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A crashed B-17G Flying Fortress (serial number 42-97184) of the 388th Bomb Group at Honington, 12 June 1944. Official caption on image: "ISAD 12 June 1944 - 1456 (Crash Landing, B-17G, 42-97184, Honington)."
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"Not many pictures like this one come out of the war. You are looking out of an American Flying Fortress at a Nazi Messerschmidt 410 less than 25 feet off the bomber's wing, just as the fighter pulls away to start its dive. The photograph was taken by Sgt Victor A Labruno 22, 419 2nd St Jersey City NY while he was flying as a combat aerial photographer during a US army 8th AF attack on the synthetic oil plants at Brux, near the border of Czechoslovakia. As more than 100 German fighters attacked the formation of Flying Fortress. Sgt LaBruno crouched in the radio room of the Boeing B-17 'Lady Godiva' and caught this unusually near shot of a Nazi fighter. In civilian life, Sgt LaBruno was a photographer in NY City."
Delivered Cheyenne 4/2/44; Gr Island 19/2/44; Presque Is 12/3/44; Assigned 562BS/388BG [K] Knettishall 11/3/44; with Bob Scales, Co-pilot: Frank Spangenberg, Navigator: Delmar E Linder, Bombardier: Howard Rohman, Waist gunner: George W Whetstone (5RTD, via hospital); Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Claud Thornton, Radio Operator: Rob Ketcham, Ball turret gunner: Leo Reinartz,Tail gunner: Ivar Anderson (4 Killed in Action); crash landed on edge of field, Ludbrook Farm, Ermington, Devon 26/8/44; pilot rescued by two farm workers, Jim Lapthorne and son, Jim jnr; Salvaged 30/10/44. LADY GODIVA.
Service
Units
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Group
The 388th Bomb Group flew strategic bombing mission from Knettishall, Suffolk from June 1943 to the end of the war. During this time, though, detachments were sent to Fersfield, Norfolk to conduct Aphrodite missions. In these Aphrodite missions veteran...
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People
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
Assigned to 562BS, 388BG, 8AF USAAF. In B-17 42-97184 'Lady Godiva' fatally crash landed on edge of field, Ludbrook Farm, Ermington, Devon 26-Aug-44 Killed in Action (KIA).
Awards: PH, EAME (2 Battle stars), American Campaign, Good conduct.
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Military | Technical Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
Assigned to 562BS, 388BG, 8AF USAAF. Mission to Brux, Czech 12-May-44 in B-17 42-97184 'Lady Godiva', attacked by Me410 'Black 13' of of II./ZG26 piloted by Lt Paul Kaschuba. T/Sgt Crossin got hits on the target from his top turret as 'Black 13' banked...
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
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Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
Assigned to 562BS, 388BG, 8AF USAAF. 39 x missions. Also flew 2 x 'Chowhound' missions to Holland, as well as flying military VIP's from Paris to England for Gen Eisenhower.
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator | 388th Bomb Group
Assigned to 562BS, 388BG, 8AF USAAF. In B-17 42-97184 'Lady Godiva' fatally crash landed on edge of field, Ludbrook Farm, Ermington, Devon 26-Aug-44 Killed in Action (KIA).
Awards: PH.
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Photographer | 388th Bomb Group
Assigned to 562BS, 388BG, 8AF USAAF.
Awards: WWII Victory, EAME.
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Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 388th Bomb Group
Assigned to 562BS, 388BG, 8AF USAAF. Injured in B-17 42-97184 'Lady Godiva' crash landed on edge of field, Ludbrook Farm, Ermington, Devon 26-Aug-44 Returned to Duty (RTD).
Awards: PH, WWII Victory, EAME.
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Military | Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
Assigned to 562BS, 388BG, 8AF USAAF. In B-17 42-97184 'Lady Godiva' fatally crash landed on edge of field, Ludbrook Farm, Ermington, Devon 26-Aug-44 Killed in Action (KIA).
Awards: PH.
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Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 388th Bomb Group
Assigned to 562BS, 388BG, 8AF USAAF. Injured in B-17 42-97184 'Lady Godiva' crash landed on edge of field, Ludbrook Farm, Ermington, Devon 26-Aug-44 Returned to Duty (RTD).
Awards: AM, PH (OLC), WWII Victory, EAME.
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Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
Assigned to 562BS, 388BG, 8AF USAAF. Injured in B-17 42-97184 'Lady Godiva' crash landed on edge of field, Ludbrook Farm, Ermington, Devon 26-Aug-44, rescued by two farm workers, Jim Lapthorne and his son, Jim Jr Returned to Duty (RTD).
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Places
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Military site : airfield
Honington was in use by Eighth Air Force units for a longer period than any other air base in England. The air base, built in the mid 1930s as part of the RAF's expansion programme had seen plenty of action as an RAF base before it was handed over to...
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Military site : airfield
Knettishall was built to Class A standard for an American Bomb Group that would be bringing up to forty heavy bombers with them in three or four Squadrons. The 388th Bomb Group, which stayed at Knettishall for their entire service in the ETO, flew B-17...
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Events
Event |
Location |
Date |
Manufactured |
Seattle, WA, USA |
1944 |
Built at Boeing.
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Delivered |
722, 6207 Missile Dr, Cheyenne, WY 82005, USA |
4 February 1944 |
Delivered Cheyenne AAF 4-Feb-44.
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Assigned |
Knettishall, Diss IP22 2TH, UK |
11 March 1944 |
Assigned to 562BS, 388BG, 8AF USAAF.
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Crashed |
Honington, Bury Saint Edmunds IP31 1QZ, UK |
12 June 1944 |
Crashed at 1 Strategic Air Depot 12-Jun-44. Pilot 1Lt Manuel A Head. Damage unknown.
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Crashed |
Ermington, Ivybridge PL21, UK |
26 August 1944 |
Crash landed on edge of field, Ludbrook Farm, Ermington, Devon 26/8/44; pilot rescued by two farm workers, Jim Lapthorne and son, Jim jnr. 5 x RTD, 4 x KIA.
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Salvaged |
Ermington, Ivybridge PL21, UK |
30 October 1944 |
Salvaged 30-Oct-44.
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