Aircraft History
Built by Boeing at Seattle. Constructors Number 2532. On March 26, 1942 delivered to the U. S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-17E Flying Fortress serial number 41-9060 and flown to Boise, Idaho. On May 29, 1942 arrived at Lowry Field. By June 1942 flown to Hickam Field.

Wartime History
Assigned to the 7th Air Force, 11th Bombardment Group, 26th Bombardment Squadron. Nicknamed "Zero Six Zero". Flown overseas from Hickam Field to the South Pacific.

Next, assigned to the 13th Air Force, 5th Bombardment Group, 72nd Bombardment Squadron and operated from Henderson Field on Guadalcanal.

On March 23, 1943 this B-17 was parked at Henderson Field on Guadalcanal loaded with bombs and fuel ready for a night mission against Kahilli Airfield on southern Bougainville. During the night, three G4M1 Bettys from the 705 Kokutai conducted a night bombing mission against Henderson Field and dropped 60kg and 250kg bombs on the northwest dispersal area.

A bomb hit B-17E "Buzz King" 41-9124 that was fully loaded and triggered her bomb load to explode. Soon afterwards, another bomb hit this bomber destroying it. The resulting explosions caused a crater 40' wide by 30' deep. Also destroyed was B-24D "Flying Gator" 41-23898 plus two B-24D Liberators and a Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Hudson from 3 Squadron.

Captain Jim Carroll wrote:
"Washing Machine Charlie was not to be denied. His bomb struck 41-9124 amidship and triggered her bomb load, which ignited her fuel load. She disappeared in a magnificent swoosh! A little later, 41-9060 [this aircraft] was hit by the nuisance bomber. The B-17 [41-9060] was blown to hell by Charlie, who dropped one along the plane which was loaded with eight 500 pounders... [the explosion left] a hole 40' wide and 30' deep - that was all. Two B-17s had disappeared in the blink of an eye."

Administratively, on October 31, 1944 this B-17 was written off.

References
USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-17E Flying Fortress 41-9060
"9060 delivered to Boise Mar 26, 1942; transferred to Lowry May 29, 1942; assigned to 7AF Hawaii Jun 7, 1942. WO 3Oct 31, 1944."
Fortress Against the Sun page 326-327, 389, 424 (Chapter 16, footnote 13)
Thanks to Richard Dunn for additional information

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Last Updated
October 23, 2019