8th Air Force
Eighth Air Force Bomber Command became the Eighth Air Force on February 1944, it oversaw bombardment of strategic targets in Europe until 1945.
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41-24359
B-17 Flying Fortress
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Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses enroute to bomb enemy installations in Germany. NARA Ref 342-FH-3A19760-58144AC. 41-24359 was a 301st Bomb Group original flown overseas by Lt Bill Broderick. It was left in England when the 301st moved to North Africa.
Assigned 301BG Westover 8/9/42; instead of assignment to 12AF, Italy transferred to Chelveston 16/9/42; 813BS/305BG Grafton Underwood/Chelveston 25/11/42, sent to pathfinder base RAF Wyton of installation of Oboe Mk I radar equipment; 325BS/92BG [NV-F] Podington 24/4/43; 813BS/482BG Alconbury 25/8/43 4m; Returned to the USA Eglin 11/6/44; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Walnut Ridge 19/12/45.
Service
Units
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301st Bomb Group
Group
Activated 3-February-1942 at Geiger Field, Washington and equipped with B-17s. On 27-May-1942 the ground unit moved to Alamogordo Army Air Field, New Mexico, and the aircraft went to Muroc Army Air Field (now Edwards Air Force Base), California for... -
305th Bomb Group Can Do
Group
The 305th Bombardment Group (Heavy), nicknamed "Can Do" was activated 1-March-1942 at Salt Lake City Air Base, Utah which was their primary training base until 11-Jun-1942 when they relocated to Geiger Field, Washington until 29-Jun-1942, then on to... -
482nd Bomb Group
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... -
92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured Few
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... -
325th Bomb Squadron
Squadron
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813th Bomb Squadron
Squadron
Places
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Alconbury
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... -
Chelveston
Military site : airfield
Chelveston was adapted and expanded in preparation for the arrival of American forces. Rather than heavy bombers, the first aircraft to fly from its runways were C-47 Skytrains that were flown by the 60th Troop Carrier Group in July 1942. The first... -
Grafton Underwood
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... -
Podington
Military site : airfield
Built originally to accommodate two RAF bomber squadrons, the first USAAF unit to occupy the base was the 15th Bomb Squadron in September 1942. Podington was then used as a satellite for nearby Chelveston. Work to lengthen the runways, although this...
Events
| Event | Location | Date |
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| Manufactured | Burbank, CA, USA | 1942 |
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Built at Boeing. |
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| Assigned | Westover, AL, USA | 8 September 1942 |
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Assigned 301BG Westover. |
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| Transferred | Chelveston, Wellingborough NN9, UK | 16 September 1942 |
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Transferred to Chelveston. |
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| Transferred | Grafton Underwood NN14, UK | 25 November 1942 |
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Transferred to 813BS, 305BG, 8AF. |
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| Detached for equipment upgrade | RAF Wyton, Wyton Airfield, Huntingdon PE28 2EA, UK | 1943 |
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Sent to pathfinder base RAF Wyton of installation of Oboe Mk I radar equipment. |
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| Transferred | Podington, Wellingborough NN29, UK | 24 February 1943 |
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Transferred to 325BS, 92BG, 8AF. |
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| Transferred | RAF Alconbury, Royal Air Force, Alconbury, Huntingdon PE28 4DD, UK | 25 August 1943 |
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Transferred to 813BS, 482BG, 8AF. Completed 4 x missions. |
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| Returned to ZI | Eglin AFB, FL 32542, USA | 11 June 1944 |
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Returned to the Zone of the Interior USA Eglin AAF. |
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| Scrapped | Walnut Ridge, AR, USA | 19 December 1945 |
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Scrapped Walnut Ridge. |
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Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 08 December 2016 11:10:30 | Al_Skiff | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 07 December 2016 22:37:22 | Al_Skiff | Changes to production block number, manufacturer, markings, unit associations and place associations |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:02 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log |
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