42-31228 London Avenger
Handwritten caption on reverse: '16/2/44.'
Printed caption on reverse: ' CHRISTENS U.S. FORTRESS BOMBER. Feb. 16th, 1944. As an appreciation of £800,000 raised during Bermondsey's Wings for Victory Week., the people of Bermondsey christened a U.S. Fortress bomber "Rotherhithe Revenge" at a U.S. bomber in England . Three other bombers were named by their crews also in honour of Bermondsey. The picture shows:- The four Bermondsey U.S. Fortress bombers lined up at the christening ceremony. They are "LONDON AVENGER", "BERMONDSEY BATTLER", "ROTHERHITHE REVENGE" & "BERMONDSEY SPECIAL".
On reverse: Associated Press, US Army Press Censor ETO and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps]. Roger Freeman Collection
Corrections to caption from information in aircraft records/Freeman images.
Object Number - FRE 4753 - B-17 Flying Fortresses nicknamed "London Avenger", "Bermondsey Battler", "Rotherhithe's Revenge" and "Bermondsey", 16 February 1944. Passed for...
Delivered Denver 4/10/43; Gr Island 17/10/43; Romulus 24/10/43; Assigned 525BS/379BG [FR-G] Kimbolton 22/11/43; with Keith Phinney crash landed into Duxford base quarters, 4 CREW & 5 EM killed 21/1/45; Salvaged 2 SAD Lt Staughton 25/1/45. LONDON AVENGER.
Confirmation of date of crash and any casualties is sought as the only matching incident recorded by Duxford's firefighting team states: 'On the 20th of January a B-17 crash landed off base, all the crew were safe and no fire was noted.'
Connections
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Units served with
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 379th Bomb Group 527th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 06284944
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Flight Engineer / Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 379th Bomb Group 524th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 14016810
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 379th Bomb Group 525th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: AO-2068886
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
Places
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Other Landing accident |
Duxford, Cambridge CB22 4QR, UK | 21 January 1945 | |
|
Other Salvaged |
Little Staughton, Bedford MK44, UK | 25 January 1945 |
Revisions
Copy of Duxford's firefighters daily reports held at IWM Duxford.
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/dbaat.asp?theAT=B-17&offset=1950