42-31142

Delivered Cheyenne 24/9/43; Gr Island 7/10/43; Romulus 10/10/43; Assigned 339BS/96BG [QJ-U] Snetterton 14/10/43; Missing in Action Regensburg 25/2/44 with Bob Lindstrom, Co-pilot: Bert Ripley, Navigator: Ralph Swanson (wia, gangrene set in, leg amputated), Flight engineer/top turret gunner: George Karlsson, Radio Operator: John Hutchins, Ball turret gunner: Roger Dearman, Waist gunner: Harry Itzikoff, Waist gunner: Bob Gentry,Tail gunner: Chas Haywood (9 Prisoner of War); Bombardier: Edmund Bairstow (EVD-ret UK by 8//6/44); enemy aircraft, crash landed Dyonne, five miles NE of Rethel, Fr. Missing Air Crew Report 2860.



This aircraft was possibly assigned to Lt Philip Donovan and crew in October 1943. Donovan apparently nicknamed named it "Hard To Get" but never permitted any nose art or name on his plane, as he considered it bad luck.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

The insignia of the 96th Bomb Group.

96th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

Edmund N Bairstow

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 339th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier

Roger D Dearman

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 339th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14095027
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner

Philip R Donovan

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 339th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Robert C Gentry

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 339th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner
An airman of the 96th Bomb Group stands with a giant flak hole on the tail of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 4?-??988).

Charles A Haywood

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 339th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 38274003
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Failed to Return (FTR)

Germany 25 February 1944

Revisions

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Transferred information added to aircraft record by Robert Donovan (user Hard to Get) to Philip Donovan's person record .

Removed speculation about the crew KIA on 42-31142 having to fly the aircraft because their regular aircraft was under repair, as the claim is unsupported by evidence and it was also common for heavy bomber crews to fly on several different aircraft during their service

Date
ContributorHard To Get
Changes
Sources

My personal research into my father's plane and crew. This included notes and logs from his Engineer and Top Gunner's family, the last 3 digits of my father's tail numbers, the plane's delivery date, the date my father rotated in and the mention in the Engineer's notes that the original plane was lost on a previous mission with another crew.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 2860 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database