2023 UK REUNION
 13-19 SEPTEMBER 2023
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B-17G 43-38062

Aircraft Details

Serial Number: 43-38062
Name: PLEASURE BENT
Manufacturer: Built by the Boeing Airplane Company, B-17G-75-BO, Natural Metal Finish
Squadron: 544th Bombardment Squadron (H)
Squadron ID Code: 544th‑SU*A
Start Date: 11 August 1944. New Replacement AC.
Missions: This aircraft was credited with 83 combat missions with the 384th.
End Date: 10 December 1945. Istres: Moved with the Group to Istres/Le Tube, France.
Photo Album: Aircraft 43-38062 Photo Album
(more...)

B-17G Aircraft 43-38062 Was Assigned To 92 Missions Manned by 384th BG Personnel,
Earning Combat Credit For 83 Of Them
Number Date Target Results Mission/Sortie Information
17812 August 1944Target: "Landing Ground"
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: La Perthe, France
Completed MissionLead group.
Sortie Report
17913 August 1944Target: Tactical: Road Network
Type: Transportation
Location: Beaumont-le-Roger (area), France
Completed MissionHigh group.
Sortie Report
18014 August 1944Target: Echterdingen Airdrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Stuttgart, Germany
Completed MissionLow group.
Sortie Report
18116 August 1944Target: Delitzsch Air Field and Air Equipment Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Delitzsch, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
18218 August 1944Target: Tactical: Bridge
Type: Transportation
Location: Vise, Belgium
Completed MissionLead group.
Sortie Report
18324 August 1944Target: Synthetic Oil & Chemical Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany
Completed MissionLow Squadron deputy, high group.
Sortie Report
18630 August 1944Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Crepieul, France
Completed Mission Sortie Report
--1 September 1944Ludwigshaven, Germany, RECALLEDMission Recalled Sortie Report
1873 September 1944Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
1885 September 1944Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany
Completed MissionReturned with #1 feathered.
Sortie Report
1898 September 1944Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany
Returned EarlyLost formation because he was following element lead (who was aborting); returned bombs to base.
Sortie Report
1909 September 1944Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
19110 September 1944Target: BMW Motor Component Parts Plant
Type: Industry
Location: Sindelfingen, Germany
Completed MissionLow Squadron. Returned with #4 feathered.
Sortie Report
19211 September 1944Target: Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Lützkendorf & Merseburg, Germany
Completed Mission41A Group.
Sortie Report
19517 September 1944Target: Tank and Gun Concentrations, Tactical
Type: Military
Location: Eindhoven & 's‑Hertogenbosch (den Bosch), The Netherlands
Completed MissionB Squadron.
Sortie Report
19619 September 1944Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Hamm, Germany
Completed MissionLead Squadron.
Sortie Report
19721 September 1944Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Mainz, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
19825 September 1944Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Completed MissionC Wing, lead group. Hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
19926 September 1944Target: Steelworks
Type: Industry
Location: Osnabrück, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
20027 September 1944Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (PFF Aiming Points)
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
20128 September 1944Target: Steelworks
Type: Industry
Location: Magdeburg, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
20230 September 1944Target: Handorf Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Münster, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
2043 October 1944Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Wesseling, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
2055 October 1944Type: Industry
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany
Completed MissionHigh Squadron. Dropped out of formation after bombs away, but returned OK to base.
Sortie Report
2089 October 1944Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany
Completed MissionLow Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
20911 October 1944Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Wesseling, Germany
Completed MissionThird Squadron.
Sortie Report
21014 October 1944Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Saarbrücken, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
21115 October 1944Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany
Completed MissionLow Squadron.
Sortie Report
21217 October 1944Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
21318 October 1944Target: Ford Motor Works
Type: Industry
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
21419 October 1944Target: Heinrich Lanz Tank Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Mannheim, Germany
Completed MissionLead Squadron.
Sortie Report
21525 October 1944Target: Nordstern Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Completed MissionFourth Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
21630 October 1944Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
2171 November 1944Target: Nordstern Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
2182 November 1944Target: Ruhr-Chemie A.G. Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Sterkrade (Holten), Germany
Completed MissionHigh Squadron.
Sortie Report
2216 November 1944Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bottrop (Welheim), Germany
Completed MissionGround Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑37822.
Sortie Report
2228 November 1944Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Plant (visual aim point)
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
2239 November 1944Target: Ground Installations
Type: Military
Location: Ouvrages de Sorbey (Metz), France
Completed MissionLead Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
22410 November 1944Target: Ostheim Airfield & Butzweilerhof Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany
Completed Mission41D Squadron.
Sortie Report
22511 November 1944Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
22616 November 1944Target: Tactical - Artillery Positions
Type: Military
Location: Eschweiler, Germany
Completed MissionLanded away at Stratford, due to weather.
Sortie Report
22720 November 1944Target: Buer Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
22823 November 1944Target: Nordstern Coking Plant at Gelsenkirchener Bergwerks-A.G.
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Completed MissionHot camera ship.
Sortie Report
22925 November 1944Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Lützkendorf, Germany
Completed MissionHot camera ship; landed away at Harwell, due to weather.
Sortie Report
23127 November 1944Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Offenburg, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
23229 November 1944Target: Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Misburg, Germany
Aborted Mission After Taking Off.Hot camera ship. Aborted due to mechanical failure; landed away at Halesworth; jettisoned bombs in Channel.
Sortie Report
2379 December 1944Target: Airfield and Daimler Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Böblingen (Stuttgart area), Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
