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42-3548

B-17 Flying Fortress

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Delivered Denver 28/7/43; Scott 9/8/43; Assigned 563BS/385BG [ -X] Gt Ashfield 25/8/43; Missing in Action Brunswick 23/3/44 with Dick Davis, Navigator: Leroy Coy (2 Killed in Action); Co-pilot: John Cooper, Bombardier: Ed Barwikowski, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: George Miller, Radio Operator: Don Enslow, Ball turret gunner: Bob Cheatham, Waist gunner: Glenn Fredenburg, Waist gunner: Bill Patton,Tail gunner: Bill Good (8 Prisoner of War); flak hit in Ruhr Valley, crashed Hullern, five miles E of Haltern, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 3593.

Service

Units

  • 388th Bomb Group

    388th Bomb Group

    Group
    The 388th Bomb Group flew strategic bombing mission from Knettishall, Suffolk from June 1943 to the end of the war. During this time, though, detachments were sent to Fersfield, Norfolk to conduct Aphrodite missions. In these Aphrodite missions veteran...

  • 563rd Bomb Squadron

    563rd Bomb Squadron

    Squadron

People

  • Richard Bailey

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
    Retired from the USAF with the rank of Major

  • Laurence Bairstow

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 388th Bomb Group
    Also served in Korea and Vietnam. Retired from the USAF with the rank of Colonel.

  • George Bartuska

    Military | Major | Bombardier/Lead Bombardier | 388th Bomb Group
    Retired from the USAF with the rank of Lt. Colonel

  • Edward Barwikowski

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 388th Bomb Group
    Hit by flak on the return from a mission to Brunswick, GR on 23 Mar 1944, B-17G #42-3548 crashed E of Halern, GR. Prisoner of War (POW). POW

  • Robert Cheatham

    Military | Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
    Hit by flak on the return from a mission to Brunswick, GR on 23 Mar 1944, B-17G #42-3548 crashed E of Halern, GR. Prisoner of War (POW). POW

  • John Cooper

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
    Hit by flak on the return from a mission to Brunswick, GR on 23 Mar 1944, B-17G #42-3548 crashed E of Halern, GR. Prisoner of War (POW). POW

  • Leroy Coy

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 388th Bomb Group
    Hit by flak on the return from a mission to Brunswick, GR on 23 Mar 1944, B-17G 42-3548 crashed E of Halern, GR. Killed in Action (KIA). PH

  • Richard Davis

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
    Hit by flak on the return from a mission to Brunswick, GR on 23 Mar 1944, B-17G #42-3548 crashed E of Halern, GR. Killed in Action (KIA). PH

  • Bernard Dopko

    Military | Flight Officer | Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
    The crew baled out of B-17G #42-37839 'Little Willie' after flak set the plane on fire on a mission to Berlin on 9 Mar 1944. The a/c crashed NE of Oranienburg, GR. Prisoner of War (POW). Retired from the USAF as a Captain.

  • Donald Enslow

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator | 388th Bomb Group
    Hit by flak on the return from a mission to Brunswick, GR on 23 Mar 1944, B-17G #42-3548 crashed E of Halern, GR. Prisoner of War (POW). POW

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Places

  • Great Ashfield

    Military site : airfield
    The airfield was built in 1942 by John Laing & Son Ltd. 108,000 tons of concrete was used in its construction, creating a Class 'A' airfield suitable for heavy bombers. The 385th Bomb Group took up residence in the summer of 1943, and remained at the...

Events

Event Location Date
Failed to Return (FTR) Germany 23 March 1944
Nicknames
Little Willie
Production block number
G-5-DL
Manufacturer
Douglas
Markings and paint scheme/livery

Olive drab over gray.

The preponderance of evidence suggest this a 388th BG plane although it went missing with a 385th BG crew.

388th BG SITE lists it as theirs.

The later G-DL in which FO B.Dopko and crew were shot down and became prisoners is ot this a/c.

This aircraft is an earlier production as shown in the starboard view.

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
11 March 2020 09:45:38 phil marchese Changes to markings
Sources

388th BG SITE lists it as theirs.

The later G-DL in which FO B.Dopko and crew were shot down and became prisoners is ot this a/c.

This aircraft is an earlier production as shown in the starboard view.
Date Contributor Update
17 June 2019 19:55:38 phil marchese Changes to production block number, nicknames and markings
Sources

ATTACHED IMAGE

FORTLOG
388TH BG ASSC WEBSITE
Date Contributor Update
23 March 2019 22:03:32 phil marchese Changes to markings
Sources

388th Bg assoc
Joblonski, Flying Fortress
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:40:44 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 3593 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

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