B-17 Flying Fortress B-17 44-8557

History of
B-17 44-8557

Delivered Cheyenne 17/10/44; Hunter 6/11/44; Dow Fd 3/12/44; Assigned 748BS/457BG [T] Glatton 15/1/45; 751BS; battle damaged Rosenheim, Ger 18/4/45 with Bill Thistle, Co-pilot: Joe Taylor, Navigator: Craig Winters, Bombardier: Roy Truba, Radio Operator: Lou Domato, Ball turret gunner: John Taylor, Waist gunner: Harvey Henkel, Waist gunner: Luther Smith,Tail gunner: Bill MacIntosh (9 Prisoner of War); Flight engineer/top turret gunner: John Miller (Killed in Action) ; flak, crash landed Freising, Ger; Missing Air Crew Report 14183. Salvaged & repaired 9AF, Returned to the USA 2/11/45; Salvaged 10/6/46.

Last updated: 18. April 2022

B-17 44-8557 Details

Meagre inaccurate flak was encountered in the vicinity of I.P. at 4729N-1207E. Number 4 engine was smoking. Aircraft was not out of control.

At 1428 hours, about 2 minutes after the group had encountered far in the vicinity of the I.P., and while at 4737N-1218E on the bomb run to the number 1 target (Traunstein), A/C 557 jettisoned its waist door. Then four to six chutes were seen to come from the A/C.

After the chutes come from the A/C, it peeled off to the left in a 180 degree turn, dropped its bombs and closed its bomb bay.

A/C 557 was flying deputy lead, lead squadron.

Source: MACR 14183

B-17 44-8557 Crew