| Serial Number: | 42-30026 |
| Name: | BATTLEWAGON |
| Manufacturer: | Built by the Boeing Airplane Company, B-17F-80-BO, Camouflage |
| Squadron: | 546th Bombardment Squadron (H) |
| Squadron ID Code: | 546th‑BK*J |
| Ground Crew Chief: | Flynn, Roland (NMI) |
| Start Date: | 29 May 1943. Transferred: Received from the 381st BG.. |
| Missions: | This aircraft was credited with 33 combat missions with the 384th. |
| End Date: | 13 July 1944. Transferred: Transferred to the 390th BG. |
| Photo Album: | Aircraft 42-30026 Photo Album⇗ |
| History: | 42-30026 Del Cheyenne 1/4/43; Sioux City 13/4/43; Kearney 4/5/43; Bangor 20/4/43; Ass 534BS/381BG as BATTLE WAGON but not to UK; tran 546BS/384BG [BK-J] 29/5/43; RetUS 13/7/44; 4100 BU Patterson 31/7/44; 4000 BU Patterson 5/12/44; 326 BU McDill 15/5/45; 4006 BU Miami 28/6/45; 4000 BU Wright 9/9/45; 4117 BU Robins 12/9/45; Ass 6AF Caribbean 27/9/45; Recl Comp 7/3/48. [Note: Revisions to original book data are pending concurrence from the author.] |
| Bits & Pieces: |
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| Research Notes: | 2016-03-29 RFP - removed from Additional-Data field, following revisions to book data: '42-30026 Battlewagon; ass 381BG but not to UK; tran to GU (BK*J) 5/29/43 <*> tran to 390BG 4/24/43 (MP); Freeman says retUS 7/13/43 Comments: Transferred to 390th BG 4/24/43 Notes: Bishop: on inventory 1944-03-31 Freeman: RetUS 1944-07-13' Above motivated by message from Dave Barry, this date. |
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| Number | Date | Target | Results | Mission/Sortie Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1⇗ | 22 June 1943 | Target: General Motors Truck Factory Type: Industry Location: Antwerp, Belgium | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 2⇗ | 25 June 1943 | Target: Industrial Area & Submarine Pens Type: Military Location: Hamburg, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Turned back after windshield motor burned out and cockpit filled with smoke, causing the pilot to lose contact with the formation. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 3⇗ | 26 June 1943 | Target: Villacoublay Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Paris, France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 4⇗ | 28 June 1943 | Target: Fighter Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Beaumont-le-Roger, France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 5⇗ | 29 June 1943 | Target: duNord Aircraft Works, Villacoublay Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Paris, France | Completed Mission | Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑30196. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 6⇗ | 4 July 1943 | Target: Gnome et Rhone Aircraft Engine Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Le Mans, France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 9 July 1943 | Abbeville, France, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 7⇗ | 10 July 1943 | Target: Drucat Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Abbeville, France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 8⇗ | 14 July 1943 | Target: Villacoublay Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Paris, France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 10⇗ | 25 July 1943 | Target: Blohm & Voss Aircraft Works and Shipyard Type: Industry Location: Hamburg, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 13⇗ | 30 July 1943 | Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Kassel, Germany | Completed Mission | Group lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 14⇗ | 12 August 1943 | Target: Synthetic Fuel Hydrogenation Plant Type: Industry Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany | Completed Mission | Lead Squadron #2 position. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 24 August 1943 | Diversion (Non-Combat) | Returned To Base | Col. Peaslee Flt Ldr Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 18⇗ | 27 August 1943 | Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Watten, France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 21⇗ | 6 September 1943 | Type: Industry Location: Stuttgart, Germany | Completed Mission | Landed away at West Malling, Kent, due to low fuel. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 24⇗ | 16 September 1943 | Target: Blockade Runner Ship (in Loire River) Type: Transportation Location: Nantes, France | Completed Mission | Landed away at RAF Colerne, Wiltshire. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 21 September 1943 | Reims, France, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Col. Lacey Flt Ldr Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 25⇗ | 23 September 1943 | Target: Submarine Repair Ship Type: Submarine Facility Location: Nantes, France | Completed Mission | Group Lead. Landed away at RAF Warmwell, Dorset, due to low fuel. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 26 September 1943 | Nantes, France, RECALLED | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 29⇗ | 8 October 1943 | Target: Workshops Type: Submarine Facility Location: Bremen, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 30⇗ | 9 October 1943 | Target: Aircraft Factories Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Anklam, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Turned back because #4 engine was rough; jettisoned bombs in safe condition in The Wash; landed away at Kingscliffe; #2 prop nicked by flak; piece of flak embedded in pilot's cushion; empty shell casing wedged in the cooling fins in #3 engine. