B-17E | B-17 Bomber Flying Fortress – The Queen Of The Skies

The first of the “Big Ass” B-17’s arrived England to equip the US 8th Air Force in July 1942. All the planes had been modified with enlarged gun windows and 0.50-calibre guns on either side of the nose. Further modifications were made to them after they were operational including work on the radio, bomb rack, lighting, oxygen, extinguisher and survival systems. By the time the B-17E had been shipped across the Atlantic, newer models were already coming off the Boeing production line. In fact, the B-17E was only on full combat status for just over two weeks before the appearance of the B-17F’s

The B-17E was not used in great numbers for combat because the F model was so different in performance that it made joint operations, using both planes unlikely. The B-17E took a back seat and was eventually esed as a trainer, a transport and a target-tower. With its armaments removed it could give better handling and speed.

Random B-17E from database

41-9124 / Buzz King

Delivered Boise and Assigned 358BS/303BG [VK- ] 20/4/42; Lowry 29/5/42; Assigned 98BS/11BG Hawaii 7/6/42; transferred 31BS/5BG; bombed on Henderson Fd by Japanese fighter ‘Washing Machine Charlie’ 23/3/43. Salvaged. BUZZ KING.

41-9130

Delivered Boise 303BG 21/4/42; Salt Lake City 12/5/42; Wendover 9/8/42; ex-Topeka, Ks, with Harry Schirmer made emergency landing Biggs Fd, Tx 25/11/42; Salvaged.

41-9222 / Knuckle Head aka Li’l Nell

Delivered Cheyenne 23/5/42; Assigned 431BS/11BG Hawaii 5/6/42 as KNUCKLE HEAD, then 26BS; transferred 23BS/5BG and re-named; retUS 21/10/43; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Altus 4/10/45. LI’L NELL.

41-2517

Delivered Ogden 23/1/42; Cheyenne 15/2/42; RCAF Dorval 19/3/42; Gander-Prestwick 6/4/42 with Don Ross RAF [FK188]; 59 Sq (TR- ) Thorney Is 15/12/42, damaged by taxiing Hampden 30/12/42; was at Marshalls of Cambridge under repair for six months before assigned Lagens, Azores [ -Z, then W, 9/44] (220 Sq (ZZ-L) Benbecula 20/8/43; 519 Sq Wick, Scotland;) landed after engine failure 18/4/45; not repaired and Struck Off Charge 10/9/45.

41-9217 / Fiji Foo

Delivered Cheyenne 22/5/42; Assigned 431BS/11BG Hawaii 7/6/42; then 26BS; Missing in Action 19/2/43 with Capt Smith. FIJI FOO. (movement card shows – retUS Tinker 16/6/43; Patterson 19/2/44; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Altus 18/9/45). {a US website shows aircraft Assigned 28FS/6FG and with George Haney in landing accident at Tontouta, New Caledonia, 27/10/43).

41-9029 / Fennel vs Rommel

Delivered MacDill 17/3/42; W Palm Beach 30/3/42; Assigned 7BG Singosari, Java /42; then to Asanol, India with Maj M. Fennell; Written off 21/11/45. FENNEL vs ROMMEL.

41-9192

Delivered MacDill 92BG 12/5/42; Lockbourn 29/2/43; Recl Comp 17/2/45.

41-9151

Delivered Geiger 301BG 25/4/42; Lowry 31/5/42; Assigned 42BS/11BG Hickam, Hawaii 7/6/42; transferred 13AF Poppy Henderson Fd 22/7/42; shot down over Choiseul Bay, Bougainville 1/2/43 with Maj Earl O. Hall (Sqd CO), Co-pilot: Joaquin Castro, Navigator: Frank Stern, Bombardier: Jim Bales, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Paul Adler, Radio Operator: Jim Stephens, Francis Banasiak, Jesse Olmstead, Martin Grady. Missing Air Crew Report 15093.

41-9089 / Johnny Reb

Delivered: Sarasota 15/4/42; Assigned: 414BS/97BG Polebrook 4/42; on first 8AF mission 17/8/42 Pilot: Richard Starks, Bombardier: E.T. Sconiers{both wia}, rest unknown}; co-pilot Lt Don Walter KIA, the first 8AF heavy bomber fatality of WWII; Transferred: 92BG Bovingdon 24/8/42; 96BG Snetterton as tow target ship in /43; Recl Comp 27/11/45. JOHNNY REB.

41-2629

Delivered MacDill 7/3/42; Assigned 340BS/97BG Polebrook 3/42; transferred 305BG Grafton Underwood 5/11/42; transferred 326BS/92BG [JW-M] ; Bovingdon 100BG Thorpe Abbotts as station hack & tow target /43; was parked at Thorpe Abbotts when damaged in taxi accident by 42-3472 (100BG) 24/4/45; Returned to the USA 121 BU Bradley 5/7/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Altus 6/8/45.

B-17 Bomber Flying Fortress – The Queen Of The Skies B-17E

“Big Tail”