44-6883 Rafaaf

Ground personnel of the 381st Bomb Group inspect the damaged tail of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 44-6883) nicknamed "RAFAAF" at Ridgewell, 11 April 1945. Printed caption on reverse: ' 66151 AC - Although the stabilizer was shot away while this Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" (Aircraft No. 46883) of the 381st Bomb Group, was on a mission over enemy territory, the plane and its crew returned to home base in England, 11 April 1945. U.S. Air Force Photo.' media-380057.jpg FRE 1260 Ground personnel of the 381st Bomb Group inspect the damaged tail of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 44-6883) nicknamed "RAFAAF" at Ridgewell, 11 April 1945. Printed caption on reverse: ' 66151 AC - Although the stabilizer was shot away while this Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" (Aircraft No. 46883) of the 381st Bomb Group, was on a mission over enemy territory, the plane and its crew returned to home base in England, 11 April 1945. U.S. Air Force Photo.' Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 1260 - Ground personnel of the 381st Bomb Group inspect the damaged tail of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 44-6883) nicknamed "RAFAAF" at Ridgewell,...

Delivered to Lincoln 9 December 1944. Transferred to Dow Field on 17 December 1944. Assigned to the 535BS/381BG [MS-Q] at Ridgewell on 22 December 1944, and lost its stabiliser in taxi accident on 11 April 1945 with B-17 44-8826; Assigned to Base Air Depot Burtonwood. Damaged in a landing accident with Fred Johnson as pilot at Baldonnel, Dublin on 12 November 1945, and allegedly left for a number of years until it was broken up.

Connections

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

Units served with

The insignia of the 381st Bomb Group.

381st Bomb Group

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

Base Air Depot 1

  • Unit Hierarchy: Headquarters
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Air base

People

Darrell C. Debolt, bombardier in the 8th Air Force 381st Bombardment Group (H) 1943-1944

Darrell C DeBolt

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-734654
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Bombardier

Places

Aerial photograph of Burtonwood airfield, 10 August 1945. Photograph taken by No. 541 Squadron, sortie number RAF/106G/UK/622. English Heritage (RAF Photography).

Burtonwood

  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Base Air Depot Area (BADA) : 1st Base Air Depot (1 BAD)

Aircraft

44-8826

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group

Revisions

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Correspondence between A P 'Tony' Kearns and Roger Freeman regarding B-17 crashes in Ireland, 18 August 1997. From Roger Freeman's correspondence archive, held by IWM

Dave Osborne's Fort Log previously suggested that the aircraft was salvaged by the 9th air Force in Germany on 10 December 1945.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log

44-6883: Gallery (4 items)

A B-17 Flying Fortress (MS-Q, serial number 44-6883) of the 535th Bomb Squadron, 381st Bomb Group. Handwritten on slide casing: 'B-17, 381st B.G.'

Object number: FRE 10734 - A B-17 Flying Fortress (MS-Q, serial number 44...

A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 44-6883) nicknamed "RAF AFF" of the 535th Bomb Squadron, 381st Bomb Group after crash landing at Baldonnel 12 November 1945. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'S/N 44-6883, after its mishap at Baldonnel 12.11.45. "RAF AAF", 381BG, 535BS.'

Object number: FRE 10919 - A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 44-6883)...

Ground personnel of the 381st Bomb Group inspect the damaged tail of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 44-6883) nicknamed "RAFAAF" at Ridgewell, 11 April 1945. Printed caption on reverse: ' 66151 AC - Although the stabilizer was shot away while this Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" (Aircraft No. 46883) of the 381st Bomb Group, was on a mission over enemy territory, the plane and its crew returned to home base in England, 11 April 1945. U.S. Air Force Photo.'

Object number: FRE 1260 - Ground personnel of the 381st Bomb Group inspect...

The nose art of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 44-6883) nicknamed "RAFAAF" of the 381st Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Photo Lt. Spaulding. A/c became Col. Hall's hack. 46883.'

Object number: FRE 4843 - The nose art of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial...