Skip to main content
Edit entry 

42-29529

B-17 Flying Fortress

  • "Lt. Personeus and crew of the 305th Bomb Group based in England, shown beside their Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, "Nora 2nd". 28 May 1943." Rear L-R: 1st Lt. Lester Personeus Jr, F/O Charles J. Harpool, Lt Norbert A. Zwycke, Lt Wiiliam J. Byrd, T/Sgt William C. Reese Jr. Front L-R: Sgt Roger M. Link, Sgt James O. Gillespie, Sgt George W. James, Sgt William J. Hess, Sgt Euel Jenkins.

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 8
  • Page 105 of the 306th Bomb Group unit history. Many of the 8th Air Force Groups produced an unofficial unit history in the months after the war ended in Europe but before they were redeployed out of the ETO (European Theater of Operations). Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record of the unit’s time based in the UK. They include photo montages showing different aspects of base life. Often the servicemen in the photos are unnamed. The American Air Museum hopes that by adding unit histories to the website as individual pages, the men in the photos will be identified and associated to their person entries. Many included lists of personnel and a mailing address, providing a means for servicemen to keep in contact with each other after the war. These lists are now incredibly useful records of where US airmen in England in 1945

    Page 105 of the 306th Bomb Group unit history. Many of the 8th Air Force Groups produced an unofficial unit history in the months after the war ended in Europe but before they were redeployed out of the ETO (European Theater of Operations). Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record of the unit’s time based in the UK. They include photo montages showing different aspects of base life. Often the servicemen in the photos are unnamed. The American Air Museum hopes that by adding unit histories to the website as individual pages, the men in the photos will be identified and associated to their person entries. Many included lists of personnel and a mailing address, providing a means for servicemen to keep in contact with each other after the war. These lists are now incredibly useful records of where US airmen in England in 1945

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 8
  • Page 110 of the 306th Bomb Group unit history. Many of the 8th Air Force Groups produced an unofficial unit history in the months after the war ended in Europe but before they were redeployed out of the ETO (European Theater of Operations). Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record of the unit’s time based in the UK. They include photo montages showing different aspects of base life. Often the servicemen in the photos are unnamed. The American Air Museum hopes that by adding unit histories to the website as individual pages, the men in the photos will be identified and associated to their person entries. Many included lists of personnel and a mailing address, providing a means for servicemen to keep in contact with each other after the war. These lists are now incredibly useful records of where US airmen in England in 1945

    Page 110 of the 306th Bomb Group unit history. Many of the 8th Air Force Groups produced an unofficial unit history in the months after the war ended in Europe but before they were redeployed out of the ETO (European Theater of Operations). Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record of the unit’s time based in the UK. They include photo montages showing different aspects of base life. Often the servicemen in the photos are unnamed. The American Air Museum hopes that by adding unit histories to the website as individual pages, the men in the photos will be identified and associated to their person entries. Many included lists of personnel and a mailing address, providing a means for servicemen to keep in contact with each other after the war. These lists are now incredibly useful records of where US airmen in England in 1945

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 8
  • Page 111 of the 306th Bomb Group unit history. Many of the 8th Air Force Groups produced an unofficial unit history in the months after the war ended in Europe but before they were redeployed out of the ETO (European Theater of Operations). Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record of the unit’s time based in the UK. They include photo montages showing different aspects of base life. Often the servicemen in the photos are unnamed. The American Air Museum hopes that by adding unit histories to the website as individual pages, the men in the photos will be identified and associated to their person entries. Many included lists of personnel and a mailing address, providing a means for servicemen to keep in contact with each other after the war. These lists are now incredibly useful records of where US airmen in England in 1945

    Page 111 of the 306th Bomb Group unit history. Many of the 8th Air Force Groups produced an unofficial unit history in the months after the war ended in Europe but before they were redeployed out of the ETO (European Theater of Operations). Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record of the unit’s time based in the UK. They include photo montages showing different aspects of base life. Often the servicemen in the photos are unnamed. The American Air Museum hopes that by adding unit histories to the website as individual pages, the men in the photos will be identified and associated to their person entries. Many included lists of personnel and a mailing address, providing a means for servicemen to keep in contact with each other after the war. These lists are now incredibly useful records of where US airmen in England in 1945

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 8
  • 25th Mission B-17 42-29529 NORA 2

    25th Mission B-17 42-29529 NORA 2

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 8

  • "Lt. Personeus and crew of the 305th Bomb Group, are shown beside a B-17 "Flying Fortress" 'Nora 2'. 20 August 1943. England." Rear L-R: 1st Lt. Lester Personeus Jr, F/O Charles J. Harpool, Lt Norbert A. Zwicke, Lt Wiiliam J. Byrd, T/Sgt William C. Reese Jr. Front L-R: Sgt Roger M. Link, Sgt James O. Gillespie, Unkn, Sgt George W. James, Sgt William J. Hess, Sgt Euel Jenkins.

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 8

  • "S/Sgt George W. James, Rt. 1, Box 268, Alburquerque, N.M. with his gun turned to two o'clock after receiving a warning from the pilot of the approach of an enemy plane." George James flew 25 missions with the Personeus crew all bar one in B-17 'Nora 2nd'.

