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USAAF 5th AF 19th BG Former Assignments 7th BG
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Aircraft History Built by Boeing at Seattle. Constructors Number 2266. Delivered to the U. S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-17E Flying Fortress serial number 41-2455. Assigned to the 7th Bombardment Group (7th BG). Next, assigned to the 19th Bombardment Group (19th BG), 30th Bombardment Squadron. No known nickname or nose art. Wartime History Ferried overseas piloted by 1st Lt. Philip L. Mathewson from MacDill Field via the "African Route" to Java in the Netherlands East Indies (NEI). On January 26, 1942 arrived at Surabaja Airfield on Java as a replacement aircraft. During late January 1942 until early February 1942 this B-17 flew combat missions over Balikpapan, Celebes, Timor and Bali. On February 8, 1942 one of nine B-17s that took off Singosari Airfield on Java piloted by Lt. Preston with co-pilot Knudson in the first element. The formation was led by B-17E 41-2456 piloted by Captain "Duke" Dufrane. Over the target, intercepted by a dozen A6M2 Zeros making head-on attacks, with one Zero pulling up 25' over the left wingtip. Lost were B-17E 41-2492 and B-17E 41-2456. Later, this B-17 was hit in the bomb bay fuel tank and jettisoned it while on fire and aborted the mission landed at Djogjakarta Airfield on Java. On February 20, 1942 during the afternoon parked at Singosari Airfield on Java. Around 3:45pm, nine fighters were spotted over the area below a layer of clouds, but were assumed to be friendly fighters and no air raid alarm was sounded. In fact, they were nine A6M2 Zeros from the Tainan Kokutai that began strafing runs over the B-17 Flying Fortresses parked on the ground and destroyed this bomber and injured nine personnel with two seriously wounded. The five parked B-17s were set on fire and destroyed including three destroyed: including this aircraft, B-17E 41-2484, B-17E 41-2488 plus two others burned and damaged beyond repair B-17E 41-2478 and B-17E 41-2498. Wreckage References Contribute
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