41-2578 Butcher Shop/ Big Tin Bird

A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-2578) nicknamed "Butcher Shop" of the 92nd Bomb Group at Bovingdon. Written on slide casing: 'B-17 E 12578 Oldest fortress in 8AF Bovingdon, 1943.' media-387885.jpg FRE 5781 A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-2578) nicknamed "Butcher Shop" of the 92nd Bomb Group at Bovingdon. Written on slide casing: 'B-17 E 12578 Oldest fortress in 8AF Bovingdon, 1943.' Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 5781 - A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-2578) nicknamed "Butcher Shop" of the 92nd Bomb Group at Bovingdon. Written on slide casing: 'B-17 E 12578...

Boeing B-17E

41-2578

Butcher Shop (97BG)/Big Tin Bird (20FG)



Pendleton, Oregon – 18 February 1942

Polebook, England (340BS/97BG) – April 1942

Bovingdon, England (326BS/92BG) – 25 August 1942

Glatton, England (457BG) – 3 March 1944

Kings Cliffe, England (77FS/20FG) – 3 August 1944

Alconbury, England (Salvaged) – 6 August 1945



Lead bomber of first strike force on VIII Bomber Command Mission 1 (17 August 1942).

Squadron hack for Colonel Cy Wilson (CO 20FG).

Oldest Boeing B-17 in the 8AF at war’s end.

Connections

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

Units served with

Ground personnel of the 97th Bomb Group reservice a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-9023) nicknamed "Yankee Doodle", following the raid on Rouen. Image stamped on reverse: 'Associated Press.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 18 Aug 1942.' [stamp], 'Air=SER (Boeing).' [written annotation] and '216112.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'U.S FLYING FORTRESSES RAID ROUEN IN DAYLIGHT. Associated Press Photo Shows: No sooner had one of the huge Fortresses landed after the raid than ground crew im
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

Colonel Frank A. Armstrong of the 97th Bomb Group in the cockpit of his B-17 Flying Fortress. Image stamped on reverse: 'Photographed by US Army Air Air Forces.' [caption], 'US Official Phot No. USB 230. (WA) Distributed by the Ministry of Information.' [caption] 'USAA(BRI)CCC:TYPE.' [written annotation] Printed caption on reverse: 'LEADER OF THE US BOMBING ATTACK ON WILHELMSHAVEN. Photo shows:- Col. Frank A. Armstrong of Asheville N.C. who led the bombing attack on Wilhelmshaven- the first American air a
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 97th Bomb Group
  • Service Numbers: O-17459
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant General
  • Role/Job: Pilot / Commanding Officer
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 97th Bomb Group 340th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-361713
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 55th Fighter Squadron 77th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-21538
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot Squadron/Group Commander

Places

The mission board of the 457th Bomb Group. Official caption printed on image: '(GM-299-2-457)(16/5/45)(Op's Board's).'
  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Connington

Missions

Revisions

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Sources

Lee Cunningham 20-Oct-2014 "Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman.

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Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log

41-2578: Gallery (8 items)