They say it gets darkest before it becomes light, and that’s a good way to describe World War II for the Allies in 1942. Pearl Harbor had been attacked on Dec. 7, 1941, drawing the United States into the conflict. Stunned by the attack, Americans began mobilizing for war. On Jan. 28, 1942, the Eighth Air Force was formed at Savannah, Georgia.
While mobilization was gaining momentum, the Axis were expanding their territory. In North Africa, the Germans and Italians forced the British out of Benghazi (January 21). On February 15, the Japanese captured Singapore, and two months afterward on April 9, the U.S. and Filipino armies on the Bataan Peninsula surrendered. Forces on Corregidor held out until May 6 when they, too, surrendered. It looked like the Axis were unstoppable. The outlook for the Allies was indeed dark.
But one victory led to another for the Allies, beginning with the May 4–8 Battle of the Coral Sea when the American aircraft carriers USS Yorktown (CV-5) and USS Lexington (CV-2) faced off in the first naval battle in which surface ships never fired at each other. All of the action took place between ship-launched American and Japanese aircraft. Although many consider the action a draw, the Battle of the Coral Sea put an end to Japanese plans for an invasion of Australia. The United States lost the carrier Lexington, the destroyer USS Sims (DD-409), and the oiler USS Neosho (AO-23), and the Japanese saw the light carrier Shoho, one transport, two destroyers, and a light cruiser sent to the bottom during the engagement. This battle was followed one month later on June 4 with the American victory over the Japanese during the Battle of Midway. The Japanese lost four aircraft carriers (Akagi , Hiryu, Kaga, and Soryu) and the cruiser Mikuma, while the United States lost only the USS Yorktown and the destroyer USS Hammann (DD-412).
On July 2, the first B-17 arrived in England, flown across the Atlantic Ocean under Operation Bolero. In this first stage of the American buildup of air groups, 119 B-17s (92nd, 97th, and 301st Bomb Groups), 164 P-38s (1st and 14th Fighter Groups), and 103 C-47s (60th and 64th Troop Carrier Groups) were flown across the Atlantic Ocean. Thousands more would follow. On August 17, 12 B-17s of the 97th Bomb Group, led by Gen. Ira C. Eaker in B-17E 41-9023 Yankee Doodle, attacked the railroad marshaling yards at Rouen-Sotteville, France. By October 9, the Eighth Air Force was able to muster more than 100 heavy bombers for a raid on the industrial areas of Lille, France. The first P-47 Thunderbolts arrived in England on Christmas Eve 1942, ready to escort bombers across the channel and into Nazi-occupied territory.
The first Eighth Air Force raid inside Germany took place on Jan. 27, 1943, when fifty-five B-17s attacked the naval base at Wilhelmshaven. A combination of sixty-four B-17s and twenty-seven B-24s were launched on the raid, but the B-24s were unable to find the target because of weather, and only fifty-five of the B-17s were able to drop in the target area, with two of the B-17s dropping on Emden. Two Liberators and one Flying Fortress were lost on the raid.
On May 14, 1943, the Allies had driven Axis forces out of North Africa with the surrender of the Afrika Korps in Tunisia the day before. Also on May 14, the Eighth Air Force sent 198 bombers to attack the port city of Kiel. Three days later, the crew of the Memphis Belle were credited as having finished their combat tour of twenty-five missions. Simultaneously, on the night of May 16–17, British Bomber Command Lancasters from 617 Squadron carried out Operation Chastise, breaching Germany’s Möhne and Eder dams and flooding parts of the heavily industrialized Ruhr Valley.
In June, the 100th, 381st, and 384th Bomb Groups, all equipped with B-17s, joined the Eighth Air Force, flying their first mission on June 22. While three B-17 groups stood up, three groups of B-24s (44th Bomb Group, 93rd Bomb Group, and 389th Bomb Group) were sent to North Africa for the August 1 attack on the oil fields at Ploesti, Romania. The three bomb groups would return to England and the Eighth Air Force on Sept. 8, 1943.
August 1943 saw the Luftwaffe take a heavy toll on Eighth Air Force aircraft. On August 17, 315 bombers flew across Germany to attack the ball bearing factories at Schweinfurt (230 B-17s from the 1st Combat Wing) and the Messerschmitt Bf 109 factory at Regensburg (4th Combat Wing). Losses amounted to 36 aircraft for the 1st Combat Wing and 24 for the 4th Combat Wing: a total of 60 bombers and more than 600 men on a single mission. The 1st and 4th Combat Wings also flew the Eighth Air Force’s first mission against V-weapon targets when 224 bombers were dispatched to hit Watten, France. More than 360 general-purpose 2,000-pound bombs were dropped on the site with a loss of 4 B-17s.
In September 1943, the first of many thousands of P-51 Mustangs arrived to escort Eighth Air Force bombers on missions. Later that month, the first blind bombing mission for the Eighth was flown on September 27, when 308 B-17s were dispatched to attack the port city of Emden. Two H2S radar-equipped pathfinder Flying Fortresses led the way, with 246 planes dropping their bombs on target.
The Eighth Air Force returned to attack the ball bearing factories at Schweinfurt on October 14, losing sixty bombers in the process. Known as the “Second Battle of Schweinfurt,” the raids on the area’s ball bearing factories reduced output by 66 percent of prewar production levels and forced the Germans to distribute production sites. The following day, the Eighth’s first P-38 fighter group, the 55th Fighter Group, achieved operational status.
