B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 43-38208

History of
B-17 43-38208

Delivered Cheyenne 7/7/44; Kearney 18/7/44; Grenier 4/8/44; Assigned: 331BS/94BG [QE-X] Rougham 5/8/44; MIA Merseburg 7/10/44 Pilot: George Davies, Pete Matturo, Whitman Singletary, Fred Menefee, Mark Cordell, Henry Cawood, Lt Jack Lancaster {tg} (7KIA); Maj Alf Lambert, John Paulussen, George Cullen (3POW); Enemy aircraft set left wing on fire, crashed Wiehe, Germany. MACR 9553.

Last updated: 6. July 2022

B-17 43-38208 Details

Remarks to the loss of the B-17G 43-38208

At approximately (50°55’N 11°55’E), 12 minutes before the briefed I.P. was reached, enemy aircraft made sudden attacks on the Group of which this aircraft was a member. The Squadron in which the aircraft was flying bore the brunt of the attacks. About 50 to 60 S/E and T/E enemy aircraft comprised the attacking force. They were mostly Fw-190’s although a few ME-109’s and ME-210’s were observed. The attacks lasted for about 10 minutes and there were friendly fighters present, but not in sufficient numbers to give adequate protection. This aircraft was last seen in the vicinity of the I.P. going down with left wing on fire. Three (3) and four (4) chutes were observed near this aircraft but due to the extreme battle conditions prevailing, positive identification could not be made and no further information is known regarding this crew.

Source: MACR 9553

B-17 43-38208 Crew