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| USAAF 5thAF 19th BG |
Aircraft History Built by Boeing at Seattle. Constructors Number 2260. During early December 1941 delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-17E Flying Fortress serial number 41-2449. On December 17, 1941 at Sacramento Air Depot (SAD). On December 26, 1941 at March Field. On January 7, 1942 at MacDill Field. Wartime History Assigned to the 19th Bombardment Group (19th BG). No know nose art or nickname. On January 17, 1942 assigned to "Project X". On January 19, 1942 took off from MacDill Field piloted by 1st Lt. Harold C. Smelser on a ferry flight via the "Africa Route" bound for the Netherlands East Indies (NEI). The crew included co-pilot 2nd Lt. Robert R. Wilson, navigator 2nd Lt. Moore, bombardier 2nd Lt, Wheeler, engineer Sgt Taylor, radio Cpl Thomas L. Cotner and assistant radio Pvt Greeg. This B-17 arrived at Bandoeng Airfield in western Java then flown to Yogyakarta Airfield arriving at 5:40pm. On February 9, 1942 after a Japanese air raid lands at Singosari Airfield on Java with B-17E 41-2484. On February 13, 1942 at night took off piloted by Northcutt as one of eleven B-17s (three from the 19th BG and eight from the 19th BG) on a bombing mission against Japanese shipping off Makassar. This was the largest formation of Java based B-17s to date. Inbound to the target, B-17E 41-2466 aborted the mission due to engine trouble. The rest of the formation bombed through clouds, reporting: "Bombs were dropped on lights off shore - results undetermined." but claimed one ship hit. On February 23, 1942 took off from piloted by Beran as one of six B-17s on a bombing mission against Japanese shipping off Makassar. The formation was led by B-17E 41-2452 piloted by Lt. Habberstad. The formation encountered intense anti-aircraft fire and bombed from 20,000'. Habberstad claimed one large transport sunk and another burning. On March 1, 1942 after midnight took off from Yogyakarta Airfield piloted by Captain Smelser with an LB-30 Liberator on a bombing mission over the Japanese Eastern Invasion Force landing near Soerabaja on the north coast of Java. This B-17 but aborted the mission due to faulty guns. Later that same day, one of sixteen B-17s that evacuated Java flying southeast to Broome Airfield in Western Australia. Fate On March 3, 1942 while parked at Broome Airfield strafed by A6M2 Zeros from 3rd Kōkūtai (3rd Air Group) and destroyed. The fuselage and wings burned leaving the rear fusealge and wings. References USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-17E 41-2449 "2449 (19th BG) damaged by strafing at Broome, Australia just after Java evacuation Mar 3, 1944" Oz@War - Two DC-3's and a Lockheed Lodestar on 3 March 1942 during a Japanese Air Raid on Broome Fortress Against The Sun pages 127, 132, 143, 147, 149, 157, 385 (Appendix B: B-17E 41-2449 19th BG, Destroyed by strafing at Broome, 3 March 42), 412 (footnote 8) 414 (footnotes 3, 38) Thanks to Steve Birdsall for additional information Contribute
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