Three major raids in November saw the Eighth Air Force attack Wilhelmshaven and the heavy-water production plants and airfields in Norway. The raid on Wilhelmshaven on November 3 marked the Eighth’s first raid of more than five hundred bombers dispatched to attack the U-boat facilities in this port town. It was also the first time the Eighth’s Pathfinder Force used H2X radar to bomb a target.
In the final month of 1943, the Eighth Air Force’s strength grew, culminating in the December 13 attack on the port cities of Bremen, Hamburg, and Kiel. And on Christmas Eve, 670 bombers were dispatched to attack 23 V-weapons sites along the English Channel.
By the end of 1943, enough men and aircraft had arrived at Eighth Air Force bases to demonstrate that the principles of sustained strategic bombardment could be used to cripple the warfight capabilities of an antagonist nation.
B-17F 41-24579 Thumper from the 360th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, was one of seventy-three Flying Fortresses attacking the submarine pens and other port targets at Lorient, France, on Jan. 23, 1943. Hit by antiaircraft fire, Thumper limped back to Molesworth under the control of pilot 1st Lt. John A. Castle and copilot 2nd Lt. Kent M. Fitzsimmons. Over their home base, all of the crew except for the pilots bailed out. The parachute of right waist gunner Staff Sgt. Billie L. Staner failed to open and he was killed. Castle and Molesworth successfully belly-landed the bomber at Lulsgate Bottom Airfield. The remaining crew returned to duty and Thumper was scrapped. USAAF
B-17F 42-5225 was assigned to the 323rd Bomb Squadron of the 91st Bomb Group at Bassingbourn on Feb. 8, 1943. Christened Stormy Weather, the bomber was heavily damaged during the March 4, 1943, raid on the marshaling yards at Hamm, Germany. Rebuilt, the bomber was given the new name of V-Packette. Back in combat, 42-5225 failed to return from the Aug. 17, 1943, Schweinfurt raid, crashing at Balen, Belgium. Eight of the crew were killed; bombardier 2nd Lt. Harold H. Hammond was taken prisoner and navigator 2nd Lt. Edgar J. Yelle evaded capture. USAAF
First Lt. H. E. Miller, standing inside the tail, was flying behind B-17F 41-24610 during the May 1, 1943, attack on the shipyards and submarine pens at Saint-Nazaire, France, when an Fw 190 nearly blew off the aircraft’s tail. After the fighters had gone away, Miller remarked that the hole was so large he could walk through it. After 1st Lt. Donald E. Stockton limped 41-24610 home to the 303rd Bomb Group’s field at Molesworth, Miller demonstrated that he could actually walk through the hole. USAAF
First Lt. Willard C. Roemke’s Douglas–built B-17F 42-3085 Helno Gal was heavily damaged during the May 21, 1943, raid on the U-boat pens at Wilhelmshaven, Germany. The 331st Bomb Squadron, 94th Bomb Group, B-17 was belly-landed at North Weald and subsequently scrapped. USAAF
While 95th Bomb Group armorers were loading ten 500-pound bombs with one-second delay nose fuses into the bomb bay of B-17F 42-29685 on May 27, 1943, something went terribly wrong. The bombs exploded, instantly killing eighteen men and seriously injuring twenty-one more, one of whom succumbed to his injuries days later. In addition to vaporizing 42-29685, the bombs destroyed three other aircraft. This is where 42-29685 was parked during the loading procedure. Note the deep hole and the trailer off to the left loaded with B-17 wreckage. USAAF
The explosion occurred at the left side of the frame. In all, four 412th Bomb Squadron planes were destroyed in the accident. Parked next to the explosion aircraft was B-17F 42-29808 (fuselage code QW-Q) with B-17F 42-29706 (QW-W) Passion Flower to the right. USAAF
This aerial view shows the distance from the explosion aircraft to the third bomber as being less than 500 feet. The pressure wave and shrapnel from the bomb wrecked 42-29706 Passion Flower. Here, armorers are unloading Passion Flower’s bomb load onto a trailer. USAAF
Photo 1 of 2: The plane parked closest to 42-29685 was B-17F 42-29833, which caught fire in the explosion’s aftermath, completely destroying the bomber. USAAF
Photo 2 of 2: The plane parked closest to 42-29685 was B-17F 42-29833, which caught fire in the explosion’s aftermath, completely destroying the bomber. USAAF
From the left side, 42-29706 looks like it survived the blast intact and could be readied for a mission. The right side, however, tells a different story—the bomber’s back is broken at the junction of the radio room and the bomb bay, and the wings and fuselage have been holed by shrapnel. The bomber was salvaged for parts and eventually scrapped. USAAF
B-17F 42-29808 was ripped to shreds during the explosion. The damage to the bomb bay doors is very unusual, and it appears that heavy pieces of the exploding bomber impacted the sides of ’808’s fuselage. USAAF
First Lt. Jack Mathis, right, a twenty-one-year-old bombardier from San Angelo, Texas, flying with the 359th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, was the first airman to be awarded the Medal of Honor in the European Theater of Operations. Mathis is shown with (from left to right) Capt. Joseph Strickland, Capt. P. G. Moore, and Lt. Col. Eugene A. Romig, all from the 303rd Bomb Group. Mathis received the Medal of Honor for bombing the U-boat pens at Vegesack, Germany. He was fatally wounded by flak during the bomb run, released his bombs on target, then died seconds later. USAAF
