| Serial Number: | 42-3259 |
| Name: | SNAFU / ALABAMA WHIRLWIND |
| Manufacturer: | Built by the Douglas Aircraft Company, B-17F-40-DL, Camouflage |
| Squadron: | 546th,545th Bombardment Squadron (H) |
| Squadron ID Code: |
546th‑BK*N (through 1943-08-12) 545th‑JD*T (through 1944-02-25) |
| Ground Crew Chief: | Konzem, Hubert Philip |
| Start Date: | 16 July 1943. Transferred: Received from the 94th BG.. |
| Missions: | This aircraft was credited with 21 combat missions with the 384th. |
| End Date: | 1 March 1944. Transferred: Sent to 2 SAD, Little Staughton. |
| Comments: | This aircraft transferred from the 546th to the 545th between 12 August 1943 and 6 September, changing its squadron code from BK*N to JD*T in the process. This transfer followed extensive damage incurred on the 12 August mission. |
| Photo Album: | Aircraft 42-3259 Photo Album⇗ |
| History: | Delivered to Denver, Colorado [for modification] on 13 April 1943. Transferred to Cheyenne, Wyoming [for modification] on 16 April 1943. Moved to Dow Field [Bangor Army Airfield], Bangor, Maine on 30 April 1943. Assigned to the 332nd Bombardment Squadron, Squadron Code XM-D, 94th Bombardment Group (Aircraft name SNAFU) at Earls Colne, Station 358, UK on 10 May 1943 and then to Rougham (Bury St Edmunds), Station 468, UK on 13 June 1943. Transferred to the 546th Bombardment Squadron, squadron code BK-N, 384th Bombardment Group at Grafton Underwood, Station 106 on 16 July 1943 and then to the 545th Bombardment Squadron, squadron code JD-T. Transferred to the second Advanced Air Depot (2 SAD) at Little Staughton, Station 127 on 31 December 1943. Transferred to Shipdam, Station 115 on 1 March 1944 [44th Bombardment Group]. Transferred to Cheddington, Station113, UK on 14 March 1944. Returned to the US at Tinker Army Airfield, Oklahoma on 5 August 1944. Transferred to the Reclamation Finance Center (Recl Comp) on 3 January 1946 and sold for scrap. Plane Name: ALABAMA WHIRLWIND. |
| Research Notes: |
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| Number | Date | Target | Results | Mission/Sortie Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10⇗ | 25 July 1943 | Target: Blohm & Voss Aircraft Works and Shipyard Type: Industry Location: Hamburg, Germany | 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 ⇗ |
| 12⇗ | 29 July 1943 | Target: Naval Base Type: Military Location: Kiel, Germany | Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off | Replaced by Ground Spare Aircraft 42‑5843. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 13⇗ | 30 July 1943 | Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Kassel, Germany | Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off | Replaced by Ground Spare Aircraft 42‑3216. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 14⇗ | 12 August 1943 | Target: Synthetic Fuel Hydrogenation Plant Type: Industry Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany | Completed Mission | On return, landed away at Framlingham, AAF Station 153, with one wounded. Engines #1 & #3 damaged by 20mm shell, many flak holes in ship. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 29⇗ | 8 October 1943 | Target: Workshops Type: Submarine Facility Location: Bremen, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 31⇗ | 10 October 1943 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Münster, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 13 October 1943 | Emden, Germany, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 33⇗ | 20 October 1943 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Düren, Germany | Completed Mission | 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 | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 35⇗ | 5 November 1943 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Turned back, #3 engine failure. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 11 November 1943 | Wesel, Germany, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| --⇗ | 13 November 1943 | Bremen, Germany, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 36⇗ | 16 November 1943 | Target: Knaben II Molybdenum Mine Type: Industry Location: Knaben, Norway | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 38⇗ | 29 November 1943 | Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Bremen, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | High Squadron lead; Ground Spare Aircraft (545th BS), replaced 42‑3441; turned back due to pilot illness. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 30 November 1943 | Solingen, Germany, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 39⇗ | 1 December 1943 | Target: Non-Ferrous Metals Plant Type: Industry Location: Solingen, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 40⇗ | 5 December 1943 | Target: Fighter Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Saint-Jean-d'Angély, France | Returned To Base | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 41⇗ | 11 December 1943 | Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Emden, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 42⇗ | 13 December 1943 | Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Bremen, Germany | Completed Mission | Low group, low Squadron deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 46⇗ | 24 December 1943 | Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Croisette, France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 47⇗ | 30 December 1943 | Target: I. G. Farben Industrie, Chemical/Synthetic Rubber Plants Type: Industry Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany | Completed Mission | Landed away at Gatwick with #4 engine out; bombed target; sent to 2 Strategic Air Depot at Little Staughton for repair. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 56⇗ | 30 January 1944 | Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Low group. Turned back at 0945 hrs because throttle linkage was broken on #1 and prop had to be feathered; generators on other engines out also. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 57⇗ | 3 February 1944 | Target: Submarines (under construction) Type: Submarine Facility Location: Wilhelmshaven, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Lead Group. Turned back at 1008 hrs Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 58⇗ | 4 February 1944 | Target: Alfred Teves Main Works: Aircraft Parts Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany | Completed Mission | High group, 41st B Combat Wing. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 59⇗ | 5 February 1944 | Target: Bricy Aerodrome, Luftwaffe Training and Bomber Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Orleans, France | Completed Mission | 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 | Lead Squadron. Landed away at RAF Manston, Kent, on return due to low fuel. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 63⇗ | 20 February 1944 | Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany | Completed Mission | 41A 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 ⇗ |
| 66⇗ | 24 February 1944 | Target: Ball-Bearing Plant Type: Bearings Industry Location: Schweinfurt, Germany | Completed Mission | High Squadron, lead group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 67⇗ | 25 February 1944 | Target: Aircraft Assembly & Ball Bearings Plants Type: Industry Location: Augsburg & Stuttgart, Germany | Completed Mission | 41C Group, High Squadron, Low Group. Sortie Report ⇗ |