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| USAAF 5th AF 43rd BG 403rd BS Former Assignments 63rd BS |
Aircraft History Built by Boeing at Seattle. Constructors Number 3225. On August 1, 1942 delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-17F-25-BO Flying Fortress serial number 41-24540 and flown to Cheyenne, WY. On September 1, 1942 flown to Sacramento. On September 11, 1942 flown to Hamilton Field then via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to Australia. Wartime History On September 17, 1942 assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 43rd Bombardment Group (43rd BG), 403rd Bombardment Squadron (403rd BS). No nickname or nose art. The tail had "tiger stripes" dark green patches of painted painted on the tail. Assigned to crew chief Sgt Charles R. Cole. During October 1942 assigned to the 63rd Bombardment Squadron (63rd BS) Assigned to pilot Lt. Charles B. Downer and flew combat missions. Afterwards, returned to the 403rd Bombardment Squadron (403rd BS). On January 17, 1943 parked in a revetment made of coconut logs at Turnbull Airfield (No. 3 Strip) near Milne Bay. Destroyed during a Japanese air raid by G4M1 Bettys escorted by A6M Zeros. The bomber caught fire and burned the fuselage and center section of the wings. Wreckage Afterwards, only the tail section remained intact. On March 2, 1943 a piece of fabric from the rudder from this bomber, B-17E 41-2639 or B-17F "Fire Ball Mail" 41-24551 was souvenir by U. S. Army Private Clarence C. Evief, 58th Signal Battalion. Ultimate fate unknown, likely scrapped or otherwise disappeared. References USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-17F-25-BO Flying Fortress 41-24540 "1st Lt. Charles B. Downer memoir, January 17, 1943 via Larry Hickey "On the flight line our aircraft were all knocked out of commission, and some, like our own #124540 [this B-17], were reduced to ashes. It was a sad sight. Sgt. Cole salvaged the cockpit number plate." Australian War Memorial (AWM) 069951 "Remains of a United States B17 Flying Fortress destroyed by Japanese bombers in its dispersal bay at Turnbull Field 1943-03 [sic January 17, 1943] Pride of Seattle (1998) by Steve Birdsall page 14 Fortress Against the Sun (2001) by Gene Salecker pages 330, 392 The Lae Convoy (2012) by Richard Dunn Ruff Stuff (2006) by Norbert C. Ruff page 99 (photos) The Lae Convoy by Richard Dunn Ken's Men Against The Empire The Illustrated History of the 43rd Bombardment Group During World War II Volume I: Prewar to October 1943 The B-17 Era (2016) pages 99 (map), 115 (photos), 116 (photos), 117 (January 17, 1943), 330 (403rd BS, 41-24540), 390 (index Downer) Ken's Men Against The Empire The Illustrated History of the 43rd Bombardment Group During World War II Volume I: Prewar to October 1943 The B-17 Era (2020) pages 101 (map), 118 (January 17, 1943) 119 (photos), 120 (photos), 339 (403rd BS, 41-24540), 399 (index Downer) South Pacific Air War (2024) by Richard Dunn pages 128-129 (January 17, 1943) Thanks to Larry Hickey, Steve Birdsall and Edward Rogers for additional research and analysis Contribute
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