42-30149 Spare Parts, Marian E

media-30249.jpeg UPL 30249 42-30149 "Spare Parts" tail being inspected by enemy troops at the crash site at Bamberg, near Wurzburg, Germany.

Corrected typo in description.

Object Number - UPL 30249 - 42-30149 "Spare Parts" tail being inspected by enemy troops at the crash site at Bamberg, near Wurzburg, Germany.

Delivered Cheyenne 17/4/43; Smoky Hill 24/4/43; Walla Walla 30/4/43; Smoky Hill 10/5/43; Dow Fd 25/5/43; Assigned 333BS/94BG [Earls Colne 27/5/43; Rougham 12/6/43;

XM-A2] later RCL F.



Missing in Action Schweinfurt 14/10/43 with Jim Mullinax, Co-pilot: Frank Peyton, Navigator: Maurice Fridrich, Bombardier: Jay Coberly, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Emil McCormick, Radio Operator: George Anderson, Ball turret gunner: Don Wilson, Waist gunner: Ellis Baxendall, Waist gunner: Harley Almon, Tail gunner: Curtis Brown (10 Prisoner of War); enemy aircraft, crashed Bamberg, near Wurzburg, Ger; Missing Air Crew Report 790. SPARE PARTS.



Words of Navigator 2Lt Maurice E Fridrich:



"Almost immediately after bombs-away, the group made a turn and a decrease in altitude in order to confuse the flak gunners. Enemy fighter action increased heavily after bombs-away. This was the heaviest fighting we experienced on this mission. There were FW 190's, ME 109's and twin engine fighter-bombers. The twin engine fighters carried air-to air missiles. They attacked the rear of our formation by sending their missiles at us. I saw one of these missiles sail over the top of the left wing of "Spare Parts". It flew out in front of us where it exploded. 'Spare Parts' flew right through that ball. A piece of shrapnel, about the size of a walnut, went through the Plexiglas nose. I was reading the magnetic compass located on the floor of the aircraft nose when I felt something strike my steel helmet. This piece had come in through the nose glass, had gone over the top of the Bombardiers left shoulder, striking my helmet. It glanced off the helmet, glanced off the wall of the aircraft, struck my helmet again and fell on top if the glass of the compass I was trying to read. I noted that the Bombardier had turned and was giving me a quizzical look; I felt he was wondering if I had been struck by that shrapnel. I picked up the piece to show it to him. I had to drop it because it was still hot enough to cause pain through the gloves I was wearing. Shortly after that there was an explosion at the left side of the cockpit area. There were other explosions in different parts of the aircraft. Word came over the intercom system that the outboard engine was on fire. That part of the oxygen system in the waist and rear was out. Learned that Lt Mullinax had been wounded by a twenty millimeter that had exploded on the left side of the aircraft, but that he was still able to, and was, flying the aircraft. Lt Coberly asked the pilot if he needed help. Mullinax said yes. Lt Coberly started for the cockpit. I noticed that he disconnected from the oxygen system and did not connect to a portable bottle, on his way to the cockpit.

About this time Lt Mullinax gave an order to bailout. I proceeded to destroy sensitive equipment. This was done by removing a cover and pushing a red button underneath it. I had hooked my chest pack parachute to the harness I always wore, and started for the passage way between the nose and the cockpit. The escape hatch was located in this tunnel. This was the only escape route for me.

I saw two bodies in the tunnel. It appeared that both were unconscious. I recognized Lt Coberly and knew immediately what was wrong. He passed out from lack of oxygen. I assumed that the other was Lt. Peyton and that the two of them had become wedged in the tunnel on the way to the escape hatch. My only means of escape was blocked. I grabbed Lt Coberly's oxygen mask hose and plugged it into the oxygen system. I then, perhaps frantically, hunted for an alternate escape route. The astrodome would not do. Too small. I may have tried to kick out the Plexiglas nose panels.

Forty five years later, Lt Coberly told me his story of this situation:

-He had glanced into the nose and seen me acting strangely. He decided that I was out of it and beyond help, and proceeded to bail out. He said Lt Peyton bailed out as soon as the order was given by the pilot. That he had dragged the pilot to the escape hatch, pushed him out and pulled his ripcord at the same time. Then went out himself. When he told me this I realized that Lt Coberly did not know that he had passed out from lack of oxygen. Also, when he jumped I was the only crew member left in the aircraft. This explains reports by returning crews that only nine parachutes were sighted leaving our aircraft.

In short order I realised that the two bodies were gone. I went into the tunnel. On reaching the hatch,I made the mistake of looking out the hatch instead of dropping out, as instructed in training. I saw the bomb-bay doors; they were still open. I saw two gun barrels of the ball turret, and the ball turret. All seemed to be in the way, ready to impale me as I slipped back into the slip-stream. I let myself out feet first and held on to the hatch frame. I lined up my body in the slip-steam so that I would miss all the things back there that I was likely to hit. I let go. I saw these things, and sensed them as I went by. I did not hit any of them."

Connections

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Units served with

A bomber crew of the 94th Bomb Group stand with their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30200) nicknamed "Slo Time Sally" and a bomb inscribed 'Special delivery to Hitler'. Inscription on bomb reads: 'Special delivery to Hitler, From Peggy of St. Louis.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 94th Bomb Group 332nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14124070
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 94th Bomb Group 332nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19138251
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 94th Bomb Group 332nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 33215873
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 94th Bomb Group 332nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14125281
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 94th Bomb Group 332nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 20342192 / O-741474
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier

Places

Missions

Events

Event Location Date Description

Delivered

722, 6207 Missile Dr, Cheyenne, WY 82005, USA 17 April 1943 Delivered United Airlines Modification Center, Cheyenne Accepted: AAF c. 17-Apr-43.

Assigned

Earls Colne, Colchester CO6, UK 27 May 1943 Assigned 333BS, 94BG, 8AF 27-May-43.

Other

Based

Rougham, Bury Saint Edmunds IP30, UK 12 June 1943 Based Rougham 12-Jun-43.

Crashed

Failed to Return (FTR)

Bamberg, Germany 14 October 1943 Failed to Return (FTR) Schweinfurt raid. Hit by enemy aircraft, crashed Bamberg, near Wurzburg, Germany; 10 x POW MACR 790.

Manufactured

Seattle, WA, USA Built at Boeing.

Revisions

Date
ContributorRayWells
Changes
Sources

Updated name of aircraft. Evidence supplied by Tom Sanders via Facebook.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a space before the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” to aid clarity.

Date
Contributorphil marchese
Changes
Sources

AAM associated image displays fin markings.

Second acceptance per procedures in AAF STUDY 62.

Date
Contributorphil marchese
Changes
Sources

AAM associated image show markings.

Date
Contributorram957
Changes
Sources

Facebook

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 790 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

42-30149: Gallery (3 items)