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| USAAF 13th AF 11th BG 431st BS |
Aircraft History Built by Boeing at Seattle. Constructors Number 3213. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-17F-20-BO Flying Fortress serial number 41-24528. Flown overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to the South Pacific (SOPAC). Wartime History Assigned to the 13th Air Force (13th AF), 11th Bombardment Group (11th BG), 431st Bombardment Squadron (431st BS). No known nose art or nickname. During late 1942, this B-17 flew a bombing missions from Henderson Field on Guadalcanal against the northern Solomon Islands including Buka Airfield, Bougainville and shipping at Shortland Harbor. This B-17 was photographed in flight over Mount Bagana on Bougainville. On October 13, 1942 took off Henderson Field on Guadalcanal piloted by Captain Payne armed with two 1,000 pound bombs on a bombing mission against Buka Airfield on Buka Island. The formation of six bombers from the 431st BS and 26th BS was flying in three plane elements led by B-17E 41-2611 piloted by Major Sewart with B-17E 41-9217 piloted by Major Edmundson leading the second element. The weather was poor with a storm as they started the bomb run. Over the target, the first element bombed parked planes with the second element bombing the runway and observed fighters taking off and soon afterwards began attacks as the formation. Low on fuel, this B-17 released all bombs on the target and returned to base alone while the rest of the formation made a run on a secondary target, Japanese shipping in Erventa Harbor (Buin Harbor) off southern Bougainville. Afterwards, this B-17 landed at Henderson Field just before a Japanese air raid and was dispersed when a second air raid commenced but none were damaged. On October 14, 1942 in the early morning while parked at Henderson Field on Guadalcanal riddled by shell fragments from the Imperial Japanese Naval (IJN) bombardment by Japanese battleships Kongo and Haruna. Afterwards, this B-17 was written off due to damage. Ultimate fate unknown likely scrapped or otherwise disappeared. References USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-17F-20-BO Fortress 41-24528 Pride of Seattle (1998) page 12 Fortress Against The Sun (2001) pages 274-275 (October 13, 1942), 392 Contribute
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