42-3158 | American Air Museum

42-3158 Max

Delivered Denver 6/3/43; Morrison 31/3/43; Assigned 427BS/303BG [GN-Y] Molesworth 2/6/43; Missing in Action Hanover 29/4/44 with Jim Fisher, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Gus Johnson[body recovered from lake 20/5/44] (2 Prisoner of War); Co-pilot: George Franzen, Navigator: Harry Kauffman, Bombardier: S/Sgt Ed Helton, Radio Operator: Don Duncan, Ball turret gunner: Bob Eklund, Waist gunner: Henry Hoff, Waist gunner: Irving Bellitt,Tail gunner: Joe Tereck (8 Killed in Action); enemy aircraft KOd #3 and #4, ship then exploded, crashed in Schwielowsee, W of Caputh, SW of Berlin=Potsdam road, Ger; Missing Air Crew Report 4471. MAX.

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Missions

The wing of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-5888) nicknamed "Elusive Elcy" of the 94th Bomb Group flies off as a result of a direct hit, during a mission over Emden. Handwritten caption on reverse: '94 BG. 27/9/43.' Printed caption on reverse: 'A DRAMATIC INCIDENT DURING THE AIR WAR OVER EUROPE: A WING BREAKS OFF A FLYING FORTRESS DURING A DAYLIGHT BATTLE, AND THE STRICKEN BOMBER BEGINS TO TURN OVER AS IT STARTS ON THE WAY DOWN TO EARTH. This picture illustrates one of the hazards which the big A

VIII Bomber Command 104

Date: 27 September 1943

VIII Bomber Command 97

Date: 16 September 1943

VIII Bomber Command 88

Date: 31 August 1943

Regensburg, after being bombed by B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 385th Bomb Group, 17 August 1943. Official caption on image: "(O-5-1-385)(17-8-43)(30171-6 3/8 - 24,000)(Regensberg)." Passed for publication 6 Sep 1943. Printed caption on reverse: '#44: View of the target.' Censor no: 282458. On reverse: US Army Press Censor ETO and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps].

VIII Bomber Command 84

Date: 17 August 1943
Official Description:

VIII Bomber Command 82

Date: 15 August 1943

Events

Event	Location	Date	Description
Other Crashed/Destroyed	In the air over Hanover. Germany	29 April 1944	Sustained damage between No. 3 and 4 engines, started trailing smoke, and was then attacked by German fighters. Was seen to explode in midair in the vicinity of Hanover, Germany. Two taken prisoner, with the remaining killed. SSgt Samuel C Ros, tail gunner on B-17 42-38051, was the interviewed witness for the missing aircraft report.
Other Failed to Return (FTR)	Germany	29 April 1944

Event

Location

Date

Description

Other

Crashed/Destroyed

In the air over Hanover. Germany

29 April 1944

Sustained damage between No. 3 and 4 engines, started trailing smoke, and was then attacked by German fighters. Was seen to explode in midair in the vicinity of Hanover, Germany. Two taken prisoner, with the remaining killed. SSgt Samuel C Ros, tail gunner on B-17 42-38051, was the interviewed witness for the missing aircraft report.

Other

Failed to Return (FTR)

Germany

29 April 1944

Revisions

Date19 May 2020 13:00:48

ContributorCastleBren

Changes

Sources

303rd Bomb Group records

Date27 Sep 2014 18:40:39

ContributorAAM

Changes

Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 4471 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database