zoom_in
Source:
www.fold3.com
Production-block:
B-17G-10-VE: 42-39958 to 42-40057
Manufacturer:
Lockheed/Vega
- Bomb Group:
- 305th Bomb Group
- 401st Bomb Group
- Bomb Squadron:
- 366th Bomb Squadron
- RCL: KY-G
Fate:
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History of
B-17 42-39992 / You’ve Had It !
Delivered Long Beach 26/10/43; ass 305BG Chelveston 21/1/44; Transferred: 401BG Deenethorpe 20/5/45; retUS 121 BU Bradley 9/6/45; 4168 BU Sth Plains 12/9/45; Scrapped: Kingman 29/11/45. YOU’VE HAD IT.
Last updated: 31. December 2018
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28. October 2021 access_time 0:52
Hi, great to see this photo of my father, Philip Winston Lawrence, LT USAAF. He spoke often of how my mother complained that he didn’t name the airplane after her, though he told her it was the crew’s decision. He also talked about the raid on Schweinfurt and other raids they made deep into Germany. A favorite story was the mission when a 20mm tracer round from an attacking ME-109 slammed up through the floor, shot between his legs, sliced up through his flight jacket and out the roof of the cockpit. “Damn Krauts,” he loved to joke, “burned up my brand new flight jacket!” Which he said he had had to stuff out the side window because it was on fire and filling the cockpit with smoke.
And the round never touched him. Or I wouldn’t be writing this.
Keep up the good work.
Any idea where I could get a copy of this photo? I’ve never seen it before. Dad passed away in 1992 and I didn’t get any of these mementos of his 25 missions.
Thank you, all the best
James C Lawrence
22. January 2024 access_time 20:48
my grandfater was the pilot
29. January 2024 access_time 6:43
My father is standing at the left. He was the copilot.
12. April 2024 access_time 16:42
Hi James,
It’s incredible to see the family member of another crew member of the “You’ve Had It!” here. As my cousin William said, Robert Price Massie is our great-grandfather, and our family is extremely proud of what he and the rest of the crew (your father!) accomplished during the war.
Thank you for sharing the story about the tracer round! I was pretty young when “Paw Paw” died, and so I don’t have many stories, but one legend we share in our family is that the image that scared him most was the thought of a bullet coming from below and hitting him. I believe at some point he had a steel plate made that he sat on for an extra layer of protection, not that it would have helped much. Now I know why he had reason to be afraid!
I would be honored to have a print of this photo made and shipped to you. We also have another photo of Robert getting the distinguished flying cross, which I believe your father is in as well, smiling broadly. If you’re interested, reply to this comment and we’ll figure out how to get in touch.