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| USAAF 5th AF 43rd BG 63rd BS |
Aircraft History Built by Boeing at Seattle. Constructors Number 2420. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-17E Flying Fortress serial number 41-2609. On March 8, 1942 flown to Lowry Field. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to Australia. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 43rd Bombardment Group (43rd BG) "Ken's Men", 63rd Bombardment Squadron (63rd BS). Nicknamed "Loose Goose". This B-17 operated from 7 Mile Drome near Port Moresby. On May 17, 1943 took off piloted by Crawford on a reconnaissance mission. On September 20, 1943 took off piloted by Flight Officer Herbert V. Miller on a mission, this was one of the 63rd Bombardment Squadron (63rd BS) last missions with the B-17 Flying Fortress before conversion to B-24 Liberators. During late 1943 or early 1944, this B-17 was photographed at the 13th Air Depot (13th AD) in New Caledonia with a large scoreboard of missions flown. Afterwards, flown back across the Pacific via Hickam Field to the United States. Steve Birdsall adds: "The elaborate nose markings she carried at that time were probably painted on the aircraft not long before her return to the United States. They are remarkably similar to decorations applied to other ex-43rd Bomb Group B-17s including B-17E "Loose Goose" 41-2609 [this aircraft], and B-17E 41-2649 and B-17F "The Mustang" 41-24554, which were photographed at 13th Air Depot on New Caledonia late in 1943." Fate Ultimate fate unknown, likely scrapped or otherwise disappeared. References USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-17E Flying Fortress 41-2609 incorrectly listed as assigned to Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and sent to the United Kingdom (UK) Thanks to Steve Birdsall for additional information Contribute
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