Production-block:
B-17G-50-VE: 44-8101 to 44-8200
Manufacturer:
Lockheed/Vega
- Bomb Group:
- 463rd Bomb Group
- Bomb Squadron:
- 772nd Bomb Squadron
MACR: 9080
History of
B-17 44-8118
Delivered Dallas 14/6/44; Langley 6/7/44; Dow Fd 7/8/44; Assigned 772BS/463BG PFF Celone 11/8/44; Missing in Action Bologna 12/10/44 with Bill Winters, Co-pilot: Irving Kipper, Navigator: Louis Martinich, Bombardier: Warren McCoy, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Dave Cloud, Radio Operator: Federo DeTunno, Ball turret gunner: Hiram Kiser, Waist gunner: Doug Johnson, Waist gunner: Tom Madden,Tail gunner: Phil Daily (10 Prisoner of War); flak, crashed Ruffeld; Missing Air Crew Report 9080.
Last updated: 21. March 2019
14. October 2025 access_time 19:19
I found a report of this plane that crashed in 1944 near Bologna in Italy where I live… do you have any information on this?Thanks.
17. October 2025 access_time 22:44
The plane was bombing Bologna on October 12, 1944, in support of the US Fifth Army advance on the city. It was called Operation Pancake, with 698 medium and heavy bombers escorted by 160 fighters dropping 1,294 tons of bombs in the biggest single raid on any Italian town, with 300 to 600 civilians killed and 402 buildings destroyed and 845 damaged. The 463rd BG sent 36 B-17s to bomb a German camp near the town, scoring a number of hits. Thirty seconds before bomb release, however, 1Lt Winters’ ship (44-8118) was hit by flak and the bombs were salvoed before the plane fell down and to the left some 2,000ft until it leveled off. It continued losing altitude as the whole crew bailed out southwest of the town. Someone on Facebook apparently has a picture of the plane: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10160258788777819&set=gm.10160750693097728&idorvanity=9261317727