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| USAAF 7th BG 9th BS Former Assignment 19th BG 30th BS
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Aircraft History Built by Boeing at Seattle. Constructors Number 2295. On December 30, 1941 delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-17E Flying Fortress serial number 41-2488. Assigned to the 19th Bombardment Group (19th BG), 30th Bombardment Squadron (30th BS). Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 7th Bombardment Group (7th BG), 9th Bombardment Squadron (9th BS). No known nickname or nose art. This B-17 departed MacDill Field piloted by 1st Lt. Robert W. Evans on a ferry flight via the "Africa route" bound for the Netherlands East Indies (NEI). On February 9, 1942 arrives Singosari Airfield on Java with B-17E 41-2449 after a Japanese air raid. On February 19, 1942 at 5:00am, took off from Malang Airfield on Java piloted by Lt. Mathewson armed with eight 300kg bombs on a mission to bomb an enemy convoy landing troops on the southern coast of at Denpasar Airfield on Bali Island. This B-17 was the first to arrive over the target at 7:05am and was targeted by heavy anti-aircraft fire while bombing from 4,000' under heavy cloud cover, releasing six bombs on an enemy cruiser, all his bombs missed. During his second bomb run, the last three bombs hit "center right of the ship". Afterwards, landed back at Singosari Airfield. 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 parked B-17 Flying Fortresses. During their attack, this B-17 was destroyed. Nine personnel were wounded on the ground, two seriously. The five parked B-17s were set on fire and destroyed including three destroyed: B-17E 41-2455, B-17E 41-2484 (this aircraft), B-17E 41-2488 plus two others burned and damaged beyond repair: B-17E 41-2478 and B-17E 41-2498. Afterwards, salvaged for parts and abandoned when the Americans abandoned the airfield. Wreckage This B-17 was captured by the Japanese and photographed with personnel from the Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF) 58th Sentai. Ultimate fate unknown likely scrapped or otherwise disappeared. References Other sources list this B-17 as destroyed on the ground at Malang Airfield. USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-17E Flying Fortress 41-2484 "2484 delivered Langley Dec 31, 1941. Assigned 19th BG, 30th BS, Java Feb 9, 1942. Transferred to 7th BG, 9th BS, then 43rd BG, 64th BS. Strafed Singosari Feb 20, 1942 and salvaged Also reported as (7th BG) crashlanded Feb 8, 1942, Malang and abandoned." Fortress Against The Sun pages 132, 137, 141, 386 (Appendix B: B-17E 41-2484, 9 BS / 7 BG, destroyed by strafing at Malang, 20 Feb 42), 412 (footnotes 16, 19, 20) Contribute
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