Source:
www.forcedlandingcollection.se
| General | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Boeing |
| Production-Block: | , B-17G-40-BO: 42-97058 to 42-97172 |
| Operational History | |
|---|---|
| Bomb Group: | , 351st Bomb Group |
| Bomb Squadron: | , 509th Bomb Squadron |
| RCL | RQ-R |
| MACR | 6536 |
| Fate: |
, Lost by mechanical fault, interned (21 June 1944) |
| Missions: | 30 |
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History of
B-17 42-97144
Delivered Cheyenne 2/2/44; Gr Island 20/2/44; Presque Is 11/3/44; Assigned 509BS/351BG [RQ-R] Polebrook 26/3/44; Missing in Action {30m} Berlin 21/6/44 with Jerry Walters, Co-pilot: Lester Driggers, Navigator: John Kewalski, Bombardier: George Black, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Lew Freedman, Radio Operator: Bill Oliver, Ball turret gunner: Theo Duggan, Waist gunner: Leon Sandford, Waist gunner: Martin O’Malley,Tail gunner: Mike Marchese (10INT); mech fault, force landed Bulltofta, Swed; Missing Air Crew Report 6536.
Information may include corrections and additions based on Jing’s research.
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This page was last updated on 17 August 2018
25. January 2020 access_time 19:05
Theodore Duggan was my uncle. Thank you for posting this info.
21. June 2020 access_time 23:17
Lester Driggers was my great-grandfather!
04. May 2021 access_time 0:27
Lt. Jerry Walters – the commander and pilot – was my father. On the way to the target, the #3 engine failed over Denmark. After releasing its bombs on the target, which was a rail-yard in Berlin, an 88 mm anti-aircraft shell scored a direct hit on the #2 engine, which flew out of the B-17 in a ball of flames. The explosion ripped open the left-wing fuel tanks with flaming fuel gushing out. Flak hit and killed the #1 engine. The force of the explosion caused the B-17 to roll clockwise, and because of the sudden loss of power on the left wing, the one remaining engine – #4 – spun the B-17 counter-clockwise. Lt. Walters immediately took the B-17 out of this fiery two-axis spin and placed the B-17 into a dive from 27,000 feet. Seconds later the fire went out, but then two German fighters began firing at them and stayed with them north all the way to the Baltic Sea. Anti-aircraft fire from Copenhagen tore through the B-17. At Bitulfta they crashed landed with the right landing gear down with no brakes and the left landing gear up.
07. May 2023 access_time 23:00
Lester Driggers was my great grandfather as well. It’s fascinating you know the details of the crash. Thank you for sharing. 👏🏻