B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 42-3176 / Spook II aka Lady Astrid

History of
B-17 42-3176 / Spook II aka Lady Astrid

Delivered Cheyenne 10/3/43; Dow Fd 10/4/43; Assigned 336BS/95BG [ET-K] SPOOK II Framlingham 21/5/43; Horham 15/6/43; 3m, transferred 527BS/379BG [FO-E] Kimbolton 22/6/43; 524BS [WA-E]; Missing in Action Schweinfurt 14/10/43 with Alden Johnson, Radio Operator: Antonio Velasquez, Ball turret gunner: Raoul Rosseau, Waist gunner: Jim Locke, Waist gunner: Ralph Scripter,Tail gunner: Gene Johnson (6 Killed in Action), Co-pilot: Warren Holtsberg, Navigator: Vince Tapping, Bombardier: Lou Dubois, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Ben Brittain (4 Prisoner of War); enemy aircraft, crashed in Limburger Forest, near Dornheim, W of Darmstadt, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 954. LADY ASTRID.

Last updated: 30. July 2022

B-17 42-3176 / Spook II aka Lady Astrid Details

The call to bail out was given after being attacked by a fighter. I made my way down to check on crew & see if they all bailed. The interphone had gone out when suddenly an 88mm exploded in the waist area. I was wounded & believe so was the Bombardier. I saw that it appeared to be total destruction of our waist section and all there were either dead or unconscious. There was no way to reach them. I believe all were dead. The rest of us bailed just before the ship exploded.

Warren E.Holtsberg
-Co-Pilot-

Sergeant Herman Richter of the Wehrmacht reports his observations.

I was on the iron tower on the Schwanenberg near Iphofen as an observation post during the attack on Schweinfurt on 14.10.1943. From here, the approach of the enemy aircraft from the Schweinfurt area.

I was on the iron tower on the Schwanenberg near Iphofen as an observation post during the attack on Schweinfurt on October 14th, 1943.

From here, the approach of the enemy aircraft from the Schweinfurt area could be closely observed.

I counted a total of 228 aircraft that flew nearby our observation tower on their way out of Schweinfurt.

When the enemy aircraft left Schweinfurt, heading to the direction of Nuremberg began and the aircraft flew nearby our observation tower, I saw at 14:55 hours that one aircraft peeled out of the formation to the left, lost altitude and hit the forest near Dornheim with fire on impact at a distance of about 10 km.

Crash site

Based on the coordinates (r: 3598350 h: 550165e) in MACR 954/KU 367, #42-3176 / Spook II aka Lady Astrid crashed in a forest near Dornheim. About 45 km south of Schweinfurt. The Dornheim west of Darmstadt is therefore not correct.

Photo

Based on original photo description. The crew photo was taken on 11 October 1943. Three days before their final mission.

B-17 42-3176 / Spook II aka Lady Astrid Crew