Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Nose Art

5 With Breakfast

B-17G-95-BO 43-38728 was delivered at Lincoln on 21/9/44. It was assigned to the 851 Bomber Squadron 490 Bomber Group. It survived the war and was returned to the USA on 9/7/45. The Reconstruction Finance Corporation disposed of the aircraft for scrap metal.

Big Poison

B-17G Flying Fortress 43-3789 was delivered at Cheyenne on 2/6/44. It was assigned to the 849 Bomber Squadron 490 Bomber Group on 1/7/44. During assembly for a raid on 6/2/45 there was a mid-air collision with 43-37806. Big Poison crashed near Prickwillow Suffolk, UK. The ball gunner was killed while the remaining crew bailed out. Two civilians were also killed and three injured.

Double Trouble

Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress 42-3082 was delivered at Cheyenne on 3/2/43It was assigned to the 333 Bomber Squadron 94 Bomber Group with code TS-E. It suffered battle damage over St Dizier 4/10/43 when an enemy aircraft knocked out number three engine. Double Trouble crash landed at Margate, Kent, UK where it was later salvaged for parts and scrapped.

Fertile Myrtle

Delivered at Cheyenne on 31/12/42 B-17F-55-BO 42-29520 was assigned to the 427 Bomber Squadron 303 Bomber Group with code GN-O. It was transferred to the 323 Bomber Squadron 91 Bomber Group with code OR-S on 7/9/43. Fertile Myrtle was reported Missing in Action after a raid to Bremen on 8/10/43. Three crew were Killed in Action with the other seven taken prisoner. The B-17 crashed near Neustadt-Wagenfeld, eight miles south east of Diepholz, Germany.

Fever Beaver

Delivered Cheyenne on 25/11/43 Boeing B-17G-25-DL 42-38047 was assigned to the 351 Bomber Squadron 100 Bomber Group with code EP-O and based at Thorpe Abbotts on 9/1/44. Fever Beaver completed 135 missions and was returned to the USA and sold for scrap metal in on 21/12/45.

Fools Rush In

Fools Rush In a Boeing B-17G-1-BO was delivered at Cheyenne on 14/9/43. It was assigned to the 351 Bomber Squadron 100 Bom Group coded EP-H and based at Thorpe Abbotts. I was reported Missing in Action after a raid to Hamburg on 31/12/44 after being hit by flak. Hit by flak on the bomb run she spun down and collided with B-17 43-38124 of the 100BG). Both going down in flames and crashing near Radegast, Germany. Fools Rush In suffered six dead and three captured.

Flak Eater

Delivered at Tulsa on 3/4/44, Boeing B-17G-40-DL 44-6009was assigned to the 364 Bomber Squadron 305 Bomber Group coded WF-J. It force landed on the continent on 4/12/44 but was repaired. Flak Eater was then transferred to the 351 Bomber Group at Polebrook on 23/5/45. Post war it was returned to the USA and sold for scrap metal.

Hell’s Angels

Boeing B-17F 41-24577 Hells Angels was assigned to the 358 Bomber Squadron 303 Bomber Group coded VK-D. After a landing accident on 26-Apr-43 and following repairs, it was slated to go to the RAF’s 100 Squadron, but was retained by 803rd Bomber Squadron ATD (American Training Detachment) before completing 48 missions without an abort or any crewman injured. It was subsequently returned to the USA at Newark, New Jersey on 10 February 1944 for War Bond tour. 41-24577 was the first aircraft to complete 25 missions in the UK, earlier than the much more publicized Memphis Belle reached the same status. It was sold for scrap metal on 7 August 1945.

Humpty Dumpty

Boeing B-17G-35-DL 42-107233 was delivered at Tulsa on 24/3/44It was assigned to the 351 Bomber Squadron 100 Bomber Group and coded EP-N/W based at Thorpe Abbotts. Humpty Dumpty was reported Missing in Action after a raid to Hamburg on 31/12/44 after being attacked by an enemy aircraft. Nine crew were taken prisoner. The B-17 crashed near Tauenbrueck, Germany.

Ice Cold Katy

Boeing B-17G 42-107039 was delivered at Tulsa on 3/2/44. It was assigned to the 612 Bomber Squadron 401 Bomber Group and coded SC-M based at Deenethorpe. Post-war it was returned to the USA and sold for scrap metal on 28/11/45.

Joyride

Boeing B-17G-75-BO 43-38067 was delivered at Cheyenne on 21/6/44. It was assigned to the 412 Bomber Squadron 95 Bomber Group and coded QW-E, based at Horham. Joyride force landed suffering from battle damaged on 16/11/44 at RAF Woodbridge, UK. It force landed again at B-58 Airfield Melsbroek, Belgium on 6/5/45. Post-war it returned to the USA and was sold for scrap metal on 20/11/45.

Lady Luck

Lady Luck Boeing B-17F-20-VE 42-5803 was delivered at Long Beach on 11/2/43. Assigned to the 410 Bomber Squadron, 94 Bomber Group based at Earls Colne. It crash landed on 29/5/43 and was salvaged for parts on 18/7/43.