On June 8, 1943, 1st Lt. Jack B. Painter and 2nd Lt. Everett B. Ragan and crew were ferrying 381st Bomb Group B-17F 42-30020 from Bovingdon to Ridgewell. After the landing rollout, many early Flying Fortresses were suffering main gear retractions when the landing gear retracting mechanism’s drive shaft and shaft keys sheared off. More than a hundred bombers were heavily damaged when these failures occurred; the problem wasn’t addressed until March 1944, when new drive shafts were shipped to the Eighth Air Force. This B-17 was salvaged for parts. USAAF
B-17F 42-29797 Old Ironsides from the 401st Bomb Squadron, 91st Bomb Group, lost its right horizontal stabilizer during the June 11, 1943, mission to “The Big B”—Berlin—when a bomb was dropped from the aircraft above. The bomber was able to make it back to the 91st Bomb Group’s home at Bassingbourn. Eleven days later, on June 22, Old Ironsides was attacked by fighters during the raid on the synthetic rubber factory at Huls, Germany. Unable to make it across the English Channel, pilot 1st Lt. Buster Peek ditched the bomber near the Dutch coast. Tail gunner Staff Sgt. Evert Lindberg drowned; the remaining nine crew were rescued and returned to duty. USAAF
This unidentified B-17F was part of the armada that attacked the Fieseler aircraft plant at Kassel, Germany. The bomber was struck by a German 8.3-inch rocket under the top turret. The flight crew was able to limp the bomber back to base where this photo was taken. USAAF
Returning from the attack on Kassel, a tailless Flying Fortress goes down in flames south of Dunkirk, France, most likely taking ten men with it. In the foreground is B-17F 42-5914 Roger Wilco, built by Douglas in Long Beach, California, from the 549th Bomb Squadron, 385th Bomb Group. Roger Wilco was lost on the Aug. 17, 1943, mission to bomb the Messerschmitt factory at Regensburg, Germany. USAAF
Photo 1 of 2: Another casualty of the raid on the Fieseler factory was the 91st Bomb Group, 323rd Bomb Squadron’s B-17F 42-30157 Hell’s Belle. Hit by flak when crossing the Dutch coast, pilot 2nd Lt. Donald S. Van Der Heyde and copilot 2nd Lt. Donald Primeau turned back to Bassingbourn. With the brakes shot out, the bomber careened past the end of the runway and ended up in a ditch bordering a corn field. The crew was unscathed and the bomber was salvaged. USAAF
Photo 2 of 2: Another casualty of the raid on the Fieseler factory was the 91st Bomb Group, 323rd Bomb Squadron’s B-17F 42-30157 Hell’s Belle. Hit by flak when crossing the Dutch coast, pilot 2nd Lt. Donald S. Van Der Heyde and copilot 2nd Lt. Donald Primeau turned back to Bassingbourn. With the brakes shot out, the bomber careened past the end of the runway and ended up in a ditch bordering a corn field. The crew was unscathed and the bomber was salvaged. USAAF
BOMBER ESCORTS: EXPERIMENTING WITH THE B-40 AND B-41
In 1942 and 1943, as the Army Air Forces took the fight deeper and deeper into Axis territory, German Bf 109s and Fw 190s were extracting a heavy price in men and aircraft on every raid. The Army Air Forces needed a fighter that could escort bombers to and from the target.
At this point in the war, the only Army Air Force fighters escorting the bombers were P-38 Lightnings and P-47 Thunderbolts. Royal Air Force Supermarine Spitfires had been flying escort for the American daylight bombers while the American force was assembled, trained, and shipped to the United Kingdom; however, Spitfires had an extremely short range and were not suitable for escorting bombers to targets deep in Germany.
When the Thunderbolts joined the fray in May 1943, they were capable of escorting the bomber formations to most coastal targets in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and back—about 175 miles from base to target and return. In July 1943, Thunderbolts received 75-gallon drop tanks, which extended their escort radius to 230 miles. It was not until February 1944, when two 150-gallon wing tanks were added, that the P-47’s escort range was extended to 475 miles, enabling them to escort bomber formations as deep as the synthetic oil factories at Magdeburg, Germany. When not having to shepherd the bombers, P-47s could fly greater distances on fighter sweeps and were able to destroy a large number of aircraft as well as targets on the ground. North American P-51 Mustangs began flying escort duties beginning in January 1944. In March 1944, P-51s were equipped with two 108-gallon wing tanks, enabling them to escort bombers on 850-mile missions.
While the single-engine bomber escort was being sorted out in 1942–43, the Army Air Forces decided to experiment with upgunned B-17s and B-24s. The idea was to remove the bomb load, increase the number of guns and the amount of ammunition carried, and add additional armor plate. To the Germans, the bomber escorts would look like regular Flying Fortresses and Liberators, but as the Fw 190s and Bf 109s got closer, they’d be in for a surprise. The bomber escort B-17s and B-24s would, in theory, be flown at the front, sides, and rear of the formation, in the most vulnerable positions. These bombers could increase the firepower of the formation and reduce the effectiveness of the enemy’s fighters.
The first of the modified bomber escorts was Boeing–built Flying Fortress B-17F 41-24341. It was modified by Lockheed Aircraft at Burbank, California, with two power-operated twin 0.50-cal. waist gun mounts manufactured by United Shoe Machinery Corp., a twin 0.50-cal. machine-gun Bendix chin turret, and a Martin 250CE (two 0.50-cal. machine guns, cylindrical, electric) top turret added in the radio room to supplement the bomber’s existing Sperry top turret. Dubbed the XB-40, for a standard mission it was to carry eleven thousand rounds of ammunition with the capability to carry an additional six thousand-round overload if needed.
