42-40043

Delivered Long Beach 11/11/43; Independence 30/11/43 and modified to be capable of carrying GB-4 guided bombs on underwing racks**, was assigned to secret 8AF Batty* Project at Fersfield, Norfolk. Summer of ’44 and operated by 388BG; Independence 30/11/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Kingman 20/12/45.



*BATTY was the 8th Air Force code name for testing of the GB-4 glide bomb. The GB-4 was an early "smart bomb," as we call them today, and consisted of an M34 2,000lb GP bomb with wings and tail attached.



**One of three B-17's so modified and flown to the UK, the only A/C that operationally launched the GB-4's.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 388th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 563rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-756266
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Places

Missions

  • Date: 26 August 1944
  • Date: 25 August 1944
  • Date: 17 August 1944
  • Date: 13 August 1944
  • Date: 6 August 1944

Aircraft

Events

Event Location Date Description

Crashed

Brooksville Ave, Brooksville, FL 34601, USA 31 December 1943 Taxiing accident Brooksville AAF, Brooksville, Florida Cat 3 damage, pilot Lt Thadd H Blanton, 31-12-43.

Other

Aphrodite mission

Watten, France 4 August 1944 Provided navigation for Aphrodite mission to V1 missile site at Watten. Pilot Lt Perry Llewellen.

Other

Aphrodite mission

Watten, France 6 August 1944 Provided navigation for Aphrodite mission to V1 missile site at Watten. Pilot Lt Perry Llewellen.

Other

Batty* GB-4 glide bomb attack

Le Havre, France 13 August 1944 The port of Le Havre, France was attacked with Batty* bombs. The TV receiver in the A/C was not working correctly and the picture was too faint to allow the operator to control the two bombs dropped. One landed 1 mile short and the second landed about 1 mile to the right of the port.

Other

Batty* GB-4 glide bomb attack

Rue du Foulou, 64290 Gan, France 17 August 1944 Le Foulous rail bridge, Batty missiles are selected to be used for this target. Deteriorating weather causes the mission to be aborted.

Other

Batty* GB-4 glide bomb attack

La Pallice, 17000 La Rochelle, France 25 August 1944 The second mission, against the LaPallice U-boat pens was really unsuccessful. The first bomb was dropped and the shutter on the TV camera closed preventing transmission of pictures; the second bomb dropped went into an uncontrollable spin.

Other

Batty* GB-4 glide bomb attack

IJmuiden, Netherlands 26 August 1944 The final Batty* mission was flown on 26 Aug 44 against Ijmuiden, Netherlands but the target area was covered with 8/10ths cloud cover and the mission was aborted. The Air Force then decided to "go back to the drawing boards" with the project.

Other

Returned Stateside

Field Rd, Independence, OR 97351, USA 30 November 1945 Returned USA, Independence Field 30/11/45. Sold for scrap.

Revisions

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log