42-29747 | American Air Museum

42-29747 Rikki Tikki Tavi II

media-54994.jpeg UPL 54994 Crash picture, only surviving major piece as a result of mid-air collision on takeoff while forming up. Mission to Kiel. Rest of plane, loaded with bombs and fuel, burned for hours. Tail, right waist and ball turret gunner (Harry E. Hancock) bodies recovered and buried at American Military Cemetery Catsworth. Seven of the ten crewmembers were buried in Section E Site 35 at the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery, Louisville, Ky.

Government crash site photos

Object Number - UPL 54994 - Crash picture, only surviving major piece as a result of mid-air collision on takeoff while forming up. Mission to Kiel. Rest of plane, loaded with...

Delivered Denver 12/2/43; Walker 27/2/43; Smoky Hill 13/3/43; Presque Is 8/4/43; Assigned 339BS/96BG Grafton Underwood 18/4/43; Andrews Fd 13/5/43; Snetterton 12/6/43; transferred 526BS/379BG [LF-D] Kimbolton 12/7/43; collision with #42-31441 (303BG), crashed Catworth, Hunts. UK, assembling for Kiel 5/1/44 with Dale Killion, Co-pilot: Paul Chamberlain, Navigator: Bob DeGroff, Bombardier: Remy Bourque, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Hubert McIntyre, Radio Operator: Earl Crumpton, Ball turret gunner: Harry Hancock, Waist gunner: Vic Morphonios, Waist gunner: Ken Matlack, Tail gunner: Morris Weiss (10 Killed in Action); Salvaged. RIKKI-TIKKI-TAVI II.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

The insignia of the 379th Bomb Group.

379th Bomb Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

The insignia of the 526th Bomb Squadron, 379th Bomb Group.

526th Bomb Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

People

William Bonin

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 379th Bomb Group 524th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 12093092 / O-676540
Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
Role/Job: Bombardier

Remy Bourque

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 379th Bomb Group 527th Bomb Squadron
Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
Role/Job: Flight Engineer; Top Turret Gunner

Paul R Chamberlain

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 379th Bomb Group 527th Bomb Squadron
Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
Role/Job: Co-Pilot

Earl Crumpton

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 379th Bomb Group 527th Bomb Squadron
Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner

Robert L DeGroff

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 379th Bomb Group 527th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: O-809552
Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
Role/Job: Navigator

Places

The wreck of a B-17 Flying Fortress (LF-F, serial number 43-79180) of the 379th Bomb Group, damaged in a mid air collision. Not To Be Published 6 Jan 1944, Passed for publication 1 Jul 1945. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'LF-F, 379180.' Printed caption on reverse: 'Twenty-Eight Die When Three Fortresses Crash In The Take-Off For Raid On Kiel. Twenty-eight airmen were killed when three Flying Fortresses crashed together while forming up for yesterday's (January 5) raid on Kiel. the crash occurred at 2,00

Covington/Catworth

Site type: Aircraft crash site

Aerial photograph of Grafton Underwood airfield looking north east, Geddington village is on the left, 22 April 1944. Photograph taken by 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, sortie number US/7PH/GP/LOC309. English Heritage (USAAF Photography).

Grafton Underwood

Site type: Airfield
Known as: Grafton Undermud

Aerial photograph of Kimbolton airfield looking west, the bomb dump and technical site with a T2 hangar is on the left, 10 August 1945. Photograph taken by No. 541 Squadron, sortie number RAF/106G/UK/635. English Heritage (RAF Photography).

Kimbolton

Site type: Airfield

Presque Isle Army Airfield

Site type: Airfield
Known as: PIAAF / Presque Is

B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 96th Bomb Group at Snetterton Heath. Image via Mark Brown, AFA. Written on slide casing: 'BX dispersals Snetterton.'

Snetterton Heath

Site type: Airfield
Known as: Station 138

Aircraft

42-31441

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date5 Dec 2020 20:10:12

Contributorjmoore43

Changes

Sources

Added a space before the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” to aid clarity.

Date24 Sep 2020 10:43:31

Contributorhooahman336

Changes

Sources

USG records

Date24 Sep 2020 10:41:48

Contributorhooahman336

Changes

Sources

Corrected spelling of KILLION & MATLACK. Source: USG records

Date27 Jul 2020 15:36:55

Contributorhooahman336

Changes

Sources

Changed misspelled first name HUBERT

Date27 Sep 2014 18:40:23

ContributorAAM

Changes

Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log

42-29747: Gallery (1 items)

Object number: UPL 54994 - Crash picture, only surviving major piece as a...