B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 42-39775 / Frenesi

History of
B-17 42-39775 / Frenesi

Delivered Long Beach 27/8/43; 333BS/94BG [TS-A] Rougham 13/10/43. Battle damaged Brunswick 11/1/44 with Bill Cely, Co-pilot: Jabez Churchill, Waist gunner: Everett Hudson Wounded in Action, Waist gunner: Paul Pearson,Tail gunner: Cliff Prater (5 Returned to Duty); Navigator: Floyd McGowan, Bombardier: Alex Bender, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Preston Henderson, Radio Operator: Harry Anderson, Ball turret gunner: Jim Queen, foto-Warren Becker (6 Prisoner of War); enemy aircraft severely riddled the ship, it limped home safely, but Written off later. Missing Air Crew Report 12969. FRENESI.

Last updated: 22. December 2019

B-17 42-39775 / Frenesi Details

The Eighth AAF Flying Fortress “F for Frenesi,” piloted by Lt. Cely, with his crew, including three wounded gunners, returned to its base “just a series of holes held together by some metal” after dropping its bombs on the target dureing the great 11 January 1944 air-battle-attack on 3 important German aircraft factories. A combination of Lt. Cely’s flying skill & the new ewll-known sturdiness of the Flying Fortress resulted in the badly flak & shell riddled “Frenesi” to return home safely.

By assumed USAAF [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons // B-17 #42-39775 ‘Frenesi’