B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 42-97137 / Silver Queen

History of
B-17 42-97137 / Silver Queen

Delivered Cheyenne 30/1/44; Kearney 16/2/44; Presque Is 28/2/44; Assigned 751BS/457BG [F] Glatton 9/3/44; Missing in Action Pas de Calais (Gorenflos) 20/4/44 with Walt Milner, Co-pilot: Capt Bob Ensmenger, Navigator: John English, Bombardier: Ed Cannon, Radio Operator: Lyle Johnson, Ball turret gunner: Helner Beck, Waist gunner: Alton Schaffner, Waist gunner: Ralph Haldiman (8 Killed in Action); Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Jerome Fogleman,Tail gunner: Lt Carl Gamblin (2 Prisoner of War); flak burst hit ship, crashed Bailleul, four miles S of Abbeville, Fr; Missing Air Crew Report 4058. SILVER QUEEN.

Last updated: 8. April 2024

B-17 42-97137 / Silver Queen Details

Aircraft 42-97137, flying number 2 position in 457th „B“ Box, got a direct hit from an anti-aircraft-gun-fire shell. The ship seemed to explode between Ball Turret and Radio Room. As the plane fell out of formation in a dive, the Waist Gunner in our ship (42-31520, flying no. 4 position) noticed two men blown clear of the plane, with no chutes. The crippled ship fell for about 2,000 feet and then it broke in two between the Ball Turret and Radio Room.

No fire was noticed and none of the crew on our ship saw any chutes. The ship was not observed hitting the ground.

Approximate location of crash was seven miles south-east of Abbeyville, France.

2Lt. Charles R. Hunnicutt
Navigator

Source: MACR 4058