IWM catalogue record
This contains information written on the back of the original print and some of it may be inaccurate.
B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 351st Bomb Group, including (RQ-P, serial number 42-97193) and (serial number 43-37920) fly through flak bursts during a mission. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Thoison '557' took pic 20/7/44. Star Duster DS-L MIA 6/8/44.'
Connections
Units
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Group
The 351st Bomb Group flew strategic bombing missions from their base at Polebrook, Northamptonshire from April 1943 to June 1945. The Group's most famous member was Hollywood actor Clark Gable, who flew four/ five missions with them as an observer...
Aircraft
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 5/2/44; Kearney 24/2/44; Grenier 8/3/44; Assigned 509BS/351BG [RQ-P] Polebrook 24/3/44; on Ludwighafen mission 8/9/44 with Jim Barker, ship had two engines damaged and force landed in France, crew OK then returned to Polebrook base;...
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 5/6/44; Kearney 19/6/44; Grenier 30/6/44; Assigned 511BS/351BG [DS-L] Polebrook 17/7/44; Missing in Action 6m Brandenburg 6/8/44 with George Uttley, Co-pilot: Chas Hayes, Bombardier: Jim Ralston, Flight engineer/top turret gunner:...
Missions
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20 July 1944
A rough one. Bombed an oil refinery near Leipzeig. Flak put several holes in the plane; ine in number 3 gas tank. Came back on 3 engines.