B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 42-97456 / Mighty Little John

History of
B-17 42-97456 / Mighty Little John

Delivered Cheyenne 21/11/43; Salt Lake City 8/12/43; Wendover 11/12/43; Assigned: 751BS/457BG [Q] Glatton 26/1/44; MIA Gaggenau 10/9/44 Pilot: Milton Passmore, Co-Pilot: Germany. ld Essen, Bombardier: Milton Long, Engineer / Top Turret Gunner: Herman Taylor, Radio Operator: Wade Henson, Ball Turret Gunner: Elmer Abel, Waist Gunner: Jim Fauls, Waist Gunner: Glen Seeber (8KIA); Navigator: Page, Tail Gunner: Chimerinsky (2POW); mid air coll w/42-97451, cut in half and crashed continent. MACR 15928. Salvaged. MIGHTY LITTLE JOHN.

Last updated: 7. August 2021

B-17 42-97456 / Mighty Little John Details

Mid-air-collision with B-17 #42-97451 Nancy K. on 10 September 1944.

MACR 15928 states following:

AC #42-97456 broke in two either just behind radio compartment, by rear door or behind tail wheel. Front part of plane went down like falling leaf and exploded on ground. After collision and break-of of aircraft, Sgt. Jacob Z. Chimerinsky, tail gunner, bailed out of the tail at about 16,000. 2nd Lt. Jerome W. Page, navigator, bailed out of the front part through the escape hatch at about 5000 feet and after some difficulty in opening hatch. Lt. Page says waist gunner and ball turret were in waist at time of accident. Lt. Page says their bodies were found and that he identified them. Lt. Page says American soldiers saw the accident and told him they saw only two chutes and one possible body which fell without a chute. Both Lt. Page and Sgt. Chimerinsky believe no one parachuted to safety except themselves. AC #42-97456 was flying #6 in low squadron of high box and A/C #42-97451 was flying #3 in same squadron. #42-97451 was in position. Sun glare apparently caused #42-97456 to pull up suddenly. Collision of the two A/C resulted.

B-17 42-97456 / Mighty Little John Crew