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B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17G 'Little John' of the 92nd BG - 327th UX-J serial 42-97314 BS with her crew, shot taken on the 2nd May 1944. Front row L-R - S/Sgt Sam Johnston (Ball Turret), S/Sgt Joseph Topolosky (Bombardier), Sgt George Keith (Tail Gunner), TSgt Henry Kramer, and Pvt Claude D Wier. Back Row L-R - SSgt Milt Powell (waist Gunner), Lt. Richard Funk (Co-pilot), Lt. Victor Trost (Pilot), Lt Franklin Burks (Navigator), & Lt. Bill Honacker (Flight Eng & Top Turret Gunner). Image colourised by Howdi Colour Recovery, Colourisation & Image Repair
42-97314
Little John after belly landing in Sweden
Little John after belly landing in Sweden
Delivered Cheyenne 17/2/44; Rapid City 4/3/44; Dow Fd 14/4/44; Assigned 398BG Nuthampstead 26/4/44; no ops, transferred 327BS/92BG [UX-J] Podington 7/5/44; Missing in Action Posen 29/5/44 with Vic Trost, Co-pilot: Dick Funk, Navigator: Franklin Burks, Bombardier: Joe Topolosky, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Bill Honaker, Radio Operator: George Webster, Ball turret gunner: Sam Johnston, Waist gunner: Milton Powell, Tail gunner: George Keith (9 INT); enemy aircraft caused damage, crash landed Bulltofta, Sweden; Missing Air Crew Report 5345. W/O; POP.
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...
Squadron
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured Few
Shot down 29 May 1944 in B-17 #42-97314 'Pop'. Landed in Sweden, Interned (INT).
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured Few
Shot down 29 May 1944 in B-17 #42-97314 'Pop'. Landed in Sweden. Interned (INT).
Military | Staff Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured Few
Shot down 29 May 1944 in B-17 #4297314 'Pop. ' Landed in Sweden. Interned.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured Few
Shot down 29 May 1944 in B-17 #4297314 'Pop. ' Landed in Sweden. Interned.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured Few
Shot down 29 May 1944 in B-17 #42-97314 'Pop'. Landed in Sweden, Interned (INT).
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured Few
Shot down 29 May 1944 in B-17 #4297314 'Pop. ' Landed in Sweden. Interned.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Bombardier, Bombardier; Togglier | 92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured Few
Shot down 29 May 1944 in B-17 #4297314 'Pop. ' Landed in Sweden. Interned.
...
Military | Lieutenant | Pilot | 92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured Few
Shot down 29 May 1944 in B-17 #4297314 'Pop. ' Landed in Sweden. Interned.
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator, Radio Operator Gunner | 92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured Few
Shot down 29 May 1944 in B-17 #4297314 'Pop. ' Landed in Sweden. Interned.
Military site : airfield
Built during 1942-43, Nuthampstead was the nearest Eighth Air Force heavy bomber base to London. It had three concrete runways, 50 loop hardstandings and two dispersed T2 hangars. It was first occupied from September 1943 to April 1944 by the 55th...
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...
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Failed to Return (FTR) and Interned (INT) | Sweden | 29 May 1944 |
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 20 August 2021 21:25:09 | jmoore43 | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Added a space before the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” to aid clarity. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 28 January 2019 00:08:45 | RayWells | Changes to nicknames |
| Sources | ||
Howdi Colour Recovery, Colourisation & Image Repair |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:41:11 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 5345 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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