43-37681
Delivered 488BG Avon Park 11/5/44; MacDill 24/5/44; 327 BU Drew 3/8/44; W/O 3/8/44; Recl Comp 6/7/45.
The B-17G was the latst production model of the “Flying Fortress” and was manufactured in the greates numbers.
In effect, the B-17G was the B-17F with the powered Bedinx chin turret fitted under the nose section. Design modifications included the Minneapolis-Honeywell electric turbo-supercharger regulators allowing manifold pressure, or boost, to be controlled by one control knob for all four engines. the pilot no longer had to worry about over-revving turbines or having to constantly tweak power controls to stop oil in regulator lines becoming sluggish. Another major difference was that the waist gunners were given anenclosure that protected them from the icy temperatures of high altitude with the position of the guns staggered to give them more room to manoeuvre. The tail gun position was also improved allowing a wider field of fire, a reflector sight, and hand held guns.However, the new model B-17 also experienced its own operating difficulties. When fired at maximum elevation, the chin turret guns had a tendency to crack the plexiglass nose; a problem was solved by fitting blast barrels to each gun. The oil cooler regulator often failed to operate and could result in complete engine seizure. The ability to feather the propeller blades, in event of engine failture, was lost in the B-17G because the standpipe that held back sufficient oil to work the feathering tank was sacrificed in the quest for a lighter aircraft. This was a major design error and meant that, by the winter of 1943, the lack of feathering was a major reason for bomber loss. Urgent request were made by Groups for special modifications kits but it was only in September 1944 that B-17G’s arrived with these modifications built-in.
Another serious problem on the B-17G was the lack of an engine fire extinguisher system. Designers had believed that it was ineffective so had left it out of the new model. In reality, the system had worked well and it was requested by Bomber Groups that it be re-introduced as soon as possible.
The B-17G was still tail heavy with the same centre of gravity problems as earlier models. However, by May 1944, when long-range fighter esort was effective defensive protection, gunners were not as busy as before and it was decided that one waist gunner be dispensed with. The radio romm gun, the least used in action, was got also rid of and the quanity of ammunition carried reduced. All these measures brought the centre of gravity nearer th a more acceptable position. In the las month of the war, when there was little enemy fighter activity, some Combat Wings flew without waist guns, ball turrets or chin turrets. Operational reports revealed an estimated 25mph increase in airspeed with the improved streamlining. In this period of the war flak batteries were a greater hazard than fighters and unneccesary gunner armor plate was removed to be replaced with laminated steel and canvas plates called “flak curtains”.
In total, the 8th Air Force received 6,500 B-17G’s. In March 1945, it could send 2,370 of them into combat operations. At the end of the war a total 1,301 B-17G’s had been shot down or reported missing in action.
Delivered 488BG Avon Park 11/5/44; MacDill 24/5/44; 327 BU Drew 3/8/44; W/O 3/8/44; Recl Comp 6/7/45.
Delivered Hunter 21/9/44; Grenier 2/10/44; Assigned 601BS/398BG [3O-J] Nuthampstead 16/10/44; 602BS [K8-J]; RAF Valley 1/6/45; Returned to the USA Bradley 6/6/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 9/6/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Kingman 14/12/45.
Delivered Cheyenne 22/2/44; Amarillo 20/3/44; Alexandra 27/3/44; 332 BU Lake Charles 5/10/44; 221 BU Alexandra 6/10/44; 329 BU Alexandra 1/3/45; 302 BU Hunter 30/3/45; 329 BU Alexandra 13/6/45; 330 BU Dyersburg 24/6/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Walnut Ridge 18/12/45.
Delivered Cheyenne 22/8/44; Lincoln 1/9/44; Grenier 11/9/44; Assigned 334BS/95BG [BG-B] Horham 13/9/44; 6m, Missing in Action Cologne 17/10/44 with Arvil McCulley, Co-pilot: Jean Ericson, Navigator: Joe Kunze, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Andy Sweeney, Radio Operator: Bob Owen, Ball turret gunner: Ray Peck, Waist gunner: Wilhelm Hussong,Tail gunner: Sam Jelsomeno (8 Prisoner of War); Bombardier: Bill Kehoe (Killed in Action); flak hit #1 and #2 engine, left wing ablaze, dropped out of formation, jettisoned bombs and lost height rapidly before becoming obscured from sight, crashed Cologne, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 9471. STORMY WEATHER
Delivered Lincoln 11/10/44; Dow Fd 26/10/44; Assigned 429BS/2BG Amendola 7/11/44; Missing in Action Regensburg 5/2/45 with Maurice Porter, Co-pilot: Don Fishback, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Chas Smith, Ball turret gunner: Chris Fredrickson (4 Prisoner of War); Navigator: John Skoba (Killed in Action); Bombardier: John Olinik, Radio Operator: Ken Hoffman, Waist gunner: Arden Lannigan, Waist gunner: Glen Machnovec,Tail gunner: Franklin Wartman (5INT); no gas, crash landed Bludenz, near Alps Plazer, Switz; Missing Air Crew Report 12063.
Delivered Dallas 12/9/44; Hunter 5/10/44; Dow Fd 23/10/44; Assigned 337BS/96BG [AW-K] Snetterton 26/10/44; RetUS, Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Walnut Ridge 5/1/46.
Delivered Denver 26/11/43; Kearney 12/12/43; Presque Is 19/12/43; Assigned 457BG Glatton 23/12/43; transferred 571BS/390BG [FC-O] Framlingham 23/12/43 HAP’S HAZARD; Missing in Action Boulogne 5/6/44 with Earl Armstrong, Ball turret gunner: Paul Ortega (2 Killed in Action); Co-pilot: Dan Johnson, {no nav}, Bombardier: Don Baker, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Everett Ludwig, Radio Operator: Harry Clark, Waist gunner: Basil Coats, Waist gunner: Tom Richey,Tail gunner: Bill Norrod (7 Prisoner of War); flak burst in bomb bay, crashed Dargnies, six miles E of Le Treport, Fr. Missing Air Crew Report 5481. MAIRZY DOATS aka BERLIN EXPRESS.
Delivered Tulsa 15/4/44; Ft Myers 27/4/44; 2118 BU Buckingham 2/6/44; 2126 BU Laredo 1/2/45; 2137 BU Hendricks 1/10/45; 2126 BU Laredo 4/10/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Walnut Ridge 12/10/45.
Delivered Tulsa 2/2/44; Grenier 5/3/44; Assigned: 96BG Snetterton 13/3/44; 550BS/385BG [SG-N] Gt Ashfield 12/3/44; MIA Munich 13/7/44 Pilot: Bob Turner, Ken Daniels, George Allen, Bob Dewey, Dave Disbrow, Chester Pawelczak, Myron Caulkin, Arthur Brooks, Alf Hanson, Art Dassow (10INT); flak, forced landing Dubendorf, Switz. MACR 7490. Returned to US: 1103 BU Morrison 22/8/45; Scrapped: Walnut Ridge 18/12/45.
Delivered Cheyenne 10/4/44; Hunter 27/4/44; Dow Fd 10/5/44; Assigned 346BS/99BG Tortorella 19/5/44; in base taxi accident with Dick Schildmeyer 24/2/45; {97m} Salvaged 26/4/45; WEARY WILLIE.
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