B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 43-38868

History of
B-17 43-38868

Delivered Hunter 30/9/45; Grenier 11/10/44; Assigned: 728BS/452BG Deopham Green 13/10/44; MIA Parchim, Germany. 7/4/45 Pilot: Bill Richardson, Hjalmer Molner, Bob Renaud, Jack Kennedy, Jim Satterfield, John Loveless, Newell Snarr, Julius Albavich {tg}(8KIA); Vance Urban, Robert Pearce {rcm} (2POW); rammed by Sonderkommando Elbe Me109, crashed Hamburg, Ger. MACR 13888.

Last updated: 6. April 2024

B-17 43-38868 Details

Following statement obtained by S-2 Section, 452nd Bomb Group (H), at interrogation after return of mission:

Aircraft 43-38868 was hit by fighters on the first attack. Several minutes afterwards this straggling plane was again under attack when another ME-109 that was out of control crashed into the B-17 between the left waist and tail, splitting the plane in two.

The aircraft had already been aflame in the nose. The ME-109 crashed into it at 1321 hours, just after the I.P. The plane dove out of formation for about 3,000 feet and blew up.
Only 2 chutes were seen.

Source: MACR 13888

Remark to the crew

S/Sgt. Robert W. Pearce, was assigned to B-17 44-8634 / Ida Wanna in MACR 14184. Which is incorrect. He and S/Sgt. Stephen A. Kiss were switched or changed aircraft at the last moment.

The crew list below is the corrected listing.

B-17 43-38868 Crew

Related web sites about the B-17 43-38868

1. https://www.fieldsofhonor-database.com/index.php/en/american-war-cemetery-margraten-a/45685-aibavich-julius-w