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 8

  • "Crew of the 96th Bomb Group* pose beside their Boeing B-17 'Kipling's Error The III'** at an 8th Air Force base in England. 29 June 1943." *Actually 305th Bomb Group **Actually 'Nora 2nd' Crew are - 1st Lt. Lester Personeus Jr, F/O Charles J. Harpool, Lt Norbert A. Zwycke, Lt Wiiliam J. Byrd, T/Sgt William C. Reese Jr, Sgt Roger M. Link, Sgt James O. Gillespie, Sgt George W. James, Sgt William J. Hess, Sgt Euel Jenkins.

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 8
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  

Delivered Cheyenne 31/12/42; Salina 10/1/43; Morrison 5/3/43; Brookley 8/3/43; Assigned 369BS/306BG Thurleigh 24/3/43; transferred 422BS/305BG [JJ-L] Chelveston 10/43; then to 545BS/384BG [JD-U] Grafton Underwood 6/11/43; returning from Bremen 13/12/43 aircraft lost two engines and crash landed base with George Poole, Co-pilot: Bob Butler, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Gus Mazzaccaro, Ball turret gunner: Herman Hoskins, rest unknown (10 Returned to Duty), Salvaged. NORA II.

Service

Units

  • 96th Bomb Group

    96th Bomb Group

    Group
    The 96th Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses to targets across occupied Europe from May 1943 to April 1945. ...

People

  • Robert Butler

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 384th Bomb Group
    On December 13, 1943, 'Nora' A/C #42-29529 was damaged by flak and crashed upon landing. 10 RTD. Shot down 13 April 1944 in B-17 #42-97228, Prisoner of War (POW). POW

  • William Byrd

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
    Assigned to 422BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF. 25 x combat missions. ETD Awards: AM, WWII Victory, EAME.

  • James Gillespie

    Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio operator | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
    Assigned to 422BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF. 25 x combat missions. ETD Awards: AM, WWII Victory, EAME.

  • Charles Harpool

    Military | Captain | Co-pilot | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
    Assigned to 422BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF. 25 x combat missions. ETD Awards: AM, WWII Victory, EAME.

  • William Hess

    Military | Technical Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
    Assigned to 364BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF. Completed tour of duty. Returned to ETO with the 449BS, 322BG, 9AF USAAF until July 1945 [Documents accompany database form] Awards: DFC, AM (4OLC), GC, WWII Victory, EAME, DUC.

  • Herman Hoskins

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 384th Bomb Group
    Shot down 13 April 1944 in B-17 #42-97228, Prisoner of War (POW). Earlier on December 13, 1943, 'Nora' A/C #42-29529 was damaged by flak and crashed upon landing. 10 RTD.

  • George James

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
    Assigned to 422BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF. 25 x combat missions. ETD Awards: DFC, AM (3OLC), GC, WWII Victory, EAME (1 Battle Star).

  • Euel Jenkins

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
    Assigned to 422BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF. ETD Awards: WWII AM, Victory, EAME.

  • Roger Link

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
    Assigned to 422BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF. ETD Awards: AM, WWII Victory, EAME.

  • James Martin

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 453rd Bomb Group
    Prisoner of War. Had mid air collision and crashed at Darmsheim on 7/21/44 in B-24 Our Baby 41-29259

Show more

Places

  • Chelveston

    Military site : airfield
    Chelveston was adapted and expanded in preparation for the arrival of American forces. Rather than heavy bombers, the first aircraft to fly from its runways were C-47 Skytrains that were flown by the 60th Troop Carrier Group in July 1942. The first...

  • Grafton Underwood

    Military site : airfield
    Grafton Underwood was built in 1941 by George Wimpey and Co. Ltd. It was the first airfield in England to receive an Eighth Air Force flying unit, when in May 1942 personnel of the 15th Bomb Squadron took up residence. As a satellite airfield for...

  • Snetterton

    Military site : non-airfield

  • Snetterton Heath

    Military site : airfield
    Intended to be an RAF bomber base, construction of Snetterton Heath started in Autumn 1942 but continued until mid-1943, because it was extended after allocation as an Eighth Air Force bomber base. It had eventually three concrete runways, 50...

  • Thurleigh

    Military site : airfield
    Built for RAF use in 1941-42, Thurleigh was initially used by RAF Bomber Command before being handed over to the Eighth Air Force. Its runways and hardstandings were improved, and the B-17s of the 306th Bomb Group began using the base. It was their...

Events

Not yet known

Nicknames
NORA 2
Production block number
B-17F-55-BO
Manufacturer
Boeing
Markings and paint scheme/livery
Not yet known

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
19 February 2021 17:31:15 jmoore43 Changes to production block number
Sources

Added Production block number per info on the internet.
SOURCE: https://b17flyingfortress.de/en/production-block/b-17f-55-bo-42-29467-42...
Date Contributor Update
29 May 2020 20:50:56 kstrykerAK Changes to unit associations and place associations
Sources

Snetterton Falcons II: The 96th Bomb Group in World War II by Robert E Doherty & Geoffrey D Ward. Second Edition with Errata and Supplemental Information. Taylor Publishing. 1996. page 293
Date Contributor Update
13 July 2017 17:29:06 JoCarter Changes to production block number
Sources

info updated
Date Contributor Update
13 July 2017 17:28:47 JoCarter Changes to production block number, manufacturer and nicknames
Sources

info updated
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:40:22 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log

Share