B-17 Bomber Flying Fortress – The Queen Of The Skies
B-17E
“Großer Hintern”
Die ersten Maschinen vom Typ B-17 mit dem “großen Heck”” kamen in England im Juli 1942 an, um die 8th Air Force auszurüsten. Sie waren mit größeren Seitenfenstern und 0,50-Kaliber-MGs auf beiden Seiten des Bugs ausgestattet. Nach ihren ersten Einsätzen wurden weitere Veränderungen an der Funkanlage, der Bombenaufhängung, am Beleuchtungs-, Sauerstoff-, Lösch sowie am Rettungssystem vorgenommen. Als die ersten B-17E über den Atlantik geschifft wurden, verließen bereits neuere Modelle die Fertigungsstraßen von Boeing. Vor Eintreffen der B-17F befand sich die B-17E ganze zwei Wochen in voller Gefechtsbereitschaft. Die B-17E wurde nie in großer Zahl im Gefecht eingesetzt, denn die Leistungsunterschiede zu den neuen F-Modell waren so groß, dass sie gemeinsame Operationen beider Typen unwahrscheinlich machten. Die B-17E trat in den Hintergrund und wurde schließlich nur noch als Trainer, Transporter oder Zielschlepper eingesetzt. Ohne Bewaffnung war sie leichter zu handhaben und erreichte höhere Geschwindigkeiten.
Werbung/Advertisement
Zufällige B-17E aus der Datenbank
Delivered Salt Lake Strategic Arms Depot (SAD) 20-Nov-41; Assigned 42BS/11BG 15-Dec-41; Hickam Field, HI 22-Jul-42; shot down and ditched Doma Cove, near Henderson Field, Guadalcanal 24-Sep-42 with Capt Charles E. Norton, Co-pilot: Bruce Barker, Navigator: Leo Eminger, Bombardier: Jim Mathewson, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Bill Hotard, Radio Operator: Peter Novak, Ball turret gunner: Fred Croyle, Waist gunner: Bruce Osborne,Tail gunner: Ed Carroll (9KIA*); at least two inc. possibly Norton and Osborne, who were executed, the latter’s bones found by Seebees Jan/44. Rest* probably drowned after impact. BESSIE THE JAP BASHER. Missing Air Crew Report 15098. Never served in the UK.
Delivered Geiger 301BG 1/5/42; Lowry 31/5/42; Assigned 26BS/11BG Hawaii 7/6/42; transferred 13AF Poppy 22/7/42; Written off 31/10/44.
Delivered Cheyenne 26/5/42; Wayne 30/6/42; Dorval 1/7/42; Gander-Prestwick 12/7/42 with Dillon Teel, to RAF [FL453]; 206 Sq (VX-A) Benbecula, Scot. 30/7/42; detailed on sub sweep 6/10/42 with Jack Delarue, Co-pilot: Jim Jaeger, Ref Robinson, John Taplin, John Guppy (5 Killed in Action); David Coutts. Jim Hunt (2 Returned to Duty); aircraft stalled avoiding FL457 and crashed into sea off base. Remains still visible at low tide..
Delivered Barksdale 8/2/42; MacDill 2/3/42; with Harry Beasley force landed Drew Fd, FL 17/3/42; Boise 18/8/42; March 15/11/43; Tinker 4/2/43; Gowen 24/2/43; Lockbourn force landed Corrinne, UT due to engine fire with Paul Dorney 17/3/43; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Altus 9/10/45.
Assigned 341BS/97BG 3/42; courier trip to N.Africa 18/12/42; transferred 327BS/92BG (UX-V) Bovingdon 27/8/43; 482BG Alconbury 27/8/43; 95BG Horham as tow target & hack; 94BG Rougham 10/11/43; Returned to the USA 4136 BU Tinker 22/5/44; Recl Comp 9/2/45.
Delivered Minneapolis 7/3/42; Assigned 435BS then 28BS/19BG Hawaii 5/5/42; damaged by flak, ditched 50 yards offshore south Buna followed by explosion 14/9/42 with Gilbert E. Erb*, Navigator: John Twilley* (wia), Bombardier: Rich Tennant, Assigned Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Sherland Pixley, (4 bailed Returned to Duty); Co-pilot: Chas Watson, ;ettg-Francis Hewitt, Radio Operator: Rich Howell,Tail gunner: Rich Tennant (4 Killed in Action); Ed Schneider,Tail gunner: Billy May (2 Prisoner of War); two bailed* and made it to shore, four bailed, two made POW and two picked up by natives and taken to Aussies, +wg remains were found and later recovered. Written off 31/10/44.
Delivered Salt Lake Strategic Arms Depot (SAD) 1-Dec-41; Assigned 19BG Hawaii 27-Dec-41; (shot down, date unknown ?) Guatemala 15-Apr-42; Returned to the USA (RETUS) Tinker, OK 25-Jun-42, Reconstruction Finance Corporation(RFC) (sold for scrap metal in USA) Altus, OK 20-Aug-45. Never served in the UK
Delivered Sebring 5/5/42; damaged in landing accident at Hendricks 4/2/43 with John Gimpering; Amarillo 17/3/43; Brookley 28/6/43; Hendricks 12/7/43; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Albuquerque 16/6/45.
Delivered Sebring 26/3/42; MAD Olmstead, PA, with Roland Hudson 15/6/42; Hendricks 19/3/43; Williams 14/1/44; La Junta 6/4/44; Written off 19/9/44. Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Walnut Ridge 7/12/45.
Delivered Geiger 301st Bomb Group 1/4/42; Alamogordo 18/6/42; Westover 2/7/42; Las Vegas 26/7/42; Roswell 6/6/43; Lockbourn 19/7/43; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Altus 9/10/45.
![B-17E im Flug // Wikipedia Commons [Public Domain]](https://b17flyingfortress.de/cms/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Color_Photographed_B-17E_in_Flight-1024x672.jpg)
