B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 42-30140 / King Malfunction II

History of
B-17 42-30140 / King Malfunction II

Delivered Cheyenne 15/4/43; Smoky Hill 25/4/43; Walla Walla 2/5/43; Smoky Hill 10/5/43; Dow Fd 26/5/43; Assigned 532BS/381BG [VE-V] Ridgewell 23/6/43; Missing in Action 6m Schweinfurt 17/8/43; Flak KO’d #3 & #4 feathered, crashed Esch, five miles SE of Munstereifel, Ger. 1 x KIA; 8 x Prisoner of War; 2 x Crew EVD (Nelson & Genz) Missing Air Crew Report 379. KING MALFUNCTION II.

Last updated: 2. August 2020

B-17 42-30140 / King Malfunction II Details

Shot down by Oblt Herbert Kleinschmidt in Bf 110G-4 of NJG 1/6 Esch, Germany during Schweinfurt raid

Subject: Report on ship #42-30140, Lt. Nelson & Lt. Painter

The A/C was hit during combined fighter and heavy Flak attack about thirty minutes into the Continent on route in. No 3 engine smoked and was feathered. Fire spurted out between #3 & #4 engine and No 4 engine began to smoke. A/C dropped down and pulled off to the right and #4 engine was feathered. Approximately five (5) chutes were seen to come out and the ship left the vicinty of the formation in a gradual let-down under control to the right of the formation. Two E/A follows the A/C out but did not attack. Later a few more chutes were picked up in my field of glasses in the direction in which the B-17F had led down, but could not be certain if they came from Lt. Nelson’s ship.

1Lt. Marvin D. Lord
Air Corps

42-30140 went down under control at 49°50’N – 08°1440. Another ship reported this A/C had #2 engine burning fifteen minutes inside coast after first enemy attack. Went into a very steep dive. Three chutes came out. Then one moment later entire ship caught fire. Shortly after entire tail assembly from Ball Turret back snapped off and five more chutes came out. Another ship reported seven chutes came out of this A/C.

1Lt. Don S. Williams
Air Corps

B-17 42-30140 / King Malfunction II Crew