Lightning Strikes

Lightning Strikes Boeing B-17F-20-DL 42-3073 was delivered at Cheyenne on 4/2/43. It was assigned to the 410 Bomber Squadron 94 Bomber Group and based at Bangor. It was transferred to the 401 Bomber Squadron 91 Bomber Group on 22/4/43, coded LL-A and based at Bassingbourn. During a mission to Leipzig on 21/2/44 Lightning Strikes was subjected to enemy aircraft attacks that knocked out engines three and four. All ten crew members were taken Prisoner of War. The aircraft crash landed close to the target area, near Herford, Germany.

Looky Looky

Looky Looky Boeing B-17G 44-6893 was delivered at Lincoln on 12/12/44. It was assigned to the 851 Bomber Squadron 490 Bomber Group. Returned to the USA on 12/7/45 it was sold for scrap metal on 21/12/45

Madame Queen

Madame Queen Boeing B-17G 42-97931 was delivered at Denver on 8/4/44. It was assigned to the 613 Bomber Squadron 401 Bomber Group with code sign IN-Q and based at Deenethorpe. Returned to the USA on 8/6/45 it was sold for scrap metal on 4/12/45.

Mason and Dixon

Mason and Dixon Boeing B-17G 42-31412 was delivered at Cheyenne on 31/10/43. It was assigned to the 351 Bomber Squadron 100 Bomber Group with code sign EP-G and based at Thorpe Abbotts from 27/11/43. It transferred to the 34 Bomber Group and was severely damaged on a shuttle mission and headed for Italy to land at Foggia. It was repaired and flown back to base only to be eventually salvaged. Post-war it was returned to the USA (with over 100 missions) and sold for scrap metal on 19/12/45.

Meat Hound

Meat Hound Boeing B-17F-55-BO 42-29524 was delivered at Denver on 31/12/42. It was assigned to the 423 Bomber Squadron 306 Bomber Group with code RD-D and based at Thurleigh from 2/3/43. On 30/7/43 Meat Hound was transferred to the 358 Bomber Squadron 303 Bomber Group code VK-K and based at Molesworth. On a mission to Oschersleben on 26/1/44 it was hit by enemy aircraft over Durgerdam. The crew bailed over Ijsselmeer with four captured, four killed in action and one evaded capture. The pilot stayed with the plane and brought it home to crash land at Metfield, Suffolk, UK.

Milk Run

Milk Run Boeing B-17G-85-BO 43-38340 was delivered at Cheyenne on 22/7/44. It was assigned to the 493rd Bomb Group based at Debach. Lost on a raid to Mannheim on 21/1/45 after a mechanical fault when it crashed near Georgefeld Germany. All nine crew were taken prisoner of war.

Mount N Ride

Mount N Ride Boeing B-17G-20-BO Fortress 42-31585 was delivered at Cheyenne on 26/11/43. It was assigned to the 323 Bomber Squadron 91 Bomber Group, coded OR-B and based at Bassingbourn. It was hit by flak on a raid to Augsburg on 16/3/44 which disables engines two and three. It force landed at Dubendorf, Switzerland and all ten crew were interned. Post war it was returned to Burtonwood, UK. and salvaged on 8/10/45.

Never Satisfied

Never Satisfied Boeing B-17F 42-5388 was delivered at Cheyenne on 28/11/42It was assigned to the 348 Bomber Squadron 99 Bomber Group based at Navarin on 11/5/43. The squadron moved to Oudna on 4/8/43 and then Tortorella on the 11/12/43. After completing 90 missions it was transferred to the 817 Bomber Squadron 483 Bomber Group at the same base on 31/3/44. The squadron moved to Sterparone on the 22/4/43. Never Satisfied completed 14 missions with the 817th before being salvaged at the war’s end on 30/11/45 with a total of 104 missions.

Piccadilly Queen

Piccadilly Queen Boeing B-17F-95-BO 42-30251 was delivered at Cheyenne on 6/5/43. It was assigned to the 549 Bomber Squadron 385 Bomber Group with code XA-T based at Great Ashfield from 14/6/43. It was damaged in base explosion on 3/9/43 but repaired and returned to service. On 29/1/1944 during a raid on Frankfurt it was shot down by Htm. Raimund Koch of 8./JG 3, and crashed near Kaiserlautern, Germany. Six crewmen were killed and four taken prisoners of war.

Pistol Packin’ Mama

Pistol Packin’ Mama Boeing B-17G-1-BO 42-31037 was delivered at Dallas on 8/9/43. It was assigned to the 613 Bomber Squadron 401 Bomber Group coded IN-F and based at Deenethorpe from 10/10/43. During a raid to Leipzig on 20/7/44 it was hit by flak and crashed near Liebstedt Germany. Six crewmen were taken prisoners of war and three were killed in the crash.

Queenie

Queenie Boeing B-17G-15-BO 42-31353 322BS/91BG LG-Q was delivered at Cheyenne on 25/10/43. It was assigned to the 322 Bomber Squadron 91 Bomber Group and coded LG-Q based at Bassingbourn from 20/12/43. On 29/4/44, on a mission to Berlin it was hit by flak which knocked out engines three and four and started a fire. The aircraft then crashed near Kladow, Berlin, Germany. Five crew were killed and five taken prisoner.

