B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 42-30135 / Trouble Shooter

History of
B-17 42-30135 / Trouble Shooter

Delivered Cheyenne 15/4/43; Smoky Hill 22/4/43; Presque Is 10/5/43; Assigned 511BS/351BG [DS-N] Polebrook 26/5/43; transferred 334BS/95BG [BG-H] Horham 16/6/43; on 16/9/43 with Bill McPherson force landed RAF Harwarden; taxi accident with Albt Rummans Metfield 13/10/43; Missing in Action (20m) Missing in Action Schweinfurt 14/10/43 with Capt Bill McPherson, Co-pilot: George Byrnes, Navigator: Bill Prochaska, Bombardier: Austin Pritchard, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Leon Ciaccia, Radio Operator: Tony Kosmala, Ball turret gunner: Frank A. Castellucci, Waist gunner: Morris Eckard, Waist gunner: Henry Rhodes (9 Prisoner of War);Tail gunner: Fred Nunnold (EVD-and returned); #3 feathered, gear down, then crashed between Rheims & Sedan, Fr. Missing Air Crew Report 855. TROUBLE SHOOTER.

Last updated: 1. June 2020

B-17 42-30135 / Trouble Shooter Details

B-17F 42-30135 piloted by Capt. William R. McPherson, Jr. was last seen to be hit by flak and drop from formation five minutes past the target at 50°00’N – 10°17’E. The pilot after feathering the #3 engine put down the wheels, waved the rest of the group and had his men bail out. Ten chutes were seen to leave the ship.

David E. Olsson
1st Lt., Air Corps
Asst. Operations Officer

Source: MACR 855

B-17 42-30135 / Trouble Shooter Crew