The XB-40 underwent tactical trials at the Army Air Forces Proving Ground Command, Eglin Army Air Field, Florida. In the final report, dated Dec. 5, 1942, the Proving Ground Command recommended the bomber for further development with the proviso that the waist positions be staggered and that additional armor plate be provided to protect the crew during frontal attacks. Flight testing showed that the fully loaded XB-40 cruised at the same speed as a fully loaded B-17F, although the XB-40’s rate of climb was 10 percent less. If the ball turret was retracted, the XB-40 was 4 miles per hour faster in cruise.
The recommendations from the Proving Ground Command led to a prototype program, designated the YB-40, with twenty Vega–built B-17Fs transferred to Douglas Aircraft’s Tulsa, Oklahoma, facility for modification. An additional four B-17s were converted to TB-40 trainer configuration. After modification, thirteen YB-40s departed the United States between May 8 and 18, 1943, for operations with the 92nd Bomb Group at Alconbury, England. Following local familiarization flights and more training, the YB-40s flew their first combat mission on May 29, 1943, to bomb the submarine base at Saint-Nazaire, France. Bombers on that mission dropped 277 bombs, each weighing 2,000 pounds, and covered 1,000 miles during six hours of flying time. Of the eight YB-40s dispatched, one aborted the mission because of mechanical failure, and only four were able to return to Alconbury; the remaining three ran short of fuel and landed at alternate fields. After this mission, a number of deficiencies in the YB-40’s armament were discovered, including the need to re-rig the ammunition feed chutes and to change the location of the ammunition feed booster motors and connections to make the guns more reliable. After these changes were incorporated, the YB-40s flew thirteen more missions.
Only one YB-40 was lost during combat trials with the 92nd Bomb Group. On the June 22 mission to bomb the synthetic rubber plants at Huls, Germany, YB-40 42-5737 Wango Wango was hit by antiaircraft, starting fires in the number one and four engines. The bomber lagged behind the formation and was finished off by Fw 190s near the Dutch border. Five of the crew bailed out shortly after the engine fires started, and the other men parachuted to safety before the plane went down. All ten crewmembers were taken prisoner.
After flying combat missions, it was determined that the heavily armed YB-40s were only 10 percent more effective than standard B-17s at combating enemy fighters, and that once the B-17 formation dropped its bombs and became lighter, the heavier YB-40s lagged behind. From the YB-40 program, the Bendix chin turret was recommended for installation on all future Flying Fortresses.
The last of the fourteen YB-40 missions was flown on July 28, 1943, to Kassel, Germany; the program was subsequently terminated and the bombers sent stateside. (Three YB-40s, including 42-5736 Tampa Tornado and 42-5741 Guardian Angel, were transferred to the 91st Bomb Group, and 42-5739 Lufkin Ruffian saw service with the 303rd, 379th, and the 384th Bomb Groups.)
LIBERATOR BOMBER ESCORT
While the XB-40 and YB-40 program was underway, a San Diego–built Consolidated B-24D Liberator, 41-11822, was converted to XB-41 bomber escort configuration. The modification included the addition of a Bendix chin turret, Motor Products tail turret, additional Martin upper turret, and power-operated United Shoe Machinery Corp. M5 waist gun mounts. The bomber had the capacity to carry fifteen thousand rounds of 0.50-cal. ammunition.
Once tested at the Proving Ground Command at Eglin Field, it was determined that the XB-41 was 15 miles per hour slower than a B-24D, had a greatly decreased rate of climb, a service ceiling of only 22,000 feet, and would not fly above 25,000 feet with the new ammunition load. Flying in formation with other B-24s, the XB-41 required 4 to 5 more inches of manifold pressure and an additional 150 propeller rpms to maintain position. The increased power settings consumed fuel at a greater rate, thus limiting the XB-41’s range. In addition, the XB-41’s center of gravity was dangerously aft—more than 37 percent of the mean aerodynamic chord—with anything greater than 35 percent considered extremely dangerous; this impacted the bomber’s flying characteristics and placed high negative loads on the tail surfaces. After concluding the tests, the Proving Ground Command recommended that development of the XB-41 be canceled.
With both the YB-40 and the XB-41 canceled, bomber crews would have to wait until the P-51 Mustang arrived in large numbers for long-range escorts capable of flying deep into the heart of Germany.