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 31⇗ | 10 October 1943 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Münster, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 13 October 1943 | Emden, Germany, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Maj. Harris Flt Ldr Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 32⇗ | 14 October 1943 | Target: Ball-Bearing Factory Type: Bearings Industry Location: Schweinfurt, Germany | Completed Mission | Group lead. Only plane to return to Grafton Underwood. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| --⇗ | 30 October 1943 | Gelsenkirchen, Germany, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 34⇗ | 3 November 1943 | Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Wilhelmshafen, Germany | Completed Mission | Group lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 38⇗ | 29 November 1943 | Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Bremen, Germany | Completed Mission | Flight leader; plane lost two superchargers and slowed entire formation; the other two groups went ahead and left the 384th BG. This aircraft did not bomb due to bomb bay doors frozen shut. Landed away at RAF Coltishall, Norfolk. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 46⇗ | 24 December 1943 | Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Croisette, France | Completed Mission | Composite group, low Squadron lead, Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 47⇗ | 30 December 1943 | Target: I. G. Farben Industrie, Chemical/Synthetic Rubber Plants 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 | Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑3440. High Squadron lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 53⇗ | 14 January 1944 | Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Le Meillard, France | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Turned back over field with runaway #2 prop, #3 magneto out, and reception on command radio transmission was very faint. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 56⇗ | 30 January 1944 | Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany | Completed Mission | Wing lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 57⇗ | 3 February 1944 | Target: Submarines (under construction) Type: Submarine Facility Location: Wilhelmshaven, Germany | Completed Mission | Lead Group, Wing Lead. 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 1035 hrs because #2 prop and supercharger ran away at altitude. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 60⇗ | 6 February 1944 | Target: Nancy/Essey Aerodrome Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Nancy, France | Completed Mission | High Squadron deputy, lead group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 62⇗ | 11 February 1944 | Target: Propeller Factory (Foundry) Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Turned back at 0919 hrs because of oxygen leakage in ball turret caused when a crew member stepped on and broke an electical conduit leading to ball turret. 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 | Low Squadron lead, lead group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 65⇗ | 22 February 1944 | Target: Aircraft Factory Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Halberstadt & Aschersleben, Germany | Completed Mission | 41B Group Deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 66⇗ | 24 February 1944 | Target: Ball-Bearing Plant Type: Bearings Industry Location: Schweinfurt, Germany | Completed Mission | Low Squadron, low group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 67⇗ | 25 February 1944 | Target: Aircraft Assembly & Ball Bearings Plants Type: Industry Location: Augsburg & Stuttgart, Germany | Did Not Take Off | 41A Group. Ran off the perimeter track and delayed aircraft waiting to take off: was pulled out, but developed an oxygen leak in the waist and did not take off. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 69⇗ | 2 March 1944 | Target: Alfred Teves Main Works: Aircraft Parts Plant and Machine Shop Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 70⇗ | 3 March 1944 | Target: Roller-Bearing Factory Type: Bearings Industry Location: Berlin, Germany | Mission Recalled | Uncontrollable superchargers made formation flying difficult. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 74⇗ | 9 March 1944 | Target: Heinkel Aircraft Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oranienburg, Germany | Completed Mission | Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑3440. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 76⇗ | 18 March 1944 | Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 80⇗ | 23 March 1944 | Target: Airdrome and Airpark Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Gütersloh, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Turned back at 0835 hrs because all four superchargers were unocontrollable; 2 ran away at takeoff. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 95⇗ | 25 April 1944 | Target: Metz-Frescaty Airdrome Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Metz, France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |