| Serial Number: | 42-30131 |
| Name: | Not Known |
| Manufacturer: | Built by the Boeing Airplane Company, B-17F-85-BO, Camouflage |
| Squadron: | 547th Bombardment Squadron (H) |
| Squadron ID Code: | 547th‑SO*Q |
| Start Date: | 1 April 1943. Original AC. |
| Missions: | No combat missions flown with the 384th. |
| End Date: | 17 July 1943. Transferred: Sent to 2 SAD, Little Staughton. |
| Related Documents: | Accident Report # 43-06-12-502⇓ (29.679 MB) |
| Photo Album: | Aircraft 42-30131 Photo Album⇗ |
| History: | 42-30131 Delivered to Cheyenne, Wyoming for modification on 15 April 1943; Gore Field, Montana on 25 April 1943; Sioux City, Iowa on 30 April 1943; Kearney, Nebraska on4 May 1943; Bangor, Maine on 20 May 1943 Assigned to the 547th Bombardment Squadron, squadron code, SO-Q, 384th Bombardment Group, station 106, Grafton Underwood, UK. The aircraft was involved in a mid-air collision over the base with 42-30036 during a practice flight on 9 June 1943 with Pilot-Francis John Witt Jr., co-pilot-T.L. Carter, navigator-Arthur Claude Harris, bombardier-Joe Derer Jr., , radio operator-William Francis Sears, observer-Boyd W.Titman, passengers-Frank E. Brasiel, Cyril F. Knapek, (8 Returned to Duty). The aircraft was repaired and transferred to the Second Strategic Air Depot (2 SAD), station 127, Little Staughton on 17 July 1943 for modification in preparation to accompany Royal Air Force (RAF) Halifaxes on Meteorological duties (MET). 1CCEC Bovingdon, Herts; transferred to RAF 517 Squadron, station 129, St. Eval, Cornwall in September 1943. Missing in action from RAF Brawdy, Pembroke on MET Flight over the English Channel, Torquay-Cherbourg on 2 February 1944 with pilot-Robert Grafton, co-pilot-Ralph Williams, navigator-Casper Durgin, engineer/top turret gunner-Louis Feller, radio operator-Angelo Nicoletti, gunner-Tillman Lawr, gunner-Charles Green, MET Oberver.-Sgt John Edwards{RAF}, (8 Killed in Service). Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) #2250. |
| Bits & Pieces: |
|
| (more...) | |
| Number | Date | Target | Results | Mission/Sortie Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| -- | 12 June 1943 | Training (Non-Combat) | Crashed In Allied Territory | Involved in a collision with aircraft 42‑30036 on short final while landing at Grafton Underwood after a training mission. Pilot of 42‑30036 (2Lt Ellwood Kowalski) executed a pull-up maneuver upon observing red light from control tower and struck aircraft 42‑30131 which was just above. All five crew aboard Kowalski's aircraft were killed: crew aboard Lt Witt's aircraft survived uninjured. Aircraft 42‑30036 was not following established traffic pattern prior to collision. Sortie Report ⇗ |