42-3438

media-19949.jpeg UPL 19949 Photo of B-17 Flying Fortress 42-3438 taken in England before the final mission on October 30, when the plane crashed into the sea. The smoke-tank can be seen below the fuselage and you can also see how the fin and top side of the plane has been painted yellow (the drones had previously been painted white) for better visibility from the control plane. Photo USAF.

Object Number - UPL 19949 - Photo of B-17 Flying Fortress 42-3438 taken in England before the final mission on October 30, when the plane crashed into the sea. The smoke-tank...

Delivered Denver 23/6/43; Dow Fd 19/7/43; Assigned 337BS/96BG [AW-F] Snetterton 20/7/43; transferred 36BS for Radio Counter Measures, Sculthorpe 1944. Missing in Action Heligoland 30/10/44, with Lts with Gaither & W. Dunnuck. Intended for submarine pens of Heligoland. Due to bad weather target could not be seen and A/C was re-directed towards Berlin but the plane run out of fuel somewhere over North sea and crashed.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

The insignia of the 36th Bomb Squadron (Radar Counter Measures).
  • Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
The insignia of the 96th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 560th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 560th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant

Places

Missions

  • Date: 30 October 1944

Events

Event Location Date Description

Delivered

Buckley AFB, Aurora, CO, USA 23 June 1943 Delivered to USAAF Denver Field 23/6/43.

Assigned

Snetterton, Norwich, Norfolk NR16, UK 20 July 1943 Assigned 337th BS, 96th BG Snetterton 20/7/43.

Crashed

North Sea 30 October 1944 Missing in Action - Aphrodite target - Heligoland 30/10/44. Command crew Lts W C Gaither & W M Dunnuck baled out over UK. Intended for submarine pens of Heligoland. Due to bad weather target could not be seen and A/C was re-directed towards Berlin but the plane run out of fuel somewhere over North sea and crashed.

Manufactured

Long Beach, CA, USA Built at Douglas Long Beach.

Other

Transferred

Sculthorpe, Fakenham, Norfolk NR21, UK Transferred to 36th BS for Radio Counter Measures, Sculthorpe 44.

Other

Transferred

Fersfield, Diss, Norfolk IP22, UK Transferred to Project Aphrodite.

Revisions

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log

42-3438: Gallery (1 items)