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42-5885

B-17 Flying Fortress

  • The nose art of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-5885) nicknamed

    The nose art of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-5885) nicknamed "Kipling's Error the III" of the 96th Bomb Group. Official caption printed on image: '(GM-1-9-96)(11-9-43).' Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Neies crew.'

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  • Staff Sergeant Joseph Francis Kotlarz, a tail gunner of the 96th Bomb Group, cleans the guns on his B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-5885) nicknamed

    Staff Sergeant Joseph Francis Kotlarz, a tail gunner of the 96th Bomb Group, cleans the guns on his B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-5885) nicknamed "Kipling's Error the III". Printed caption on reverse: '.'27330 AC - "Hottest tail in town." Preparing his tail guns in last minute readiness is S/Sgt. Joseph F. Kotlarz, son of Mrs Stella Kotlarz, 2820 F. St. Omaha Nebr. Sgt. Kotlarz reigns over the tail gun position in the Fortress, "Kipling's Error III" which is ready for its bombing raid, taking it to Germany and occupied Europe. U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO.'

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  • Howard A Breson, Master Sergeant, Crew Chief, 96th Bomb Group, and his aircraft mechanic crew by their assigned B-17

    Howard A Breson, Master Sergeant, Crew Chief, 96th Bomb Group, and his aircraft mechanic crew by their assigned B-17 "Kipling's Error III". Howard is on the left.

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Delivered Long Beach 20/4/43; Lowry 5/5/43; Smoky Hill 25/5/43; Dow Fd 2/6/43; Assigned 338BS/96BG [BX-T] Snetterton 12/6/43; Missing in Action Rostock 11/4/44 with Harry Johnson, Co-pilot: Luther Bailey, Navigator: Herb Springer, Bombardier: Bill Hopkins, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Bill McAnear, Radio Operator: Jim Learn, Ball turret gunner: Floyd Jenewein, Waist gunner: Mike Morenelis, Waist gunner: Walt Chmiel, Tail gunner: Dick Moore (10 Killed in Action); enemy aircraft, crashed Baltic Sea. Missing Air Crew Report 3809. KIPLING'S ERROR III.

Service

Units

People

  • Luther Bailey

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 96th Bomb Group
    Shot down 11 April 1944 in B-17 #42-5885 'Kipling's Error III'. Plane crashed into Baltic. Killed in Action (KIA).

  • Walter Chmiel

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 96th Bomb Group
    Shot down 11 April 1944 in B-17 #42-5885 'Kipling's Error III'. Plane crashed into Baltic, Killed in Action (KIA).

  • William Hopkins

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 96th Bomb Group
    Shot down 11 April 1944 in B-17 #42-5885 'Kipling's Error III'. Plane crashed into Baltic, Killed in Action (KIA).

  • Floyd Jenewein

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 96th Bomb Group
    Assigned to 338BS, 96BG, 8AF USAAF. Shot down 11-Apr-44 in B-17 42-5885 'Kipling's Error III'. Plane crashed into Baltic, Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 3809 Awards: AM (OLC), PH.

  • Harry Johnson

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 96th Bomb Group
    Shot down 11 April 1944 in B-17 #42-5885 'Kipling's Error III'. Plane crashed into Baltic, Killed in Action (KIA).

  • Joseph Kotlarz

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 96th Bomb Group
    Assigned to 413BS, 96BG, 8AF USAAF. Crewmamber B-17 'Kipling's Error III'. 25 x combat missions. ETD Awards: DFC, AM, WWII Victory, EAME. Post war: Re-enlisted USAF serving in Korea conflict.

  • James Learn

    Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator Gunner | 96th Bomb Group
    Shot down 11 April 1944 in B-17 #42-5885 'Kipling's Error III'. Plane crashed into Baltic, Killed in Action (KIA).

  • William McAnear

    Military | Technical Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 96th Bomb Group
    Shot down 11 April 1944 in B-17 #42-5885 'Kipling's Error III'. Plane crashed into Baltic, Killed in Action (KIA).

  • Richard Moore

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 96th Bomb Group
    Shot down 11 April 1944 in B-17 #42-5885 'Kipling's Error III'. Plane crashed into Baltic. Killed in Action (KIA).

  • Michael Morenelis

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 96th Bomb Group
    Shot down 11 April 1944 in B-17 #42-5885 'Kipling's Error III'. Plane crashed into Baltic, Killed in Action (KIA).

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Places

  • 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...

Events

Event Location Date
Failed to Return (FTR) Poland 11 April 1944
Nicknames
Kipling's Error III
Production block number
B-17F-30-VE Fortress
Manufacturer
Lockheed
Markings and paint scheme/livery
Not yet known

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
07 November 2020 21:17:44 jmoore43 Changes to description
Sources

Added a space before the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” to aid clarity.
Date Contributor Update
18 March 2015 17:09:42 Lee8thbuff Changes to unit associations
Sources

Lee Cunningham 18-Mar-2015. Added 337th BS to units per MACR 3809. It appears the aircraft was assigned to 413th BS but flown on its fatal mission by a crew from 337th BS.
Date Contributor Update
18 March 2015 17:01:30 Lee8thbuff Changes to nicknames
Sources

Lee Cunningham 18-Mar-2015. Added aircraft nickname per photograph.
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:40:57 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 3809 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

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