24018 December 1944Target: Road Junction
Type: Transportation
Location: Gemünd, Germany
Completed MissionHigh Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
24324 December 1944Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Kirch Göns, Germany
Completed Mission41C Group.
Sortie Report
24427 December 1944Target: Bridge (Tactical)
Type: Transportation
Location: Altenahr, Germany
Completed MissionLow Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
24528 December 1944Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Brühl, Germany
Completed MissionHigh Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
24630 December 1944Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Limburg, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
24731 December 1944Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Neuss, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
2481 January 1945Target: Oil Storage Depot
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Derben, Germany
Completed MissionLow Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
2492 January 1945Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Gerolstein, Germany
Spare, Completed MissionFlying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report
2503 January 1945Target: Enemy Strong Point & Transportation Hub
Type: Military
Location: St Vith, Belgium
Completed Mission Sortie Report
2515 January 1945Target: Landing Ground
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Neiderbreisig, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
2527 January 1945Target: Enemy Strong Point
Type: Military
Location: Blankenheim, Germany
Spare, Completed MissionLow Squadron flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report
25515 January 1945Target: Neuburg Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Neuburg an der Donau, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
25617 January 1945Target: Railroad Viaduct
Type: Transportation
Location: Bielefeld, Germany
Completed MissionLow Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
25720 January 1945Target: Rail and Road Bridges
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany
Completed MissionHigh Squadron hot camera ship. Landed away at RAF Oakington, Cambridgeshire.
Sortie Report
26023 January 1945Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Neuss, Germany
Completed MissionLow Squadron hot camera ship. Landed away at North Pickenham Airfield, AAF Station 143.
Sortie Report
--7 February 1945Essen/Bottrop, Germany, RECALLEDMission Recalled Sortie Report
2659 February 1945Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Lützkendorf, Germany
Completed MissionLow Squadron.
Sortie Report
26715 February 1945Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bohlen, Germany
Did Not Take OffThis aircraft was originally assigned to Hoppen Crew; replaced 43‑38800 for the Smisek Crew. Did not take off because bad weather halted flight operations.
Sortie Report
--17 February 1945Mannheim, Germany, RECALLEDMission Recalled Sortie Report
26920 February 1945Target: Main Railroad Station
Type: Transportation
Location: Nuremberg / Nürnberg, Germany
Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused 
27021 February 1945Target: Tank Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Nuremberg / Nürnberg, Germany
Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused 
27223 February 1945Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Plauen, Germany
Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused 
27324 February 1945Target: Submarine Construction Shipyard
Type: Shipyards
Location: Hamburg, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
27425 February 1945Target: Tank & Submarine Engine Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Friedrichshafen, Germany
Completed MissionHigh Squadron.
Sortie Report
27526 February 1945Target: Schlesicher Railroad Station (Bahnhof)
Type: Transportation
Location: Berlin, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
27728 February 1945Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Hagen, Germany
Completed MissionLow Squadron.
Sortie Report
2781 March 1945Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Bruchsal, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
2792 March 1945Target: Low Temperature Carbonization Plant and Refinery of Deutsche Petroleum A.G.
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Rositz, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
2827 March 1945Target: Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bochum, Germany
Completed MissionHigh Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
2838 March 1945Target: Oil Refinery - 'Benzol Plant'
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Essen, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
2849 March 1945Target: Henschel Tank and Locomotive Works
Type: Industry
Location: Kassel, Germany
Completed MissionHigh Squadron deputy and hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
28510 March 1945Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Schwerte, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
28611 March 1945Target: Vacuum Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bremen, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
28712 March 1945Target: Railway Center
Type: Transportation
Location: Betzdorf, Germany
Completed MissionGround Spare Aircraft; replaced 44‑8608.
Sortie Report
28915 March 1945Target: Army HQ
Type: Military
Location: Zossen, Germany
Completed MissionLead Squadron.
Sortie Report
29017 March 1945Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bohlen (Leipzig), Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
29118 March 1945Target: Schlesischer Railway Station
Type: Transportation
Location: Berlin, Germany
Completed MissionHigh Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
29219 March 1945Target: Braunkohle-Benzin Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bohlen, Germany
Aborted Mission After Taking Off.41D Squadron, Hot Camera ship. Turned back due to engine failure and landed away on the Continent, at A-70, Laon/Courvon, France, with bomb load.
Sortie Report
30131 March 1945Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Lützkendorf, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
3023 April 1945Target: Underground Oil Storage Depot
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Kiel, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
3034 April 1945Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Fassberg, Germany
Completed MissionLead Squadron. Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 43‑39019.
Sortie Report
3045 April 1945Target: Ordnance Depot
Type: Military
Location: Ingolstadt, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
3056 April 1945Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (Visual Primary)
Type: Transportation
Location: Leipzig, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
3067 April 1945Target: Underground Oil Storage Plant
Type: Military
Location: Hitzacker, Germany
Completed Mission Sortie Report
3079 April 1945Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany
Aborted Mission After Taking Off.Turned back prior to target when #2 engine started smoking. Peeled off. made 180° turn and headed back for England. The aircraft was under control and apparently landed somewhere in allied territory.
Sortie Report