Source:
www.americanairmuseum.com
| General | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Boeing |
| Production-Block: | , B-17F-95-BO: 42-30232 to 42-30331 |
| Operational History | |
|---|---|
| Bomb Group: | , 95th Bomb Group |
| Bomb Squadron: | , 336th Bomb Squadron |
| RCL | ET-C |
| MACR | 403 |
| Fate: |
, Crashlanding (17 August 1943) |
| Missions: | 10 |
History of
B-17 42-30283 / Mason’s Morons
Delivered Denver 9/5/43; Gore 17/5/43; Smoky Hill 19/5/43; Dow Fd 30/5/43; Assigned 324BS/91BG Bassingbourn 10/6/43; transferred 336BS/95BG [ET-C] Horham 16/6/43; 10m, Missing in Action Regensburg 17/8/43 with Bob Mason, Co-pilot: Lou Belson, Navigator: Frank Messersmith, Bombardier: Bill Reinecke, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Dick Carter, Radio Operator: Bill Rogers, Ball turret gunner: Herschel Beane, Waist gunner: Jay McKee, Waist gunner: Ray Elias,Tail gunner: Bob Bickford (10 Prisoner of War); crashed Darmstadt, Ger; Missing Air Crew Report 403. MASON’S MORONS.
B-17 42-30283 / Mason’s Morons Details
B-17F 42-30283 piloted by 1Lt. Robert C. Mason was attacked by enemy aircraft which knocked out the No. 2 engine. The ship left the formation near Frankfurt. Within a period of 10 minutes all 10 men were seen to leave the ship with chutes opening.
B-17 42-30283 / Mason’s Morons Crew
| Position | Rank | Name | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 1LT | Robert C. Mason | POW | - |
| CP | 2LT | Louis Belson | POW | - |
| NAV | 1LT | Frank E. Messersmith | POW | - |
| BOMB | 1LT | William A. Reinecke | POW | - |
| ENG/TT | T/SGT | Richard R. Carter | POW | - |
| RO | T/SGT | William A. Rogers | POW | - |
| BT | S/SGT | Herschel K. Baene | POW | - |
| WG | S/SGT | Raymond J. Elias | POW | - |
| WG | S/SGT | Jack H. McKee | POW | - |
| TG | S/SGT | Robert L. Bickford | POW | - |
This page was last updated on 08 March 2020
04. February 2021 access_time 17:57
WWII – German POW 8/17/1943: 95th Bomb Group – B17’s over Germany
http://95thbg.org
http://www.americanairmuseum.com/aircraft/4264
Mason’s Morons: 42-30283 (95th BG, 336th BS, “Mason’s Morons”) shot down by Lt.
Gottfried Weiroster in Bf 109G-6 of JG 50/Stab near
Darmstadt, Germany on mission to Regensburg Aug 17, 1943. MACR 403.
10 POW
Mason’s Morons: B-17 42-30283, named Mason’s Morons, went down on 17 Aug 1943 near Frankfurt, GER while on a mission to Regensburg, GER. The #2 engine was feathered when it left the formation under control. It is believed to have crashed at Darmstadt, GER. The entire crew became POW’s. MACR 403. Crew list: P: Robert C. Mason, Jr. CP: Louis Belson N: Frank E. Messersmith, Jr. TT: Richard R. Carter RO: William A. Rogers BT: Herschel K. Beane LW: Raymond J. Elias RW: Jack H. Mckee TG: Robert L. Bickford Source: Book, The 95th B-17 Bomb Group, by Allen E. Snyder
Mason’s Morons: According to Roger Freeman’s book, The B-17 Flying Fortress Story, #42-30283 was assigned to the 334th BS of the 95th BG on June 16, 1943. Fuselage codes were BG-B. It was then transferred to the 336th BS. It was listed as MIA on the Regensburg mission August 17, 1943 with Mason as the pilot. Crashed at Darmstadt, Germany. All 10 crew members became POW’s. MACR is #403. According to Allen E. Snyder’s book, The 95th B-17 Bomb Group, #42-30283 was near Frankfurt, Germany with #2 engine feathered when it left the formation under control on August 17, 1943, the 26th combat mission for the 95th BG. This was the 39th aircraft lost in combat for the 95th BG. This was the pilot’s 14th mission.
CAMP:Stalag 17B Braunau Gneikendorf Near Krems Austria 48-15
German pilot who shot down Frank’s B-17: (Interesting is the this plane is a Messerschmitt 109 and the B-17 had navigator Frank Messersmith).
Pilot: Leutnant Gottfried Weiroster Killed
Mission: Defence of the Reich.
Date: 26th November 1943
Unit: Stab/Jagdgeschwader 11
Type: Messerschmitt Bf 109G-5
Werke/Nr. 26112
Code: < o + (Black)
Location: Jadebusen, Germany.
REASON FOR LOSS:
This aircraft was shot down in combat, Lt Weiroster was killed in action.
At the time of his death Lt Weiroster had achieved 6 victories. Prior to joing the Stab/JG11 he flew with Jagdgruppe 50 where he achieved 4 victories,
16. July 2025 access_time 13:43
The B-17 in the photograph isn’t B-17F-95-BO 42-30283. It is B-17G-85-BO 43-38283. There is a better quality photograph on this page https://95thbgdb.com/crew/381 .
16. July 2025 access_time 13:46
B-17F-95-BO 42-30283 is in the background of this photo of B-17F-30-BO 42-5069 DF-G ‘Our Gang’ https://www.americanairmuseum.com/archive/media/media-44248jpeg .