{"id":1348,"date":"2017-05-05T10:00:47","date_gmt":"2017-05-05T08:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/b17flyingfortress.de\/?post_type=b17database&p=1348"},"modified":"2025-01-10T22:13:07","modified_gmt":"2025-01-10T21:13:07","slug":"43-37877","status":"publish","type":"b17database","link":"https:\/\/b17flyingfortress.de\/en\/b17\/43-37877\/","title":{"rendered":"43-37877"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Direct hit by flak after bombs away about 13:15 set the right wing on fire, stretching back to the tail, burning off the horizontal stabilizer. Plane flipped over on its back and down, the wing coming off shortly after. Only the bombardier and navigator in the nose were able to escape before the plane broke up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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B-17G #43-37877 wing on fire<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Eyewitness Statements to the loss of B-17 #43-37877<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Just after bombs away CP AA fire, at first inaccurate, gradually came closer until about 3 bursts seemed to hit this A\/C which blew it up about 50 feet. It then settled down momentarily, but a fire broke out in the tail and burned the horizontal stabilizer away. It rolled on its back and went into a spin. Some other observers reported that one engine was on fire, and that a wing came off in the spin, and the A\/C exploded at low altitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Four chutes were possibly seen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Source: MACR 11154<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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