Following recent government announcements the museum is currently closed, there is plenty to explore in our online archive.
The American Air Museum is a charity - Find out how you can support us
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Dallas 23/9/43; Harvard 11/10/43; Assigned 711BS/447BG [IR-N] Rattlesden 19/11/43; Missing in Action Berlin 29/4/44 with Bill Davidson, Co-pilot: Clarry Fishburn, Navigator: John Coulson, Bombardier: Alan Brady, Radio Operator: Chas Buran, Ball turret gunner: Joe Oliver, Waist gunner: Chas Roberts, Waist gunner: John Reder,Tail gunner: Wendell Bourguignon (9 Prisoner of War); Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Jim Murphy (Killed in Action); enemy aircraft, crashed Eickendorf, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 4246.
Group
The 447th Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses on strategic bombardment missions out of Rattlesden, Suffolk. With their first mission coming on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1943, their main focus was hitting sites that would weaken enemy forces...
Squadron
Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 447th Bomb Group
Shot down 29 April 1944 in B-17 #4231124. Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 447th Bomb Group
Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator | 447th Bomb Group
Shot down 29 April 1944 in B-17 #4231124. Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 447th Bomb Group
Shot down 29 April 1944 in B-17 #4231124. Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 447th Bomb Group
Shot down 29 April 1944 in B-17 #42-31124. Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 447th Bomb Group
Shot down 29 April 1944 in B-17 #4231124. Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
Military | Captain | Crew captain | 447th Bomb Group
Military | Staff Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 447th Bomb Group
Shot down 29 April 1944 in B-17 #4231124. Killed in Action (KIA).
PH
Military | Corporal | Ball Turret Gunner | 447th Bomb Group
Shot down 29 April 1944 in B-17 #4231124. Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
Military | Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 447th Bomb Group
Shot down 29 April 1944 in B-17 #4231124. Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
Military site : airfield
Built for the Eighth Air Force in 1942, Rattlesden had three concrete runways, 50 hardstandings and two dispersed T2 hangars. Intended to be a twin-engine B-26 bomber base, it was originally a satellite for nearby Rougham, and first occupied from...
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Failed to Return (FTR) | Germany | 29 April 1944 |
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 10 May 2018 15:54:57 | mlowry | Changes to nicknames |
| Sources | ||
Mike Lowry, May 10, 2018 |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 07 April 2016 16:09:54 | JoeTate | Changes to nicknames |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:36 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 4246 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
||
