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B-17 Flying Fortress
A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-9017) nicknamed "Heidi Ho"of the 97th Bomb Group takes off from Bovingdon, September 1942. Passed for publication 5 Sep 1942. Printed caption on reverse: 'Q.13312: A Flying Fortress photographed in flight at a U.S. Training Centre.' On reverse: Westminster Press Provincial Newspapers Ltd and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps].
B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 92nd Bomb Group fly in formation during a training exercise. Aircraft are, from left to right: B-17E (serial number 41-9022) nicknamed "Alabama Exterminator", B-17E (serial number 41-9023) nicknamed "Yankee Doodle", B-17E (UX-?, serial number 41-9017) nicknamed "Heidi Ho", B-17E (UX-V, serial number 41-9013), B-17E (UX-S, serial number 41-9154) nicknamed "The Bat out of Hell", B-17E (serial number 41-9132). Printed caption on reverse: 'B-26340 AC - Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortresses" of the 8th Air Force, England on way to bomb targets in Germany. U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO.' Handwritten caption on reverse: '92BG B17es used for training at Bovingdon Oct 1942.'
![A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-9017) of the 92nd Bomb Group retracts its landing gear on take off. Passed for publication 4 Sep 1942. Printed caption on reverse: 'American Flying Fortresses in England: American Flying Fortresses are now in England where they are being serviced for use by the U.S. Air Force and the R.A.F. for raids over Germany. Keystone.' Handwritten on reverse: '19017.' On reverse: US Army Press & General Censorship Bureau [Stamp].](http://www.americanairmuseum.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/freeman/media-408319.jpg?itok=iVicLope)
A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-9017) of the 92nd Bomb Group retracts its landing gear on take off. Passed for publication 4 Sep 1942. Printed caption on reverse: 'American Flying Fortresses in England: American Flying Fortresses are now in England where they are being serviced for use by the U.S. Air Force and the R.A.F. for raids over Germany. Keystone.' Handwritten on reverse: '19017.' On reverse: US Army Press & General Censorship Bureau [Stamp].
A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-9017) of the 92nd Bomb Group flies low over base 5th of September 1942. Printed caption on reverse of print: 'Photo Shows - A "Flying Fortress" flying over the aerodrome at the bomber training station. G. 5th September 1942 PN:B.' Passed for publication 5 Sep 1942. On reverse: US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamp]. Print No: 219942.
Boeing B-17E
41-9017
Heidi Ho
Polebook, England (340BS/97BG) – April 1942
Took part in First 8th Air Force mission on 17 August 1942
Grafton Underwood, England (305BG) – 6 November 1942
Bovingdon, England (327BS/92BG) – 6 December 1942
Earls Colne, England (94BG) – 12 May 1943
Rushbrooke with Rougham, England (94BG) – 15 June 1943
Alconbury, England (482BG) – August 1943
Damaged in explosion at Great Ashfield, England (549BS/385BG) – 3 September 1943
Alconbury, England (Salvaged) – 20 May 1945
Part of strike force on VIII Bomber Command Mission 1 (17 August 1942).
Squadron hack for 94BG, 482BG, and 385BGs.
Group
The 385th Bomb Group, who took the nickname "Van's Valiants" after their first Commanding Officer Col. Elliot Vandevanter, flew B-17s from Great Ashfield, Suffolk. The Group led the famous attack on the Focke-Wolfe aircraft factory at Marienburg on 9...
Group
The 482nd Bomb Group was a Pathfinder Group, which using radar-equipped aircraft to support bombing missions until March 1944. Aircraft from this Group went ahead of other Bombers and sent information back about the best routes to take and the extent...
Group
The 92nd Group sometime after arrivial in the UK converted to the role of in-theater combat crew indocrination and training. For this role, the Group traded its B-17F complement and obtained the B-17E, mostly from the 97th BG which was departing for...
Group
Activated 15 June 1942 at MacDill Field, Florida. Initial organization and training at Pendleton Field, Oregon on 29 June 1942. Primary flight training at Davis-Monthan Field in Arizona from 28 Aug. 42 to 31 Oct. 42; then at Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas...
Group
The 97th Bomb Group flew the Eighth Air Force's first heavy bomber mission from the UK when they bombed a marshalling yard at Rouen on 17 August 1942. Just a month later though the Group were reassigned to the Twelfth Air Force and left England for the...
Squadron
Squadron
Military | Colonel | Pilot | 97th Bomb Group
A Norristown, PA tavern keeper's son, Walter Kelly graduated from Villanova University with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. He enlisted in the Air Corps in June 1941 and started training as a pilot. After receiving his wings, he flew on...
17 August 1942
The US 8AF launches its first strategic bombing raid of the war, sending 12 Boeing B-17Es of the 97BG on a strike against the railyards of Sotteville-lès-Rouen, France, while another six fly a diversionary route. The attacking force is split into two...
Military site : airfield
Alconbury had been constructed as a satellite airfield for RAF Upwood and Wyton and was used by RAF Squadrons: Nos. 15, 40 and 156. In preparation for the arrival of American heavy bombers, the base was developed in 1942 with the runways extended. When...
Military site : airfield
Bovingdon, in Hertfordshire (often confused with Bovington, Dorset), was built in 1941-42 as a bomber station but was never developed into a fully-fledged heavy bomber airfield as it did not have the required 2,000 yard runway.
...
Military site : airfield
The airfield was purpose-built for American bomb groups and as such had a 2,000 yard main runway that lain in concrete with a tarred and wood-chipped surface. The scale of bases such as this meant that very often the technical, administrative and...
Military site : airfield
Earls Colne was built in 1941 as an airfield for No.3 Group, RAF Bomber Command, although never used as such. Assigned to the US Eighth Air Force (as Station 358) in 1942, its 36 hardstands were increased to 50, bringing the airfield up to Air Ministry...
Military site : airfield
Grafton Underwood was built in 1941 by George Wimpey and Co. Ltd. It was the first airfield in England to receive an Eighth Air Force flying unit, when in May 1942 personnel of the 15th Bomb Squadron took up residence. As a satellite airfield for...
Military site : airfield
The airfield was built in 1942 by John Laing & Son Ltd. 108,000 tons of concrete was used in its construction, creating a Class 'A' airfield suitable for heavy bombers. The 385th Bomb Group took up residence in the summer of 1943, and remained at the...
Military site : airfield
Polebrook was laid down for RAF Bomber Command use in 1940-1941. Built by George Wimpey and Co. Ltd, it had short runways which were lengthened for USAAF heavy bomber use. The RAF used the base for operational trials - including of B-17 Flying...
Not yet known
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 29 May 2017 10:46:11 | GBlume | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 29 May 2017 07:30:23 | GBlume | Changes to description |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 29 May 2017 07:29:33 | GBlume | Changes to markings, description, unit associations, person associations and place associations |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 20 October 2014 21:37:26 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to production block number, manufacturer, nicknames, description, unit associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 20-Oct-2014 "Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:06 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log |
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