| General | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Boeing |
| Production-Block: | , B-17F-90-BO: 42-30132 to 42-30231 |
| Operational History | |
|---|---|
| Bomb Group: | , 306th Bomb Group |
| Bomb Squadron: | , 423rd Bomb Squadron |
| RCL | RD-Z |
| MACR | 127 |
| Fate: |
, Lost by enemy aircraft (26 July 1943) |
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History of
B-17 42-30156
Delivered Cheyenne 17/4/43; Smoky Hill 24/4/43; Presque Is 16/5/43; Assigned 423BS/306BG [RD-Z] Thurleigh 22/6/43; Missing in Action Hanover 26/7/43 with Wes Courson, Co-pilot: Roy Bronson, Navigator: Ted Grezlak, Bombardier: Henry Lynch, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: John Champion, Waist gunner: Cedric White,Tail gunner: Bill Lamb (7 Prisoner of War); Radio Operator: Bill Dayton, Ball turret gunner: Dock Thomas, Waist gunner: Bob Stevens{wia & drowned in River Ems} (3 Killed in Action); flak over Frisian Is took off vertical stabiliser, crashed Hofkamp Farm, Vriescheloo, Hol. Missing Air Crew Report 127.
Information may include corrections and additions based on Jing’s research.
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This page was last updated on 04 December 2019
28. December 2018 access_time 11:58
The name of this plane was: Hustling Sue.
I belong parts of this plane, dig up some years ago, with 1 engine nacelle with the serialnumber of this plane on it. The color of this part is olive drab(green).
With the letters nacelle number 4, 42-30156
Regards,
Chris Timmer
28. December 2018 access_time 12:54
Thank you, I am not sure. Because 306th BG history listed Hustling Sue with s/n 42-30714:
http://www.306bg.us/archives/htm/Nose%20Art.html
Do you have more information about the parts and location where they were found?
30. December 2018 access_time 18:20
Of course, what kind of information do you want of this parts. Where I have this found. I have found this on the crash-site of this plane. This year I have find a small serialnumberplate and parts of aluminimum and a lot of 050 ammo.
If you want a photo of the nacelle and the other parts and a photo of the crashsite now. Please let me know it.
Regards,
Chris Timmer
30. December 2018 access_time 21:16
Hello Chris, yes please sent me the photos. It’s interesting to see it. Mail to: info@b17flyingfortress.de
05. December 2019 access_time 11:22
Hi Guys.
I see it has almost been a year since your post, but I only found it today.
I’m very much interested in this particular plane.
Can you give me some more intel?
Pics would be nice.
All other intel is welcome.
I always was under the impression the plane was shot down by FLAK.
But yesterday I read on http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1942_2.html that it was damaged by FLAK and then shot down by Major Anton Mader in a Messerschmitt Bf109G-6.
Any thoughts on that?
Kind regards,
Gaston Hertog
18. December 2019 access_time 21:46
Dear Chris, I would also be interested in the location of the crashsite of B-17F #42-30156. Would you drop me an e-mail on niels@ta-survey.nl? Thanks in advance.
Kind regards,
Jeroen
04. December 2019 access_time 13:01
Hi Guys.
I see it has almost been a year since your post, but I only found it today.
I’m very much interested in this particular plane.
Can you give me some more intel?
Pics would be nice.
All other intel is welcome.
I always was under the impression the plane was shot down by FLAK.
But yesterday I read on http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1942_2.html that it was damaged by FLAK and then shot down by Major Anton Mader in a Messerschmitt Bf109G-6.
Any thoughts on that?
Kind regards,
Gaston Hertog
04. December 2019 access_time 15:08
Hello Gaston,
the official MACR for this B-17 listed lost by enemy anti-aircraft.
http://www.306bg.us/Missing_Air_Crew_Reports/26jul43macr1.pdf
It’s possible, that the B-17 later was shot down, when it was out of sight of other B-17s in the formation. I have no sources about Anton Mader’s victories on that day.
05. December 2019 access_time 15:48
Thank you for your comment.
I also found on https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=51586:
“Shot down by Leutnant Gerhard Dittmann of the 12./NJG 1 (flying a Bf 110 G-4 from Leeuwarden airfield) or by Major Anton Mader of the Stab/JG 11 (flying a Bf 109 G-6 from Jever airfield) at Vriescheloo”
I am, by the way, particularly interested in all information about the plain and it’s crew, especially William G. Dayton.
So if you know anything else, everything’s welcome!
05. January 2021 access_time 16:10
Hello Gaston,
You,ve mixed up the Lt Dittmann with Maj Anton Mader. Ditmann was a nightfighter pilot and was kia 18-8-43. He flew Bf-110. This B-17 was claimed by Maj Mader and was his 68th victory .9km westlich Papenburg at 13.21 hour. In earlier stage feb/march 43 Ditmann claimed a B-17 above the north sea.
Regards harrie
06. December 2019 access_time 12:39
Thank you for the response.
I read the macr-report indeed. That’s why I was under the impression the plane was shot down by FLAK.
There is another site, https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=51586, which also claims it was shot down after being damaged by FLAK.
However this site states “Shot down by Leutnant Gerhard Dittmann of the 12./NJG 1 (flying a Bf 110 G-4 from Leeuwarden airfield) or by Major Anton Mader of the Stab/JG 11 (flying a Bf 109 G-6 from Jever airfield)”
So for the moment it remains a mystery.
By the way, I’m very interested in information all that anyone is able to find and share about this plane and it’s crew, and William G. Dayton in particular.
So if anybody has anything or can direct me to other sites with info, that would be great!!
Thanks in advance,
Kind regards,
Gaston Hertog
20. May 2021 access_time 14:06
I happened across this thread by accident, so I’m late to comment. My uncle was the ball turret gunner, Dock Thomas, Jr. so over time I have found some fragments of the story. What I have learned was that the aircraft was hit by AA fire over the Frisian Islands but did manage make it to the target at Hanover. My impression is that they fell out of formation, and that lead to some confusion over the fate of the plane. They were alone when attacked by Major Anton Mader and several other fighters. William Dayton was killed in the first pass, struck by a 20mm round and killed instantly. The aircraft caught fire quickly. Stevens and Thomas were wounded by fighter fire, but did get out of the aircraft. Both were later found dead, still in their parachutes, Stevens was found in the Ems estuary and Thomas on land. The surviving crew were captured almost immediately. Dayton was the only body on the aircraft when it crashed- one of the crew was taken to the crash site the next day to confirm his identity. I know Dock Thomas is buried at the Allied cemetery at Margraten.
21. May 2021 access_time 19:51
Hello David: I think this plane used to called “The Black Widow”. Would you know anything about that? My Uncle Gabe was belly gunner on that plane, if that’s the case. I forgot how I came to that conclusion but it seems that was the case. Thank you!!
28. May 2021 access_time 10:34
I have never found a reference to the name of Wes Courson’s plane. My relative, Doc Thomas Jr., was only on his third or fourth mission, so we never had any reference to aircraft name in his correspondence. Sorry, but I’m no help on the name of the aircraft.
04. January 2025 access_time 15:25
I was able to purchase the original painting of this particular B17 from author ab.jansen wich was
used as frontcover in his dutch book sporen
aan de hemel part1 . It shows the b-17 under attack by a fw-190a