B-17 Bomber Flying Fortress – The Queen Of The Skies Latest entries in the database

Delivered Denver 24/7/43; Dyersburg 15/8/43; Assigned 813BS/482BG [PC- ] Alconbury with Oboe Mk I radar 9/9/43; transferred 325BS/92BG Podington 20/2/44; crashed on take off for Alconbury 9/3/44 with Bill Webb, Co-pilot: Henry Berg, Navigator: Herman Haasis, Bombardier: John Dexter, ett-Ira Burkhart, Radio Operator: John Richicio, Ball turret gunner: Ed Fereck, Waist gunner: Bob Foster, Waist gunner: Tom Campbell,Tail gunner: Elmer Littleton (10 Killed in Service); crashed Glebe Farm, Farndish, Beds. Salvaged.

Delivered Cheyenne 9/2/44; Kearney 27/2/44; Grenier 2/4/44; Assigned 325BS/92BG [NV-D] Podington 15/4/44; Missing in Action Munich 16/7/44 with Bob Huettel, Navigator: Ed Stuart, Bombardier: Haskell Rubin, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Silas Gill, Ball turret gunner: Tom McNeil[wia], Waist gunner: Sam Williams,Tail gunner: Joe Dieken (7 Prisoner of War); Co-pilot: Dick Bagg (chute failed to completely open), Radio Operator: Jack Schuh (2 Killed in Action); enemy aircraft, crashed Nuremburg; Missing Air Crew Report 7566. BATTLE BABY.

Delivered Langley 21-Oct-39; 9BG Rio Hato, Panama 3-Jun-41; 74BS/6BG Santa Lucia 24-Oct-41; Howard Fd, CZ, 22-Mar-42; Salinas, Ecuador 4-Jul-42; force landed base with Harrison Christy 10-Jul-42; Salvaged 7-Jan-44. This aircraft never served in comabt and was never posted to the UK.

Delivered Cheyenne 9/2/44; Kearney 27/2/44; Grenier 5/3/44; Assigned 547BS/384BG [SO-D] Grafton Underwood 24/3/44; Missing in Action Schweinfurt 13/4/44 with Verlyn Tollisen, Co-pilot: Dana White, Navigator: Willis Fitzsimmons, Bombardier: Roy McGinnis (4 Killed in Action); Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Bob Patterson, Radio Operator: Beryl Coffman, Ball turret gunner: Simon Velasquez, Waist gunner: Earl Friess, Waist gunner: Elmer Threet,Tail gunner: Hubert Davis (6 Prisoner of War); enemy aircraft, exploded and crashed Elmshausen, near Reichenbach, Ger; Missing Air Crew Report 3872.

Delivered Geiger 6/11/42; Pierre 25/2/43; Rapid City 29/4/43; Geiger 22/6/43; Spokane 13/8/43; 325 BU Avon Park 9/4/44; 801 BU Pope Fd 27/4/44; 325 BU Avon Park 25/5/44; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Altus 6/9/45. THE SAD SACK.

Delivered Langley 16-Oct-39; Assigned Tucson, TX 2-Feb-42; with Harry Hawthorne, crashed Milford, near base 6-Feb-42. Salvaged 14-May-42.This aircraft never served in combat and was never posted to the UK.

Assigned 369BS/306BG [WW-F] Westover 30/8/42; Thurleigh 13/10/42; (tran 367BS [GY-F]); Missing in Action Bremen 17/4/43 with Capt Bill Casey, Co-pilot: Ed O’Brien, Navigator: Bill Owens, Bombardier: Jim McCracken, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Wilson Elliott (5 Prisoner of War), Radio Operator: Lewis Ayscue, Ball turret gunner: Joe Borzym, Waist gunner: Morris Gecowets, Waist gunner: Frank Stetler,Tail gunner: Chas Raidline (5 Killed in Action); enemy aircraft KO’d three engines, crashed dyke near Greetsiel, Ger.; Missing Air Crew Report 15445. BANSHEE II.

Delivered Cheyenne 16/6/44; Kearney 27/6/44; Grenier 8/7/44; Assigned 486BG Sudbury 11/7/44; no ops, transferred 836BS/487BG [2G-D] Lavenham 12/7/44; hit while parked in a taxi accident by 44-8611 22/1/45; Salvaged 23/1/45.

Delivered Lincoln 6/8/44; Bangor 12/8/44; Grenier 17/8/44; Assigned 325BS/92BG [NV-F] Podington 26/8/44; transferred 838BS/487BG [2C- ] Lavenham 28/10/44; Salvaged 9AF Germany 10/5/46.

Delivered Langley 5-Oct-39; 36BS/28BG Ladd Fd; with Chas Bockman force landed MacDill 9-Sep-41; transferred Geiger Fd, Wright Fd, with T.K. McGehee, crashed Nucla,CO near Lovelock, NV en route (8 Killed in Service), 9-Feb-42. Salvaged 26-Feb-42. This aircraft never served in combat and was never posted to the UK.

