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B-17F 42-3441

Aircraft Details

Serial Number: 42-3441
Name: PATCHES II / SPOTTED COW
Manufacturer: Built by the Douglas Aircraft Company, B-17F-60-DL, Camouflage
Squadron: 547th Bombardment Squadron (H)
Squadron ID Code: 547th‑SO*E
Start Date: 9 August 1943. New Replacement AC.
Missions: This aircraft was credited with 39 combat missions with the 384th.
End Date: 24 September 1945. RETUS: Returned to the USA.
Comments: Longest-serving B-17F in the Group, and last B-17F in Group to fly a combat mission (7 June 1944). Retired to non-combat duties as assembly and weather ship after its last combat mission.
Photo Album: Aircraft 42-3441 Photo Album
(more...)

B-17F Aircraft 42-3441 Was Assigned To 77 Missions Manned by 384th BG Personnel,
Earning Combat Credit For 39 Of Them
Number Date Target Results Mission/Sortie Information
1515 August 1943Target: Poix-en-Picardie and Amiens-Glisy Airfields
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Poix-de-Picardie & Amiens, France
Completed Mission Sortie Report
1616 August 1943Target: Le Bourget Airport & Air Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Paris, France
Completed Mission Sortie Report
1827 August 1943Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Watten, France
Completed MissionLow Squadron lead.
Sortie Report
--30 August 1943Achiet-le-Grand, France, RECALLEDMission RecalledLdSqLd
Sortie Report
1931 August 1943Target: Fighter Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Romilly-sur-Seine, France
Completed MissionWing Deputy.
Sortie Report
--2 September 1943Vannes, France, RECALLEDMission Recalled Sortie Report
227 September 1943Target: Bruxelles-Evere Airfield/Repair Depot
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Brussels / Bruxelles, Belgium
Completed Mission Sortie Report
239 September 1943Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Lille-Vendeville, France
Completed MissionHigh Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report
--21 September 1943Riems, France, RECALLEDMission Recalled Sortie Report
2523 September 1943Target: Submarine Repair Ship
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Nantes, France
Completed MissionGroup Deputy.
Sortie Report
--26 September 1943Nantes, France, RECALLEDMission RecalledDeputy Flt Leader; Kaczaraba (CP)
Sortie Report
2627 September 1943Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Emden, Germany
Completed MissionGroup Deputy.
Sortie Report
272 October 1943Target: Port Facilities
Type: Transportation
Location: Emden, Germany
Completed MissionLow Squadron Lead..
Sortie Report
284 October 1943Type: Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Completed MissionGroup deputy.
Sortie Report
309 October 1943Target: Aircraft Factories
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Anklam, Germany
Completed MissionGroup lead.
Sortie Report
3110 October 1943Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Münster, Germany
Completed MissionGroup lead.
Sortie Report
--30 October 1943Gelsenkirchen, Germany, RECALLEDMission Recalled Sortie Report
343 November 1943Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Wilhelmshafen, Germany
Completed MissionSquadron of composite group.
Sortie Report
3616 November 1943Target: Knaben II Molybdenum Mine
Type: Industry
Location: Knaben, Norway
Completed MissionGroup deputy.
Sortie Report
3829 November 1943Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany
Scrubbed: Did Not Take OffReplaced by Ground Spare Aircraft 42‑3259.
Sortie Report
--30 November 1943Solingen, Germany, RECALLEDMission RecalledFailed to contact wing
Sortie Report
405 December 1943Target: Fighter Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Saint-Jean-d'Angély, France
Returned To BaseWing lead.
Sortie Report
4111 December 1943Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Emden, Germany
Spare, Completed MissionFlying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report
4213 December 1943Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany
Completed MissionLead group, high Squadron lead.
Sortie Report
4420 December 1943Target: Port Area/Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany
Completed MissionGround Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑5444. Took off late, probably due to transferring from original aircraft. Unable to locate the 384th formation, joined the 379th BG and bombed Bremen with them.
Sortie Report
5421 January 1944Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Preuseville, France
Completed Mission41B Group, Low Squadron Deputy.
Sortie Report
--24 January 1944Frankfurt am Main, Germany, RECALLEDMission RecalledGrp Y
Sortie Report
5529 January 1944Target: Aircraft Parts Plants
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Completed MissionGroup deputy, low group.
Sortie Report
5630 January 1944Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany
Scrubbed: Did Not Take OffLead group high Squadron lead. Did not take off.
Sortie Report
573 February 1944Target: Submarines (under construction)
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Wilhelmshaven, Germany
Completed MissionLead Group.
Sortie Report
606 February 1944Target: Nancy/Essey Aerodrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Nancy, France
Completed Mission Sortie Report
6320 February 1944Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany
Completed Mission41A Group.
Sortie Report
6725 February 1944Target: Aircraft Assembly & Ball Bearings Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Augsburg & Stuttgart, Germany
Completed Mission41A Group.
Sortie Report
692 March 1944Target: Alfred Teves Main Works: Aircraft Parts Plant and Machine Shop
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Aborted Mission After Taking Off.Turned back at 1046 hrs because #1 prop ran away (prop governor sheared). Landed away at RAF Gatwick, West Sussex.
Sortie Report
703 March 1944Target: Roller-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany
Aborted Mission After Taking Off.Turned back because #2 engine supercharger ran away.
Sortie Report
714 March 1944Type: Military
Location: Berlin, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
7516 March 1944Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
Spare, Completed MissionFlying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report
7618 March 1944Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused 
7820 March 1944Type: Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Mission Recalled Sortie Report
7922 March 1944Target: Heinkel Aircraft Assembly Plant at Annahof Airfield
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oranienburg, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
8023 March 1944Target: Airdrome and Airpark
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Gütersloh, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