The Lockheed Vega factory at Burbank, California, modified B-17F 41-24341 into the XB-40 bomber escort. A Bendix chin turret was added to the nose, a Martin upper turret was fitted into the radio room, twin power-operated waist guns replaced the single, handheld waist guns, and the tail turret was modified with better protection for the gunner and an M5 power-operated gun mount. The XB-40’s success led to a further development order for the YB-40. USAAF
Starboard side view of a YB-40 on the ramp at the Douglas Aircraft modification center at Tulsa, Oklahoma. The standard single waist gun has been replaced with a United Shoe Machinery Corp. M5-powered gun mount, and a Martin 250CE upper turret has been installed in the Flying Fortress’ radio room. Note the modification to the turtle deck between the Martin and the Sperry top turrets. The YB-40s did not carry any bombs; instead, the bomber escort carried eleven thousand rounds of 0.50-cal. ammunition. USAAF
Three YB-40s, including 42-5736 Tampa Tornado, on the ramp at Bassingbourn, England, on May 15, 1943, before this type entered combat trials with the 92nd Bomb Group. YB-40s flew fourteen missions over Nazi-occupied territories and Germany with only one aircraft lost. The bomber escort concept was deemed unsuccessful and the aircraft were returned stateside and flown as trainers for the duration of the war. USAAF
Consolidated Aircraft converted B-24D 42-11822 into the XB-41 prototype with the addition of a Bendix chin turret, a second upper turret, power-operated twin waist guns, and a new tail turret. The modified aircraft had an aft center of gravity, which made it dangerous to fly. In addition, it was slower and could not climb as fast or as high as standard B-24s. The program was terminated after this experiment. USAAF
Returning from a mission to Kassel, Germany’s Fieseler factory, B-17F 42-5813 Jackie Ellen of the 525th Bomb Squadron, 379th Bomb Group, wasn’t able to make her home field at Kimbolton. Pilot 2nd Lt. William C. Breiner and copilot 2nd Lt. Richard Jones set the bomber down in a field three-quarters of a mile north of Alconbury. None of the crew were injured, but the bomber was scrapped. Note the twin 0.50-cal. nose guns installed above the bombardier’s window to increase the bomber’s forward firepower. USAAF
Photo 1 of 2: While parked at Chelveston, B-17F 42-29508 Southern Comfort Jr. from the 364th Bomb Squadron, 305th Bomb Group, had a fire in the number four engine carburetor that quickly engulfed the right outer wing panel, which can be seen on the ground. The bomber was scrapped. USAAF
Photo 2 of 2: While parked at Chelveston, B-17F 42-29508 Southern Comfort Jr. from the 364th Bomb Squadron, 305th Bomb Group, had a fire in the number four engine carburetor that quickly engulfed the right outer wing panel, which can be seen on the ground. The bomber was scrapped. USAAF
B-17F 42-29996 Flagship was part of the 407th Bomb Squadron, 92nd Bomb Group, stationed at Alconbury. The bomber arrived in England on April 24, 1943, and is seen after returning from the August 18 attacks on the ball bearing factories at Schweinfurt, Germany. Technical Sgt. Paul R. Taylor peers through the shattered nose window above, where a 20mm round exited the aircraft. When it exited, it cut off the crew’s oxygen supply. Sergeant Taylor was not part of the aircraft’s crew on Nov. 16, 1943, when Flagship went down over the coast of Norway. The entire crew parachuted from the bomber; the bombardier evaded capture and returned to England, but the remaining nine crew members became POWS. USAAF
A B-17 goes down on fire in the vicinity of Schweinfurt, Germany. Attacked by Fw 190s, this burning Flying Fortress was lost on the Aug. 17, 1943, mission. This aircraft is thought to be B-17F 42-5069 Our Gang from the 401st Bomb Squadron, 91st Bomb Group, which crashed near Koblenz, Germany. All ten crew members became POWs. USAAF
Seven P-47 Thunderbolts from the 350th Fighter Squadron, 353rd Fighter Group, departed Metfield on Sept. 5, 1943, with 1st Lt. Harold W. Long flying 42-8475. The flight was en route to Biggin Hill for ground control intercept (GCI) training when the weather closed in. Lieutenant Long’s P-47 ran out of fuel; he bailed out too low and was killed. His aircraft, shown here, impacted in a field near Washford Reservoir. Also during the flight, Capt. Irving Venell Jr. in P-47D 42-7956 became disoriented and crashed into a house on Jail Lane in Biggin Hill. USAAF
Returning from the Sept. 15, 1943, raid on the airfield at Romilly-sur-Seine, France, B-17F 42-5910 Hell-Cat was short on fuel and landed at Hawkinge, unable to make its home field at Chelveston. The 365 Bomb Squadron, 305th Bomb Group, Flying Fortress swerved on landing, causing major damage. Note the number three engine and nacelle hanging from the wing. USAAF
This 390th Bomb Group Flying Fortress had a seven-month combat career with the 570th Bomb Squadron. B-17F 42-30246 Spot Remover arrived at Framlingham on July 14, 1943, and suffered this gear-up landing on Sept. 21, 1943, after attacking the Beauvais/Tille Airfield in France. Five months later, the bomber ran short of fuel on Feb. 20, 1944, returning from a raid on Rostock, Germany. The entire crew was taken prisoner. USAAF
On Sept. 18, 1943, 2nd Lt. Francis J. Hajosy from the 352nd Fighter Squadron, 353rd Fighter Group, was on a familiarization flight out of Metfield. Fifty minutes into the flight, he was returning to Metfield when he slowed too much on approach and the fighter stalled, killing him. USAAF
The October 14 raid on the ball bearing industry in Schweinfurt, Germany, was very costly in terms of men and aircraft. Capt. Gordon S. Burlingame belly-landed P-47D 42-22482 Stinky Poo from the 352nd Fighter Squadron, 353rd Fighter Group, upon returning to his home strip at Metfield. USAAF
Also returning from the Schweinfurt mission was 2nd Lt. Robert C. Peters in P-47D 42-7908 from the 350th Fighter Squadron, 353rd Fighter Group. Lieutenant Peters and forty-nine other Thunderbolts escorted the bombers from mid-channel to their turn-back point. On the way back to base, Peters crashed at Thrift Farm, Herongate, Essex. USAAF
Only small pieces are left of B-17F 42-30863 My Devotion after returning from bombing the marshaling yards and oil refinery at Gelsenkirchen, Germany, on Nov. 5, 1943. Struck by flak over the target, pilot Robert E. Bohne and copilot William L. Chamberlain struggled to bring the plane back to England. Over North Suffolk they gave the order to bail out, and all ten of the crew made safe landings and returned to duty. With no one at the controls, My Devotion nosed over; struck the ground at College Farm, St. Cross South Elmham, Harleston, Suffolk; and exploded. USAAF
