B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 43-38501 / Sweet Chariot

History of
B-17 43-38501 / Sweet Chariot

Delivered Cheyenne 10/8/44; Kearney 21/8/44; Grenier 7/9/44; Assigned 546th Bomb Squadron, 384th Bomb Group, Squadron Code BK-C, Grafton Underwood on 23 September 1944; Missing in Action on a mission to Pilsen, Czecho. on 25 April 1945 with Andrew Gordon Lovett, Stanley Frank Kloss, Milton J. Haney (3 evaded capture); Donald John Unger, Conrad W. Brown, Louis V. Froelinger, Robert j. Blasé, Walter Arthur Carney (5 Prisoner of War); shot down by flak, crashed near Pilsen, CZ. Missing Air Crew Report 14317. SWEET CHARIOT.

Last updated: 25. April 2020

B-17 43-38501 / Sweet Chariot Details

Dictated statement by 2Lt Lovett

We got hit by flak approximately five minutes after we dropped out bombs. We received three good hits. The first knocked out #3 engine and started a fire in the #2 engine. The second hit knocked out #1 and #4 engines. The third burst wounded the navigator and knocked out all our instruments. We started to drop fast so decided to bale the crew out at approximately 1500 feet. The crew baled out north of Albersford and the co-pilot and myself circled Albersdorf and landed on a heading of 90 degrees right in the middle of the town on a hill aside.

We left the aircraft immediately for fear of it blowing up and we took off into the woods. About ten minutes later, we went back to the scene of the crash to see if we could get any equipment. However, when we came pretty close to the plane we saw Wehrmacht personnel in the vicinity and we did not proceed any further. However, all secret equipment in the ship had been destroyed.

2Lt. Andrew G. Lovett
Pilot

Brief statement by S/Sgt. Milton J. Haney, Tail Gunner

I was in the waist position throwing out everything I could get my hands on. The ball turret gunner, Sgt. Carney, Looked at me and said, “Bail out”. We all went into the bomb bay and guess we were all pretty scared. I just snuggled down in the bomb bay and dove out, pulling the rip cord immediately which gave me a little shock. I looked around and saw the ship making a 180 degree turn in the opposite direction. I also saw four other men come out of the ship but did not see their chutes open. Just about that time I hit the ground. I saw no more of the aircraft.

S/Sgt. Milton J. Haney
Tail Gunner#

B-17 #43-38501 was the last lost of the 384th Bomb Group during Word War Two.

B-17 43-38501 / Sweet Chariot Crew

Related web sites about the B-17 43-38501 / Sweet Chariot

1. http://www.leteckabadatelna.cz/havarie-a-sestrely/detail/43/