crew
| Position | Rank | Name | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 2LT | Bohn E. Fawkes, Jr. | RTD | - |
| CP | 2LT | Charles A. Mauldin | RTD | - |
| NAV | 2LT | Elmer S. Bendiner | RTD | - |
| BOMB | 2LT | Robert L. Hejny | RTD | - |
| ENG/TT | T/SGT | Lawrence H. Reedman | RTD | - |
| RO | T/SGT | Frederick J. Reinhard | RTD | - |
| BT | T/SGT | Walter J. Gray | RTD | - |
| WG | S/SGT | John A. Leary | RTD | - |
| WG | S/SGT | Harry L. Edwards | RTD | - |
| TG | T/SGT | Michael Arooth | RTD | - |
25. April 2019 access_time 0:57
Elmer Bendiner, the navigator, wrote an excellent personal account of his air war. Title is _Fall of Fortresses_. He actually does note the different ways B17’s fall and how likely the crew will be to get out.
18. March 2021 access_time 4:45
I was very fortunate to find it on this book on the sale table at Barnes & Noble 25 years ago. The high point of the book can be found excerpted elsewhere on the web–the incident of the empty German shells that pierced one of the B-17’s gas tanks without exploding. Inside one shell was a message in Czech: “This is all we can do for you now,” apparently from a forced laborer in a German munitions plant, doing what little he(she?) could for the war effort.
11. March 2023 access_time 13:42
Fortunate to have found Elmer Bendiner’s book recently,reàlly looking forward to reading another account of the Schweinfurt raids
02. July 2019 access_time 11:26
The correct spelling of the name is Bohn E. Fawkes, Jr.
02. July 2019 access_time 11:47
Thank you! I have corrected the name.
02. July 2023 access_time 13:33
Carl Brink Jr was the original pilot that flew 42-29896 over from the states to Kimbolton. Bendiner refers to Brink as “Johnny” in his book. Reference MACR 1363 where Brink was POW when 42-5810 shot down July 29, 1942. Carl Brink’s son Kurt Brink showed me his grandmother’s scrap book with Carl Brink’s letters and photos, One photo showed Carl Brink holding his seat cushion that German round went through while he was sitting on it. Close call would shake up any 19 year old pilot. That photo is mentioned in Bendiner’s book. Kurt and his family had a rather low opinion of Elmer S. Bendiner and his depiction of Carl Brink.
02. July 2023 access_time 13:37
Sorry correction as 42-5810 shot down July 29, 1943 near Heligoland with Carl Brink serving as co-pilot. 1943 NOT 1942