Photo of the crew of B-17F 42-30863 My Devotion prior to the fateful Nov. 5, 1943, mission to Gelsenkirchen. My Devotion was part of the 563rd Bomb Squadron, 388th Bomb Group. Back row (left to right): pilot Flight Officer Robert E. Bohne, copilot Flight Officer William Degtive, bombardier 2nd Lt. William L. Mangum, and navigator 2nd Lt. Horold D. Bellmer. Front row (left to right): tail gunner Staff Sgt. Maurice W. Carlson, radio operator Technical Sgt. Lovell L. Southon, engineer and top turret gunner Technical Sgt. William J. Hannigan, right waist gunner Staff Sgt. Salvatore J. Cavallaro, left waist gunner Staff Sgt. Robert L. Allman, and ball turret gunner Staff Sgt. James C. Arthur. Copilot Degtive was not on the Nov. 5, 1943, flight, as he was replaced by Maj. William L. Chamberlain. USAAF
Ford Willow Run–built B-24H 42-7713 The Merry Max was assigned to the 715th Bomb Squadron, 448th Bomb Group, but never flew a combat mission. Second Lt. William F. Ferguson landed short at East Wretham Airfield en route to the modification center at Watton on November 26. The Merry Max was stripped of all useable parts and then scrapped. USAAF
B-17F 42-30005 from the 546th Bomb Squadron, 384th Bomb Group (fuselage code B-KA), earned her nickname Salvage Queen when the bomber overran the runway at Grafton Underwood after returning from bombing Bremen, Germany, on Nov. 26, 1943. Salvage Queen was salvaged for parts. USAAF
On Dec. 5, 1943, 452 B-17s and 96 B-24s were dispatched to attack French port and airfield targets. On takeoff from Deenethorpe Airfield, B-17G 42-39825 Zenobia El Elephante 2 from the 613th Bomb Squadron, 401st Bomb Group, was caught in the preceding aircraft’s wing tip vortices and stalled, skidding though a farmyard. All ten men of 1st Lt. Walter B. Keith’s crew walked away from the crash. Emergency responders evacuated nearby civilians; thus, no one was injured when the Flying Fortress’ bomb load exploded twenty minutes later, blasting the aircraft to pieces. USAAF
CAPTURED EIGHTH AIR FORCE AIRCRAFT
In aerial combat there are going to be losses. Depending on how the aircraft is damaged, the crew could bail out immediately if necessary (resulting in an uncontrolled crash), limp an aircraft home, make for a neutral country, or crash-land in an open field. If enough aircraft fell in a given area, this would provide substantial material to reassemble a plane. Both sides of the air war made concerted efforts to repair and rebuild enemy aircraft. From this intelligence gathering exercise, an air force could learn the state of an enemy’s aerodynamic and weapons technology, the flight envelope of an aircraft, and how to defeat its defensive capabilities such as armor plating, self-sealing fuel tanks, and weaponry.
The Germans acquired tons of crashed aircraft wreckage as the air war pushed farther and farther in from the English Channel. On Dec. 12, 1942, the Luftwaffe scored a huge intelligence coup in the aftermath of the Allied raid on the marshaling yards at Rouen-Sotteville, France. Seventy-eight B-17s were dispatched to bomb targets around Romilly, but the target was obscured and the formation went on to its target of last resort at Rouen-Sotteville. Only two B-17s were lost on the raid, both from the 303rd Bomb Group. B-17F 41-24582 One O’Clock Jump from the 358th Bomb Squadron crashed en route to the target, with the ball turret and right waist gunner perishing; five other crewmembers became POWs and three evaded capture.
The second aircraft lost that day was B-17F 41-24585 Wulfe Hound, from the 360th Bomb Squadron, flown by 1st Lt. Paul F. Flickinger. While en route to the target, Wulfe Hound was attacked by fighters east of Paris. Flickinger left the bomber formation and headed for the 303rd Bomb Group’s base at Molesworth. The bomber never made the English Channel, and Flickinger made a belly landing in a French field. Four of the crew were captured; the six others evaded capture and made their way back to England through Spain.
Wulfe Hound was only lightly damaged and was made airworthy by German maintenance crews. The bomber was then ferried to the experimental station at Rechlin, Germany, for refurbishment and evaluation. From here, the captured Flying Fortress was used to evaluate and modify German fighter tactics.
In all, the Germans are known to have captured, rebuilt, flown, and evaluated sixteen B-17s, seven B-24s, and three P-47s belonging to the Eighth Air Force, among various other Allied aircraft types.
Boeing–built B-17F 41-24585 Wulfe Hound from the 360th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, based at Molesworth, England, was the first Flying Fortress captured relatively intact. The aircraft was refurbished and flown to show German fighter pilots how to attack the bomber and increase their kill rate. Note that Wulfe Hound was flown by the Germans without a ball turret, which was probably destroyed in the bomber’s belly landing. STEVE BIRDSALL COLLECTION
Photo 1 of 2: P-47D 42-22490 Beetle (fuselage code YF-U) was flown by 2nd Lt. William E. Roach on Nov. 7, 1943, supporting B-17s attacking industrial targets just inside the German border at Wesel (north of Düsseldorf), Düren (southwest of Cologne), and Randerath (west of Cologne). Lieutenant Roach flew as an alternate with the 358th Fighter Squadron, 355th Fighter Group, from Steeple Morden.
According to Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) number 1281, it is believed that Lieutenant Roach put down because of fuel starvation. Beetle was captured by the Germans later that day at Caen, France, and Lieutenant Roach became a POW. The Thunderbolt is seen here at Gottingen, Germany, at the end of the war with its belly and tail painted yellow—German recognition colors to denote an Allied aircraft flown by the Luftwaffe. USAAF COLL./NARA
Photo 2 of 2: P-47D 42-22490 Beetle (fuselage code YF-U) was flown by 2nd Lt. William E. Roach on Nov. 7, 1943, supporting B-17s attacking industrial targets just inside the German border at Wesel (north of Düsseldorf), Düren (southwest of Cologne), and Randerath (west of Cologne). Lieutenant Roach flew as an alternate with the 358th Fighter Squadron, 355th Fighter Group, from Steeple Morden.
