| Serial Number: | 42-3087 |
| Name: | CLEAN CUT |
| Manufacturer: | Built by the Douglas Aircraft Company, B-17F-25-DL, Camouflage |
| Squadron: | 547th Bombardment Squadron (H) |
| Squadron ID Code: |
547th‑SO*O (through 1943-10-04) 547th‑SO*A (through 1944-02-22) |
| Start Date: | 4 September 1943. Transferred: Received from the 306th BG.. |
| Missions: | This aircraft was credited with 21 combat missions with the 384th. |
| End Date: | 22 February 1944. Failed to return from combat operations. |
| Comments: | Originally assigned squadron code 'O', apparently went into an extensive maintenance evolution after the 4 October 1943 mission, not returning to combat until 13 December. On its return it carried the squadron code 'A'. |
| Related Documents: | Missing Air Crew Report # 2466⇓ (37.096 MB) |
| Photo Album: | No Photo Album For This Aircraft |
| History: | 42-3087 Delivered to Denver, Colorado [for modification] on 14 January 1943. Assigned to the 95th Bombardment Group at Alconbury, Station 102, UK on 20 March 1943. Transferred to the 367th Bombardment Squadron, squadron code GY-W, 306th Bombardment Group, Station 111, Thurleigh on 11 April 1943. Transferred to the 547th Bombardment Squadron, squadron code SO-O/A, 384th Bombardment Group, Grafton Underwood, Station 106 on 4 September 1943. Missing In Action (MIA) on a mission to Aschersleben on 22 February 1944 with Pilot William J. Kew, Engineer/Top Turret Gunner James W. Ross (2 KIA-recovered in Hardberg); Copilot Charles Edwin Nicklett, Navigator Irvan G. O'Hara, Bombardier Carleton F. Dow, Radio Operator Harold R. Miles, Ball Turret Gunner Ralph E. Baird Jr., Waist Gunner Charles T. Whipple, Waist Gunner John W. Lunceford, Tail Gunner James R. Hopkins (8 POW). The aircraft was shot down by enemy aircraft and crashed at Gahlen, four miles West of Dorsten, Germany. Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) 2466. Aircraft Name: CLEAN CUT. |
| Research Notes: |
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| Number | Date | Target | Results | Mission/Sortie Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26⇗ | 27 September 1943 | Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Emden, Germany | Completed Mission | Landed away at Snetterton Heath Airfield, AAF Station 138, due to low fuel. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 28⇗ | 4 October 1943 | Type: Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Turned back, #2 engine supercharger pressure low and #3 engine oil pressure low. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 42⇗ | 13 December 1943 | Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Bremen, Germany | Completed Mission | Lead group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 45⇗ | 22 December 1943 | Target: Steel Shops/Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Osnabrück, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 46⇗ | 24 December 1943 | Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Croisette, France | Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 47⇗ | 30 December 1943 | Target: I. G. Farben Industrie, Chemical/Synthetic Rubber Plants Type: Industry Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 48⇗ | 31 December 1943 | Target: Blockade Runner 'Orsone' (name of ship) Type: Transportation Location: [Mouth of River Garonne], France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 49⇗ | 4 January 1944 | Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Kiel, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 50⇗ | 5 January 1944 | Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Kiel, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 51⇗ | 7 January 1944 | Target: Powerhouse Type: Industry Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 52⇗ | 11 January 1944 | Target: Ju-88 Aircraft Parts Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Halberstadt, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 53⇗ | 14 January 1944 | Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Le Meillard, France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 54⇗ | 21 January 1944 | Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Preuseville, France | Completed Mission | 41B Group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 24 January 1944 | Frankfurt am Main, Germany, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Grp Y Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 55⇗ | 29 January 1944 | Target: Aircraft Parts Plants Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany | Completed Mission | Low group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 56⇗ | 30 January 1944 | Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany | Completed Mission | Lead group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 57⇗ | 3 February 1944 | Target: Submarines (under construction) Type: Submarine Facility Location: Wilhelmshaven, Germany | Completed Mission | Low Group. After losing the formation in clouds, continued mission with the 303rd BG. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 58⇗ | 4 February 1944 | Target: Alfred Teves Main Works: Aircraft Parts Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | High group, 41st B Combat Wing. Turned back at 1108 hrs over The Netherlands "because #2 supercharger surged and ran away ... was uncontrollable." Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 60⇗ | 6 February 1944 | Target: Nancy/Essey Aerodrome Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Nancy, France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 61⇗ | 8 February 1944 | Target: Piston Ring Factory Type: Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany | Completed Mission | Low Squadron. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 62⇗ | 11 February 1944 | Target: Propeller Factory (Foundry) Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 63⇗ | 20 February 1944 | Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany | Completed Mission | 41B Group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 64⇗ | 21 February 1944 | Target: Fighter Field & Aircraft Storage Depot Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Werl, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 65⇗ | 22 February 1944 | Target: Aircraft Factory Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Halberstadt & Aschersleben, Germany | Failed To Return | 41B Group. Shot down in vigorous attacks by 10-15 Me-109s or a heavy flak barrage between 1230 and 1300 hrs near Münster, Germany; crashed near Wesel, Germany. MACR 2466 Sortie Report ⇗ |