Source:
www.fold3.com
| General | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Douglas |
| Production-Block: | , B-17F-15-DL: 42-3004 to 42-3038 |
| Operational History | |
|---|---|
| Bomb Group: | , 305th Bomb Group, 384th Bomb Group, 95th Bomb Group |
| Bomb Squadron: | , 366th Bomb Squadron, 412th Bomb Squadron, 544th Bomb Squadron |
| RCL | KY-N, SU-Z |
| Fate: |
, Battle damaged (14 October 1943) |
History of
B-17 42-3037 / Windy City Avenger
Delivered Cheyenne 25/1/43. Assigned 412BS/95BG Memphis 20/4/43. Transferred 366BS/305BG [KY-N] Grafton Underwood 1/8/43. 544BS/384BG [SU-Z] Grafton Underwood 20/9/43. 14 October 1943 damaged over Schweinfurt with Bill Price, Co-pilot: Lee Coleman, Navigator: Harry Harvey, Bombardier: Leroy Arquette, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Earl Beaty, Radio Operator: Bob Smith, Ball turret gunner: Dan Griffin, Waist gunner: Earl Nelson, Waist gunner: Ralph Grant, Tail gunner: Don Dailey (10 Returned to Duty). Crash landed Wakerley, near Corby, Northamptonshire, UK 14/10/43, Salvaged.
B-17 42-3037 / Windy City Avenger Details
After research, the picture with the nose art does not show the B-17 “42-3037 / Windy City Avenger” because the B-17 in the picture shows features of a Boeing production (side machine gun window). The exact serial number of the “Windy City Avenger” in the picture is not known.
This page was last updated on 20 June 2021
08. August 2025 access_time 2:06
My research suggests that Windy City Avenger is a mid-block B-17F-90- BO modified with angled cheeks and swivel gun mounts. The presence of cheek guns is not the determine fact, but rather the type of cheek positions.
21. August 2025 access_time 6:57
some more discoveries by me and viewing the Thompson synopsis moves this assessment in two directions, yet I still favor the Boeing solution. the difference in the Boeing solution is the presence of direction finding sense (line) antenna and mast under the nose which did not appear as a production feature until block F-110-BO. That narrows the F-BO population by a good margin.
in the other direction, the Aero/Thompson synopsis on the early block Douglas buts that s/n through several modification centers before departing the US in April, 1943 after a several months delay. That very marginally opens the possible of the added angled cheeks and mast were a late modification before leaving the US. However, the time window is very slim ; and that possibility still leaves the Boeing style underside camouflage demarcation to be explained.
Bottomline: I am still of the opinion that this is an F-BO and now recommend it is of block 110 or later.
21. August 2025 access_time 10:20
I have a shortlist of 5 candidates for ‘Windy City Avenger’ – B-17F-115-BO 42-30650, B-17F-115-BO 42-30652, B-17F-115-BO 42-30678, B-17F-120-BO 42-30809, and B-17F-130 B-17 42-31019. I favour B-17F-120-BO 42-30809 as it transferred to the RAF on 22nd January 1944, the same date as the photo.