Delivered Cheyenne 9/9/42; New Castle 14/10/42; Assigned 306BG Thurleigh 7/8/43; transferred 360BS/303BG [PU-I] Molesworth 25/9/43; Returned to the USA Miami 7/5/44; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Kingman 2/11/45. BELLE OF SAN JOAQUIN.

Delivered Cheyenne 20/11/44; Hunter 9/12/44; Dow Fd 31/12/44; Assigned 524BS/379BG [WA-H] Kimbolton 19/1/45; transferred 457BG Glatton 9/5/45; Salvaged 9AF Germany 10/5/46.

B-17B 39-216 was delivered March 28-Sep-39; It was assigned to the Cold Weather Test group at Ladd Fd 4-Oct-40. (Serial number 38-216) crashed into a mountain near Havelock, Nevada on 6 Feb 41, killing the entire crew. The plane was on a mission from Ladd to Wright-Patterson Field , Ohio, by way of Sacramento Air Depot. The pilot was Capt. R. S. Freeman. Freeman Road in Fairbanks was named for him.

Delivered Cheyenne 13/6/44; Kearney 23/6/44; Dow Fd 9/7/44; Assigned 837BS/487BG [4F-F] Lavenham 11/7/44; battle damaged Rechlen 25/8/44 with ?; crew unknown, (10 Returned to Duty); crash landed base, UK; Salvaged 27/8/44.

Delivered Denver 4/3/44; Hunter 7/4/44; Dow Fd 21/4/44; Assigned 602BS/398BG [K8-S] Nuthampstead 3/5/44; with Shimek force landed continent on 8/1/45 and after repairs re-ass 2/3/45; (61m) Missing in Action Kassel 9/3/45 with Willard Jacobs, Bombardier: Percy Paget, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Forest Smith, Radio Operator: John Lamar, Ball turret gunner: Bill Motter, Waist gunner: Geronimo Terres,Tail gunner: Carl Poston (7 Prisoner of War); Co-pilot: Henry Hardenberg (evaded capture); Navigator: Gene Clinesmith (Killed in Action); flak, crashed Fritzlar, SW of Kassel, Ger; Missing Air Crew Report 12962.

Delivered Long Beach 21/5/43; Denver 2/6/43; Morrison 8/6/43; Assigned 96BS/2BG Chateau-du-Rhumel 9/6/43; Ain M’Lila 17/6/43; Massicault 31/7/43; {6m} transferred 352BS/301BG Oudna 14/11/43; Cerignola 7/12/43; Lucera 1/2/44; {43m with 301} to depot 3/44; crashed 8/12/44.

Delivered Lincoln 28/10/44; Grenier 7/11/44; Assigned 32BS/301BG Lucera 18/11/44; Missing in Action Vipiteno 20/4/45; Flak, crashed Merano; Missing Air Crew Report 14029.

Delivered March 6-Nov-39; 36BS/28BG Cold Weather Test at Ladd Field (Alaska) 12-Oct-40; participated against Japanese raids on Dutch Harbor and air battles over Umnak Pass 5-May-42; with Capt Marvin Walseth, Sgt Nelson, rest unknown (6 Killed in Action) crashed SW end of Umnak Is. on return from Weather recon over Kiska,18-Jul-42; all six KIA. Never posted to UK.

Delivered Long Beach 8/3/43; Denver 13/3/43; Memphis 8/4/43; Dow Fd 15/4/43; Assigned 95BG Alconbury 27/4/43; transferred 545BS/384BG [JD-V] Grafton Underwood 28/6/43; transferred 423BS/306BG [RD-T] Thurleigh 22/8/43; Missing in Action Bremen 8/10/43 with Dean Rodman, Bombardier: Norman Sansom [386BS], Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Clifton Barber, Waist gunner: Bob Downing,Tail gunner: Jack Koetter (5 Prisoner of War); Co-pilot: Morris Cook, Navigator: John Garland, Radio Operator: Urban Hupfer, Ball turret gunner: Bill May, Waist gunner: Martin Mitosinka (5 Killed in Action); flak KO’d two engines, crashed Goldenstedt, ten miles NE of Vechta, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 869.

Delivered Cheyenne 20/2/43; Salina 5/3/43; (?from Presque Is with P.H. Best force landed Meeks Fd, Iceland 30/4/43?); Assigned 353BS/301BG St Donat 17/6/43; Missing in Action {7m} San Giovanni 16/7/43 with Bob Fonner, Ayles, Grossman, Dilbert, Beene, McIntyre (6 Killed in Action); Geno, Jackson, Arnold (3 Prisoner of War); crashed Reggio de Calabria. Missing Air Crew Report 209.