Queen Mary

Queen Mary Boeing B-17G 44-6598 was delivered at Lincoln on 17/9/44. It was assigned to the 335 Bomber Squadron 95 Bomber Group coded OE-N and based at Horham from 11/10/44. Queen Mary completed 46 missions and was returned to the USA post-war and sold for scrap metal in USA on 26/11/45.

Ruby’s Raiders

Ruby’s Raiders Boeing B-17G 44-6483 was delivered at Hunter on 17/8/44. It was assigned to the 550 Bomber Squadron 385 Bomber Group coded SG-G and based at Great Ashfield from 8/9/44. Post-war it was returned to the USA and sold for scrap metal on 5/11/45.

Rum Dum

Rum Dum Boeing B-17G-15-BO 42-31378 was delivered at Cheyenne on 27/10/43. I was assigned to the 550 Bomber Squadron 385 Bomber Group and coded SG-M based at Great Ashfield from 1/12/43. Rum Dum completed over 100 missions before force landing from on 30/5/45 after which it was salvaged.

Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby

Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby B-17G-35-BO 42-32076 was delivered at Denver on 24/1/44. It was assigned to the 401 Bomber Squadron 91 Bomber Group and coded LL-E based at Bassingbourn from23/3/44. After completing 23 missions, it was hit by flak on a raid to Posnan on 29/5/44. Three engines were knocked out and the aircraft force landed at Bulltofta Afd, near Malmo, Sweden. All nine crew were interned. The B-17 was then modified by Saab into a transport configuration and used as a Swedish airliner SE-BAP. It was later sold on 13/3/1948 to Danish Airlines for $1 and called Stig Viking OY-DFA. It was retired in 1961 and stored at Creuil, France. It was sold to USAF for 20 cents and re-stored at Wright-Patterson and restored to static display. It is now housed at the Air Force Museum, Dayton, Ohio USA, as Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby.

Silver Dollar

Silver Dollar Boeing B-17G 42-32090 was delivered at Cheyenne on 23/1/44. It was assigned to the 350Bomber Squadron 100 Bomber Group with code LN-R and based at Thorpe Abbotts from 3/3/44. It later moved to the 418th Bomber Squadron with code LD-E after taxi accident on 19/4/45. It was salvaged on 21/4/45 after 102 missions and used as hack for Col Jeffrey. Post-war it was returned to the USA on 19/9/45 and sold for scrap metal.

Sweet and Lovely

Sweet and Lovely Boeing B-17F-115-BO 42-30721 was delivered at Dallas on 19/7/43. It was aasigned to the 482 Bomber Group at Alconbury on 31/8/43. It transferred to the 533 Bomber Squadron 381 Bomber Group coded VP-T based at Ridgewell from 20/9/43. After 28 missions it transferred to the 8th Air Force Fight Com, Debden based at Radwinter as radio relay aircraft on 25/4/44. On 15/11/44 it again transferred, this time to 610 Bomber Squadron 398 Bomber Group coded 3O- nad based at Nuthampstead. Post-war it returned to the USA and was sold for scrap metal on 4/10/45.

The Saint and Ten Sinners

The Saint and Ten Sinners B-17G 42-31226 was delivered at Denver on 4/10/43. I was assigned to the 613 Bomber Squadron 401 Bomber Group coded IN-G and based at Deenethorpe from the 22/12/43. On a raid to Berlin on 29/4/44 flak knocked out engines one and two. The aircraft crashed near Veldweg, two miles west of Beekbergen, Holland. Nine crew became 9 prisoners of war while one evaded capture.

The Vibrant Virgin

The Vibrant Virgin Boeing B-17F-95-BO 42-30275 was delivered at Cheyenne on 7/5/43. It was assigned to the 548 Bomber Squadron 385 Bomber Group coded GX-P and based at Great Ashfield from 17/6/43. During an attack on Bremen on 8/10/43 it was hit by flak and crashed. All of the ten-man crew became prisoners of war.

Two Beauts

Two Beauts Boeing B-17F-60-BO 42-29573 was delivered at Denver on 6/1/43. It was assigned to the 358 Bomber Squadron 303 Bomber Group coded VK-H and based at Molesworth from 6/3/43. While on a mission to bomb the shipyards at Rotterdam, Holland, it had a mid-air collision with B-17F 41-24559 Ooold Soljer, of the 303BG/360BS. Three crew managed to bail out while the other seven were killed in the crash at Mears Abby, UK

Unknown Boeing B-17

Yankee Girl

Yankee Girl Boeing B-17G 44-8256 was delivered at Dallas on 24/7/44. Originally slated for the 418 Bomber Squadron 100 Bomber Group as LD-R it was instead switched to the 457 Bomber Group based at Glatton on the 12/9/44. It was later transferred to the 359 Bomber Squadron 303 Bomber Group coded BN-Y based at Molesworth on 2/10/44. It was again transferred on 9/12/44 to the 306 Bomber Group based at Thurleigh. Post-war it was returned to the USA and sold for scrap metal on 5/1/46.