43-37981 | American Air Museum

43-37981 Pleasure Bent

A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 43-37981) nicknamed "Pleasure Bent" of the 487th Bomb Group in flight over countryside.

media-380871.jpg FRE 2066 B-17G 43-37981 'Pleasure Bent' of the 838th Bomb Squadron (2C-B), 487th Bomb Group, in flight near Army Air Forces Station 137, Lavenham, Suffolk, England. The photo was probably taken in July 1944, when the 487th Bomb Group was transitioning from the B-24 to the B-17. There is another copy of this photo on the 487th Bomb Group website, which was provided by John M. Madison, ball turret gunner on the crew of Anton G. Poitevin, 838th Bomb Squadron. The location of the photo is confirmed by comparison with the diagram of Station 137 drawn by Mr. Tim Dean. See the web links below for more information. Roger Freeman Collection

1. de Jong, Ivo. 'The History of the 487th Bomb Group (H)'. Paducah KY: Turner Publishing, Oct 2004
2. Photo of B-17G 43-37981 'Pleasure Bent' in flight on 487th Bomb Group website:
http://www.487thbg.org/photos/pleasurebent3.shtml
3. Diagram of Army Air Forces Station 137, Lavenham, Suffolk, England drawn by Mr. Tim Dean:
http://www.487thbg.org/station137_map01.jpg

Object Number - FRE 2066 - B-17G 43-37981 'Pleasure Bent' of the 838th Bomb Squadron (2C-B), 487th Bomb Group, in flight near Army Air Forces Station 137, Lavenham, Suffolk,...

Delivered Cheyenne 12/6/44; Kearney 23/6/44; Grenier 6/7/44; Assigned 838BS/487BG [2C-B] Lavenham 8/7/44; made normal landing on new base but lost hydraulic pressure with Don Stone, Co-pilot: Don Duyser, Navigator: Irving Koenigsberg, Bombardier: Ned Whitmore, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Orlando Morgan, Radio Operator: Albert Miranda, Ball turret gunner: Dale Hansen, pass-Cpl Bernie Goldstein, Tail gunner: George Cinalli (9 Returned to Duty); ran off runway and jumped deep ditch and tail section KO’d off. Returned to the USA Bradley 11/7/45; 4185 BU Independence 18/7/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Kingman 14/12/45.