IWM catalogue record
This contains information written on the back of the original print and some of it may be inaccurate.
B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 381st Bomb Group are escorted during a practice mission by a P-51 Mustang of the 355th Fighter Group. The Fortresses, left to right, are (VE-N, serial number 43-37675) nicknamed "Patches (Flak Magnet)", (VE-K, serial number 42-106994) nicknamed "Little Guy" and (VE-O, serial number 42-107112) nicknamed "Sleepy Time Gal".
Connections
Units
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Group
Where the 353rd Fighter Group had pioneered ground strafing techniques, it was the 355th Fighter Group who destroyed more enemy aircraft by ground strafing than any other Eighth Air Force Group. Based at Steeple Morden from July 1943 to July 1945, the...
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Group
The 381st Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses from Ridgewell, Essex between June 1943 and April 1945. The Group was awarded two Distinguished Unit Citations, the first for bombing shipyards at Bremen, whilst under heavy attack, on 8 October 1943 and...
Aircraft
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 21/1/44; Gr Island 18/2/44; Grenier 22/2/44; Assigned 532BS/381BG [VE-K] Ridgewell 3/4/44; Missing in Action 37+m Altenbeken 26/11/44 with Kyle Smith, Radio Operator: Lester Colson, Ball turret gunner: Gustavo Contreras (3 Killed in...
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Tulsa 24/2/44; Gr Island 3/3/44; Grenier 24/3/44; Assigned 532BS/381BG [VE-O] Ridgewell 6/4/44; 47+m Returned to the USA Bradley 29/5/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Kingman 18/11/45. SLEEPY TIME GAL....
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 10/5/44; Kearney 22/5/44; Dow Fd 29/5/44; Assigned 532BS/381BG [VE-N] Ridgewell 10/6/44 PATCHES; 55+m battle damaged Neckarsulm 1/3/45 with Price; last sighted St Pol sur Ternoise, Fr, force landed France?; repaired & ret group;...