Production-block:
B-17G-5-VE: 42-39858 to 42-39957
Manufacturer:
Lockheed/Vega
- Bomb Group:
- 305th Bomb Group
- 401st Bomb Group
- Bomb Squadron:
- 364th Bomb Squadron
- RCL: WF-M
Missions: 133
History of
B-17 42-39948 / Leading Lady
Delivered Long Beach 14/10/43; Gr Island 31/10/43; ass 364BS/305BG [WF-M] Chelveston 15/11/43; Transferred: 401BG Deenethorpe 20/5/45 (first in group to 100 missions); 110m, retUS 121 BU Bradley 7/6/45; Romulus 8/6/45; 4168 BU Sth Plains 12/9/45; Scrapped: Kingman 8/11/45. LEADING LADY.
Last updated: 16. October 2019
17. February 2024 access_time 4:23
We have been watching Masters of the Air. I am reminded once again of the courage of these men, such as my father-in- law Lt. William Rodman, who was one of the pilots of this aircraft in WWII.
05. November 2024 access_time 1:20
That is my dad (Joseph C Accurso) in the photo. He is in the front row bent down 3rd from the left. He was a waist gunner on the Leading Lady flying 35 missions. He passed away 3 years ago at the age of 96. I too have been watching Masters of the Air. Can’t even imagine what they went thru. Would not want to be on one of those missions let alone 35. He went in at the age of 19. Greatest generation of all time. Boy I sure do miss him.
24. March 2024 access_time 15:42
My Dad was the waist gunner on the Leading Lady. he got his toes shot off and the story was on Lowell Thomas.
19. June 2024 access_time 8:27
I found in my grandfathers journal that he was asked to fly leading lady back to the US. It was going to be used to sell war bonds. They installed new engines, but Before he had that chance to fly it, another crew landed the plane and it “broke in half” at the end of the runway. So he had to take a troop ship back.