B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 42-97479 / Belle of Liberty

History of
B-17 42-97479 / Belle of Liberty

Delivered Cheyenne 28/11/43; Kearney 12/12/43; Cleveland 26/12/43; Presque Is 30/12/43; Assigned 327BS/92BG [UX-L] Podington 27/1/44; Damaged on the 6 March 1944 mission to bomb the ball-bearing plant at Erkner, in the outskirts of Berlin. Walsh crew. Battle damaged on mission to Kaiserlautern. 30/12/44 with Joe Van Stratton, Ed Porter, John Cowan, Chas Chambers, Tom Standish, Art Estrada, Harry Barner, Wilf Bedard, Bill White ; Koblenz Bullay Rail bridge, aborted due to engine failure. Decided to land at an RAF base at East Kirkby, Lincolnshire. One engine out and poor visibility, overshot the runway and started another circuit in the traffic pattern. A second engines prop wind milling, the plane was pulled up to clear a hill and stalled. The aircraft crashed 2 miles north of Kirkby and burned. (9 Killed in Action). Salvaged. BELLE OF LIBERTY.

Last updated: 12. July 2017

B-17 42-97479 / Belle of Liberty Details