869 April 1944Target: FW-190 Fighter Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Marienburg, Germany
Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused 
8710 April 1944Target: Evere Airfield (50°54'3"N 4°20'9"E)
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Brussels / Bruxelles, Belgium
Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused 
8811 April 1944Target: FW Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Sorau, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
8913 April 1944Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany
Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused 
9018 April 1944Target: Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oranienburg, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
9119 April 1944Target: Fieseler Aircraft Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Kassel (Waldau), Germany
Spare, Completed MissionFlying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report
9424 April 1944Target: Dornier-Werke GMBH Aircraft Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
Completed MissionGround Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑39888. Sustained 20mm cannon damage.
Sortie Report
1017 May 1944Target: Friedrichstrasse Railroad Station
Type: Transportation
Location: Berlin, Germany
Scrubbed: Did Not Take OffHale returned this aircraft to base with a runaway prop. Replaced by Ground Spare Aircraft 42‑37792.
Sortie Report
--10 May 1944Ehrang, Germany, RECALLEDGround Spare Aircraft, Unused 
10511 May 1944Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Saarbrücken and Ehrang, Germany
Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused 
10612 May 1944Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany
Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused 
10713 May 1944Target: Aircraft Assembly Components Factory.
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Poznań, Poland
Spare, Completed MissionFlying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report
10919 May 1944Target: Unidentified Industrial Area
Type: Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany
Completed MissionLow Group.
Sortie Report
11525 May 1944Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Sarreguemines and Blainville-sur-l'Eau, France
Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed41B Group.
Sortie Report
11627 May 1944Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany
Aborted Mission After Taking Off.Lead Group, Flying Spare aircraft. Turned back at 1053 hrs because Tokyo tank would not feed.
Sortie Report
11828 May 1944Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany
Spare, Completed MissionFlying Spare Aircraft. Joined formation. Ground Spare Aircraft. Replaced 42‑107064.
Sortie Report
11929 May 1944Target: Focke-Wulf Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Krzesiny District, Poznań, Poland
Aborted Mission After Taking Off.Low Group, Low Squadron Deputy. Turned back at 0944 hrs because an oil pressure line broke; the engine caught fire and had to be feathered.
Sortie Report
12030 May 1944Target: Aircraft Hangars and Repair Sheds
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Halberstadt, Germany
Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused 
1222 June 1944Target: Gun Battery with six 155mm guns, Tactical Support
Type: Military
Location: Hardelot (5 miles S of Boulogne), France
Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused 
1243 June 1944Target: Coastal Artillery Battery
Type: Military
Location: Le Touquet, France
Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused 
1254 June 1944Target: Artillery Battery
Type: Military
Location: Hardelot (Boulogne area), France
Completed Mission Sortie Report
1265 June 1944Target: Field Artillery Battery
Type: Military
Location: La Fosse, France
Completed MissionLead Group.
Sortie Report
1307 June 1944Target: Transportation Hub
Type: Military
Location: Condé-sur-Noireau, France
Completed Mission Sortie Report
1318 June 1944Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (41C) & Loire River Railroad Bridge (41D)
Type: Transportation
Location: Orleans, France
Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused 
13413 June 1944Target: Dreux Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Dreux, France
Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused 
13716 June 1944Target: Athies Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Laon, France
Aborted Mission After Taking Off.High Group. Turned back over England with a mechanical failure.
Sortie Report
13919 June 1944Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Fleury & Crépy, France
Flight CompletedWeather aircraft; remainder of crew (CP, N, RO, Eng) not identified
Sortie Report
16119 July 1944Target: Hydrogen Peroxide Plant
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Höllriegelskreuth District, Pullach, Germany
Flight CompletedAssembly ship; additional crew members (CP, N, Eng, RO) not identified in mission documents. In this first use of aircraft 42-3441, in the 'SPOTTED COW' paint scheme, as an assembly aircraft, Col. Travis provided several suggestions for improvement. Chief among those was the observation that the paint scheme did not stand out in the faint early morning light. He also noted that the lightly-loaded assembly ship should limit maneuvering to the capability of the fully-loaded bombers.
Sortie Report
16220 July 1944Target: Aircraft Plants
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Dessau, Germany
Flight CompletedAssembly Ship; remainder of crew not listed on mission documents.
Sortie Report
16321 July 1944Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Schwäbisch Hall, Germany
Returned To BaseAssembly ship; remainder of crew not listed on mission documents.
Sortie Report
16628 July 1944Target: Synthetic Oil & Chemical Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany
Returned To BaseAssembly aircraft.
Sortie Report
16729 July 1944Target: Synthetic Oil & Chemical Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany
Returned To BaseAssembly A/C
Sortie Report
16831 July 1944Target: Aero Engine Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Munich / München, Germany
Flight CompletedAssembly Aircraft; remainder of crew (CP, N, RO, Eng) not identified.
Sortie Report
19413 September 1944Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany
Flight CompletedWeather aircraft; remainder of crew - CP, N, Eng, R - not identified in mission documents.
Sortie Report
24324 December 1944Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Kirch Göns, Germany
Flight CompletedWeather aircraft.
Sortie Report
2643 February 1945Target: Tempelhof Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Berlin, Germany
Flight CompletedWeather aircraft; remainder of crew (CP, N Eng, RO) not identified in mission documents.
Sortie Report