According to Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) number 1281, it is believed that Lieutenant Roach put down because of fuel starvation. Beetle was captured by the Germans later that day at Caen, France, and Lieutenant Roach became a POW. The Thunderbolt is seen here at Gottingen, Germany, at the end of the war with its belly and tail painted yellow—German recognition colors to denote an Allied aircraft flown by the Luftwaffe. USAAF COLL./NARA
B-17F 42-31033 Pee Tay Kun from the 613th Bomb Squadron, 401st Bomb Group, broke through a taxiway at Deenethorpe with its starboard main wheel. The bomber had just returned from the Dec. 16, 1943, raid on the port area of Bremen, Germany. Less than one month later, on Jan. 11, 1944, Pee Tay Kun was part of the 177-bomber raid on aviation industry targets at Oschersleben (located halfway between Hanover and Berlin). Attacked by fighters, a fire was started in the number three engine and the radio room. The crew bailed out; two were killed and eight became POWs. USAAF
Returning to Ubbeston, Suffolk, home of the 524th Bomb Squadron, 379th Bomb Group, B-17F 42-29891 Dangerous Dan landed gear-up. The bomber was one of 234 B-17s and B-24s to strike the communications center at Osnabruck, Germany. USAAF
Photo 1 of 2: As bombs were falling on Osnabruck, Germany, B-17G 42-37835 Channel Express from the 612th Bomb Squadron, 401st Bomb Group, was struck by bombs from an aircraft above. Pilot 2nd Lt. Stuart E. Smith was able to get the bomber near the 401st home field of Deenethorpe. Smith pointed the aircraft back toward the English Channel, and the crew all successfully bailed out. Channel Express didn’t make it back to its namesake body of water, crashing a few miles away in an open field near Washingley, Huntingdonshire. USAAF
Photo 2 of 2: As bombs were falling on Osnabruck, Germany, B-17G 42-37835 Channel Express from the 612th Bomb Squadron, 401st Bomb Group, was struck by bombs from an aircraft above. Pilot 2nd Lt. Stuart E. Smith was able to get the bomber near the 401st home field of Deenethorpe. Smith pointed the aircraft back toward the English Channel, and the crew all successfully bailed out. Channel Express didn’t make it back to its namesake body of water, crashing a few miles away in an open field near Washingley, Huntingdonshire. USAAF
A Flying Fortress from the 91st Bomb Group at Bassingbourn serves as a ground trainer for Army Air Force firefighting crews. The tanker truck has been fitted with a boom that dispenses Foamite, a chemical fire suppression agent. USAAF
The 324th Bomb Squadron, 91st Bomb Group, Flying Fortress Duke of Paducah (B-17G 42-37736) had just parked at Bassingbourn upon returning from the Dec. 30, 1943, raid on the port and oil refineries at Ludwigshafen when it was struck by a passing Flying Fortress. B-17F 42-29895 Black Swan grazed the Duke’s nose, causing moderate damage. The Duke was back in action in less than a month. USAAF
This Second Air Division B-24 came home from the Dec. 11, 1943, mission to bomb industrial targets in and around Emden, Germany, with more than 100 feet of wire cable in its nose section. At this point in the war, the Germans were experimenting with new ways to attack Allied bomber formations. The German fighters would fly through the bomber streams with a bomb dangling from a cable, hoping to snare a B-17 or B-24. When the bomb made contact with the bomber, its explosion would, in theory, down the aircraft. This lucky B-24 crew caught the wire, but not the bomb. Note the twin 0.50-cal. machine-gun installation in the lower nose glass. USAAF
The 91st Bomb Group dispatched seventeen Flying Fortresses to attack industrial targets near Anklam, Germany, on Oct. 9, 1943. B-17F 42-29591 The Shamrock Special attacked the target and made it home. Shortly after parking, The Shamrock Special was struck by another 323rd Bomb Squadron B-17 landing with shot-out brakes. The majority of the damage was confined to the tail section. Maintainers swapped out the rear section of The Shamrock Special (fuselage code LL-Z) and replaced it with a salvaged B-17’s aft fuselage. This “before and after” photo shows the maintenance crew’s handiwork. Note that the ball turret has not yet been reinstalled in the belly of The Shamrock Special. USAAF
B-17F WE THE PEOPLE
Not all war-weary Flying Fortresses and Liberators were retired to the boneyard when new aircraft were delivered to front-line squadrons. Boeing Seattle–built B-17F 41-24614 served with the 364th Bomb Squadron, 305th Bomb Group, based at Grafton Underwood, England. The bomber arrived at the 305th Bomb Group on Oct. 10, 1942, and the unit flew five missions before moving to Chelveston. B-17F 41-24614 was part of the initial cadre of bombers that formed the 305th Bomb Group and participated in all of the early missions against targets in France, Germany, and the Low Countries. While flying with the 305th, 41-24614 wore the squadron codes JJ-R and was named SNAFU; it later flew as JJ-A We The People. The bomber is seen here with Lt. August E. Weil and his crew on April 26, 1944, resting after the previous day’s raid on the airfield at Nancy, France.
As more B-17Gs were delivered to Eighth Air Force squadrons, the B-17Fs were rotated out, many flying back to the United States to serve as trainers, and some directly to the boneyard. We The People’s combat career ended on May 4, 1944, when the bomber was rotated out of the 305th Bomb Group to the 1st Base Air Depot at Burtonwood, England. Here the bomber was prepared for the flight back to the United States, arriving at La Junta, Colorado, on June 14, 1944.
