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
By downloading this image, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions
Back row left to right: Waist gunner: Gerald Tucker, Ball turret gunner: Rudy Thigpen ( not on final mission), Waist gunner: Albert Di Minno, Tail gunner: Leland Judy, Flt Engineer: Jarvis Allen, Radio Operator: Victor Ciganek
Front row left to right: Pilot: Jack Hargis, Co-Pilot: Carl Smith, R.C. Martin ( not on final mission), Bombardier: Edward Winslow
Group
The 91st Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated at Harding Field, Louisiana on 15-April-1942 and went to MacDill Field, Florida for the first phase of training from 16-May-1942 to 25-June-1942. The Group was then assigned to 2nd Air Force at Walla...
Squadron
Military | Technical Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner
Shot down 26 July 1943 in B-17 #42-3119. Plane ditched in North Sea. Returned to base.
...
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator
Sgt Victor Ciganek was assigned to the 91st Bomb Group 322nd Squadron based at Bassingbourn. Victor served as radio operator on the B-17 # 42-3119 "Destiny's Tot" on the Hamburg mission of 26 July 1943. Upon returning the B-17 ditched into the North...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner
Shot down 26 July 1943 in B-17 #42-3119. Plane ditched in North Sea. Returned to base.
Shot down 17 August 1943 in B-17 #42-2990 'Dame Satan', Evaded (EVD).
Military | Lieutenant | Pilot
Shot down 26 July 1943 in B-17 #42-3119. Plane ditched in North Sea. Returned to base.
...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner
Shot down 17 August 1943 in B-17 #422990 'Dame Satan. ' Evaded.
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator
Shot down 17 August 1943 in B-17 #41-24453 'Mizpah/ The Bearded Beauty/ The Bearded Lady'. Killed in Action (KIA).
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot
Shot down 26 July 1943 in B-17 #42-3119. Plane ditched in North Sea. Returned to base.
Shot down 17 August 1943 in B-17 #42-2990 'Dame Satan', Evaded (EVD).
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner
Shot down 26 July 1943 in B-17 #42-3119. Plane ditched in North Sea. RTD. Damaged by fighters on mission to Frankfurt on 29 Jan 1944 in B-17G #42-37987 'Man O War - Horsepower Ltd' managed to return to England on two engines and crashed near...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner
Sgt Gerald Tucker (whose first name is often misspelled Gerold) was Right Waist Gunner on B-17 #42-3119 when it was shot down on the Hamburg mission of 26 July 1943. The plane ditched in the North Sea and all ten crew were saved and returned to base....
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier
Shot down 17 August 1943 in B-17 42-2990 'Dame Satan. ' Prisoner of War (POW).
...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 322BS/91BG [LG-R] West Palm Beach 14/12/42; Bassingbourn 10/1/43; Missing in Action 11+m Schweinfurt 17/8/43 with Pilot Jack A. Hargis; Ball turret gunner: Starr A. Tucker (2 Killed in Action); Navigator: Carlyle H. Darling; Bombardier: Edward...
17 August 1943
The mission flown on 17-Aug-43, the 1st anniversary of the 1st mission flown by the 8th Air Force, is probably the most written about mission of the war. This is the famous Schweinfurt/Regensburg mission on which 60 B-17s are lost. It has been dubbed ...
Military site : airfield
Now home to a museum all about the aifield and its USAAF residents (http://www.towermuseumbassingbourn.co.uk/) , Bassingbourn opened in 1938 as part of the RAF's pre-war expansion programme. The RAF continued to use it until late in 1942 when its long...
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 02 August 2015 19:05:04 | V York | Changes to caption |
| Sources | ||
Airman's labeled photo and first hand knowledge |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 02 August 2015 16:28:20 | V York | Changes to caption |
| Sources | ||
Victor's daughter |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 02 August 2015 15:59:27 | ED-BB | Changes to person associations |
| Sources | ||
MACR 277 |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 02 August 2015 15:57:21 | ED-BB | Created entry with caption, unit associations, person associations, place associations, aircraft associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
Uploaded |
||
