Source:
www.457thbombgroup.org
| General | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Boeing |
| Production-Block: | , B-17G-65-BO: 43-37509 to 43-37673 |
| Delievered: | Cheyenne |
| Operational History | |
|---|---|
| Bomb Group: | , 457th Bomb Group |
| Bomb Squadron: | , 750th Bomb Squadron |
| MACR | 9634 |
| KSU/ME/KU: | KU-1058A & KU-3119(?) |
| Fate: |
, Lost by flak/aa-fire (17 October 1944) |
History of
B-17 43-37606 / Big Time Operator
Delivered Cheyenne 4/5/44; Hunter 18/5/44; Dow Fd 4/6/44; Assigned: 750BS/457BG [L] Glatton 7/6/44; MIA Misburg 17/10/44 Pilot: Norman Chapman, Engineer / Top Turret Gunner: Marshall Windham, Radio Operator: Bob Brady, Ball Turret Gunner: Jim Dixon, Waist Gunner: Joe Budich, Tail Gunner: Carl Weibel (6POW); Co-Pilot: Ray Mills, Navigator: Ken Johnson, Bombardier: Oliver Wicks (3KIA); flak, crashed Flammersheim [KU-11058A], Germany [21km south-west of Bonn]. MACR 9634. BIG TIME OPERATOR.
Information may include corrections and additions based on Jing’s research.
B-17 43-37606 / Big Time Operator Details
Moderate to intense, fairly accurate flak.
[Aircraft] Apparently hit by flak; one burst reported under each wing near fuselage, but no damage noted.
Aircraft was apparently not out of control. It did a sharp back to right, causing the two wing men to turn with it, until they realized it was leaving formation. Aircraft did about a 180-degree turn and left formation in glide. No smoke or fire seen.
Source: MACR 9643
KU-1058A & KU-3219
Two locations given in MACR 9634 respectively KU-1058A and KU-3219.
B-17 43-37606 / Big Time Operator Crew
| Position | Rank | Name | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 1LT | Norman M. Chapman | POW | - |
| CP | 2LT | Raymond K. Mills, Jr. | KIA | - |
| NAV | F/O | Kenneth H. Johnson | KIA | - |
| BOMB | 2LT | Oliver W. Wicks | KIA | - |
| ENG/TT | S/SGT | Marshall T. Windham | POW | - |
| RO | T/SGT | Robert T. Brady | POW | - |
| BT | S/SGT | James R. Dixon | POW | - |
| WG | SGT | Joseph M. Budlich | POW | - |
| TG | S/SGT | Carl M. Weibel | POW | - |
This page was last updated on 22 March 2026
26. May 2025 access_time 16:49
The crash site is NOT near Prüm in the southern part of the Eifel, it is Kesternich in the Huertgen Forest (northern part of the Eifel). There are some more pictures of the snow covered aircraft and some summer images of 1946. It even exists a newspaper article from the 2020s dealing with a farmer of Kersternich who used parts of the aircraft in his barn.
M. Cremer, LtCol
18. March 2026 access_time 2:50
I am the son of Kenneth H. Johnson, navigator on BTO. I would love to see more pictures if anyone has their location on the web. I thought the crash site was near Aachen. Any further information would be greatly appreciated.
Kenneth Johnson