While stateside, We The People was redesignated as a TB-17F trainer. It eventually had its paint and markings refreshed and was loaned to the First Motion Picture Unit (FMPU), headquartered in Culver City, California, maker of training and propaganda films. We the People is seen on Aug. 10, 1944, getting a close-up, possibly for the training film Operation of the Bomb Sight.
Eventually, We The People was sent to storage at Searcy Field, Stillwater, Oklahoma. This bomber was one of 475 aircraft at Searcy Field sold by the War Assets Administration for $55,425.58 to a consortium headed by famed movie stunt pilot Paul Mantz on Feb. 19, 1946. Mantz kept 11 aircraft for movie work, including a B-17, B-24, B-25, A-20, P-39, P-47, 2 P-51s, and 3 P-40s. The balance of the aircraft were scrapped, and We The People was one of those that met its end at Searcy Field.
Lt. August E. Weil and crew beside B-17F 41-24614 We The People on April 26, 1944. The bomber was originally christened SNAFU when it joined the 305th Bomb Group’s 364th Bomb Squadron at Chelveston, England. It was later renamed We The People. USAAF COLL./NARA
In June 1944, We The People was flown stateside and took up residence with the First Motion Picture Unit. It is seen here on Aug. 10, 1944, while being used in the production of a training film. Note the bright studio lights, camera on scaffolding, backdrop behind the cockpit, and all of the bombers’ machine guns wrapped in preservative paper. USAAF COLL./NARA
Photo 1 of 2: Lt. Justus D. Foster from the 61st Fighter Squadron, 56th Fighter Group—known as “Zemke’s Wolfpack”—was escorting a flight of B-17s while flying P-47C 41-6251 Joker when he was singled out by a flight of Fw 190s. Five 20mm cannon shells blew apart Foster’s right wing, sending the Thunderbolt into a spin. After regaining control, Foster, still pursued by Fw 190s, flew for a bit and then entered another spin. At this point, the German fighters believed he was doomed, but Foster was able to recover from the spin after entering a cloud deck. He flew back to base, where he belly-landed the fighter. During the war, Foster was credited with two confirmed aerial victories. USAAF
Photo 2 of 2: Lt. Justus D. Foster from the 61st Fighter Squadron, 56th Fighter Group—known as “Zemke’s Wolfpack”—was escorting a flight of B-17s while flying P-47C 41-6251 Joker when he was singled out by a flight of Fw 190s. Five 20mm cannon shells blew apart Foster’s right wing, sending the Thunderbolt into a spin. After regaining control, Foster, still pursued by Fw 190s, flew for a bit and then entered another spin. At this point, the German fighters believed he was doomed, but Foster was able to recover from the spin after entering a cloud deck. He flew back to base, where he belly-landed the fighter. During the war, Foster was credited with two confirmed aerial victories. USAAF
Lt. Gen. Ira C. Eaker presents the medal to Morgan at a ceremony at Widewing, England, on Dec. 18, 1943. USAAF
At left: New York native Lt. John C. Morgan was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the July 28, 1943, raid on the aircraft factories at Kassel, Germany. Morgan’s Medal of Honor citation best tells the tale:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty, while participating on a bombing mission over enemy-occupied continental Europe, 28 July 1943. Prior to reaching the German coast on the way to the target, the B-17 airplane in which 2nd Lt. Morgan was serving as copilot was attacked by a large force of enemy fighters, during which the oxygen system to the tail, waist, and radio gun positions was knocked out.
A frontal attack placed a cannon shell through the windshield, totally shattering it, and the pilot’s skull was split open by a .303 caliber shell, leaving him in a crazed condition. The pilot fell over the steering wheel, tightly clamping his arms around it. Lt. Morgan at once grasped the controls from his side and, by sheer strength, pulled the airplane back into formation despite the frantic struggles of the semiconscious pilot.
The interphone had been destroyed, rendering it impossible to call for help. At this time the top turret gunner fell to the floor and down through the hatch with his arm shot off at the shoulder and a gaping wound in his side. The waist, tail, and radio gunners had lost consciousness from lack of oxygen and, hearing no fire from their guns, the copilot believed they had bailed out. The wounded pilot still offered desperate resistance in his crazed attempts to fly the airplane.
There remained the prospect of flying to and over the target and back to a friendly base wholly unassisted. In the face of this desperate situation, Lt. Morgan made his decision to continue the flight and protect any members of the crew who might still be in the ship and for two hours he flew in formation with one hand at the controls and the other holding off the struggling pilot before the navigator entered the steering compartment and relieved the situation. The miraculous and heroic performance of Lt. Morgan on this occasion resulted in the successful completion of a vital bombing mission and the safe return of his airplane and crew.
Photo 1 of 2: As newer aircraft became available, war-weary Flying Fortresses were given a number of different assignments. B-17E 41-9023 Yankee Doodle flew the Eighth Air Force’s first mission on Aug. 17, 1942, to Rouen, France. Its last unit was the 324th Bomb Squadron, where the aircraft eventually became a target tug and squadron hack. USAAF
Photo 2 of 2: As newer aircraft became available, war-weary Flying Fortresses were given a number of different assignments. B-17E 41-9023 Yankee Doodle flew the Eighth Air Force’s first mission on Aug. 17, 1942, to Rouen, France. Its last unit was the 324th Bomb Squadron, where the aircraft eventually became a target tug and squadron hack. USAAF