{"id":1833,"date":"2017-05-07T11:31:16","date_gmt":"2017-05-07T09:31:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/b17flyingfortress.de\/?post_type=b17database&p=1833"},"modified":"2021-02-28T12:50:17","modified_gmt":"2021-02-28T11:50:17","slug":"42-102560-the-thomper","status":"publish","type":"b17database","link":"https:\/\/b17flyingfortress.de\/en\/b17\/42-102560-the-thomper\/","title":{"rendered":"42-102560 \/ The Thomper"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Eyewitness Statement to the loss of 42-102560 ‘The Thomper’<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

B-17G 42-102560 piloted by 1st Lt. Wicker was first hit by flak in the fuselage near the bomb bay and the aircraft burst into flames. This occured at target at 1320 hours. At about 5000 feet below the formation the fuselage broke in half at almost the radio room. Two chute were seen to leave the aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Source: MACR 10840<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research about the picture<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This is a very famous picture of B-17G #42-102560 named \u201eThe Thomper\u201c with the hole in the right wing and the tail gunner is firing his guns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only the date of that picture was unknown. I couldn\u2019t find any sources which mention the date of that picture. Only known is the date of loss of \u201eThe Thomper\u201c. – 30 November 1944.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But I found it now. Because of the damage in the right wing, I was very sure, that \u201eThe Thomper\u201c will be under repair after returning. And it will not fly any combat mission for a while. So, I checked the mission history and I found a break between 07 October 1944 and 25 October 1944.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next, I checked the mission reports for 07 October 1944 and there it is in the mission report: \u201eThe hole is 5 ft. long and 2 ft. wide.\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With that result of research, I got the names of the men inside in this picture:<\/p>\n\n\n\n