B-17F 42-3231

Aircraft Details

Serial Number:	42-3231
Name:	THE INFERNO
Manufacturer:	Built by the Douglas Aircraft Company, B-17F-40-DL, Camouflage
Squadron:	545th Bombardment Squadron (H)
Squadron ID Code:	545th‑JD*M
Start Date:	15 April 1943. Original AC: Start Date is approximate..
Missions:	This aircraft was credited with 7 combat missions with the 384th.
End Date:	12 August 1943. Failed to return from combat operations.
Related Documents:	Missing Air Crew Report # 287⇓ (21.188 MB)
Photo Album:	Aircraft 42-3231 Photo Album⇗
History:	42-3231 Delivered to Cheyenne, Wyoming [for modification] on 2 April 1943. Moved to Dow Field (Bangor Army Air Field), Bangor, Maine on 25 May 1943. Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron, squadron code JD-M, 384th Bombardment Group, Grafton Underwood, Station 106, UK on 28 May 1943. Missing In Action (MIA) on a mission to Gelsenkirchen on 12 August 1943 with Pilot Richard T. Carrington Jr., Copilot Harvey C. Esty, Navigator Robin E. Taber, Bombardier Michael H. Smithwick, Engineer/Top Turret Gunner Philip E. Schmidlapp, Waist Gunner Joseph A. Scholand, 6 POW; Radio Operator Arthur E. Brittain, Ball Turret Gunner Win R. Smalley, Waist Gunner Floyd M. Wingate, Tail Gunner Walter C. Parkins, 4 Killed In Action (KIA). The aircraft was shot down by enemy aircraft and crashed at Erfstadt, near Liblar, Germany. Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) 287. Aircraft Name: THE INFERNO
Bits & Pieces:	23231 384 545 JD M Inferno The Inferno 01 04 43 AI 28 05 43 AOS 00 04 43 G 12 08 43 FTR GF CR Liblar, ? - Capt Richard T. Carrington - 4 KIA, 6 POW - MACR 287
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B-17F Aircraft 42-3231 Was Assigned To 10 Missions Manned by 384th BG Personnel,
Earning Combat Credit For 7 Of Them
Number	Date	Target	Results	Mission/Sortie Information
1⇗	22 June 1943	Target: General Motors Truck Factory Type: Industry Location: Antwerp, Belgium	Completed Mission	Low Squadron Lead. Sortie Report ⇗
2⇗	25 June 1943	Target: Industrial Area & Submarine Pens Type: Military Location: Hamburg, Germany	Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off	Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑30037. Did not take off. Sortie Report ⇗
3⇗	26 June 1943	Target: Villacoublay Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Paris, France	Completed Mission	High Squadron Lead. Sortie Report ⇗
5⇗	29 June 1943	Target: duNord Aircraft Works, Villacoublay Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Paris, France	Completed Mission	High Squadron Lead, Group Deputy. Sortie Report ⇗
6⇗	4 July 1943	Target: Gnome et Rhone Aircraft Engine Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Le Mans, France	Completed Mission	Group lead. 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 ⇗
--	26 July 1943	Hamburg, Germany, RECALLED	Mission Recalled	Sortie Report ⇗
11⇗	28 July 1943	Target: Aircraft Engine Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Kassel, Germany	Completed Mission	Sortie Report ⇗
14⇗	12 August 1943	Target: Synthetic Fuel Hydrogenation Plant Type: Industry Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany	Failed To Return	Damaged by enemy aircraft, crashed [SE of] Liblar, Germany. MACR 287 Sortie Report ⇗