41-24444 The Red Gremlin, Superman

media-30954.jpeg UPL 30954 Front fuselage of the B17 41-24444, The Red Gremlin Red Gremlin Collection, George Huber

Personal collection of Bethany S. Huber, daughter of Herman S. Haag

Object Number - UPL 30954 - Front fuselage of the B17 41-24444, The Red Gremlin

Assigned 92BG Bangor 2/8/42; 340BS/97BG Polebrook 24/8/42 THE RED GREMLIN; took Gen Eisenhower to Gibraltar (1st B-17 to Gib) with Paul Tibbets; Maison Blanche 13/11/42; Tafaraoui 22/11/42; Biskra 25/12/42; Chateau-du-Rhumel 8/2/43; Pont-du-Fahs 1/8/43; Depienne 15/8/43; Cerignola 20/12/43; Amendola 16/1/44; Returned to the USA 13/7/44; Salvaged 19/6/46. SUPERMAN.

1. It was assigned to the 92nd Bombardment Group (Heavy), at Bangor Army Air Field, Maine, on 2 August, 1942.
2. It was re-assigned to the 340th Bomb Squadron (BS) (H), 97th Bomb Group (BG) (H), at Polebrook, England, on 24 August 1942, at which time it was named The Red Gremlin.
3. On an unspecified date, with Paul Tibbets as pilot, it ferried General Dwight Eisenhower to Gibraltar, becoming the first B-17 ever to land there.
4. On 13 November 1942, it flew to Maison Blanche Airfield, in Algiers, Algeria.
5. Beginning on 22 November 1942, it was based at Tafraoui Air Base, at Oran, Algeria.
6. On 25 December 1942, it relocated to Biskra Airfield, at Biskra, Algeria.
7. On 8 February 1943, it relocated to Châteaudun-du-Rhumel Airfield, near Chelghoum el Aid, Algeria.
8. On 1 August 1943, it relocated to Pont-du-Fahs Airfield, at El Fahs, Tunisia.
9. From El Fahs, it transferred the short distance to Depienne Airfield, some 12 kilometers northeast of El Fahs, on 15 August 1943.
10. On 20 December 1943, it flew to Cerignola Army Air Field, Italy, which was part of the huge complex of air bases around Foggia.
11. On 16 January 1944, it transferred to Amendola Army Air Field, Italy, which was another base within the Foggia complex.
12. On 13 July 1944, 41-24444 returned to the United States.
13. On 19 June 1946, it was “salvaged” (which Freeman and Osborne define as “destroyed/scrapped beyond economical repair”, p. 71). At the time of its demise, it bore the name Superman, though Freeman and Osborne (in their book, The B-17 Flying Fortress Story ((London: Arms & Armour, a Cassell imprint, 1999)), p. 83) do not state when the name was changed from The Red Gremlin. Forman (op cit.) confirms that, in addition to The Red Gremlin, 41-24444 also carried the name, Superman, though does not say when the name was changed, either (p. 82).

Connections

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Units served with

A bomber crew of the 97th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress. They are from left to right: Lieutenant Frank R. Beadle, of Grand Rapids, Michigan; Sergeant Chester Love, of Cincinnati, Ohio; Sergeant Richard Williams, of Utica, New York; Lieutenant Levon Ray, of Poolville Texas; Glen V. Leland, of St. Petersburg, Florida; Sergeant Frank Rebello, Tiverton, Rhode Island; Sergeant Joseph Cummings, of Oskaloosa, Iowa; and Sergeant Zane Gemmill, of St. Clair, Pennsylvania. Image stamped on reverse: 'Pas
  • Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
  • Air Force: Twelfth Air Force Fifteenth Air Force Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 97th Bomb Group 340th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-443490
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 97th Bomb Group 340th Bomb Squadron
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 97th Bomb Group 340th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 07022674
  • Highest Rank: Master Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner/ Flight Engineer
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 97th Bomb Group 340th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 97th Bomb Group 340th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-361713
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Places

Revisions

Date6 Jul 2023 22:37:15
Contributorjmoore43
ChangesChanges to Description, Media and Production Block Number
Sources

Added the Production block number per info on the internet.

SOURCE:   https://b17flyingfortress.de/en/production-block/b-17f-10-bo-41-24440-4…

 

Date24 May 2020 19:08:59
Contributorharrietschariot
ChangesChanges to person associations and media associations
Sources

Removed incorrect associations.

Date21 Oct 2019 12:24:46
Contributorharrietschariot
ChangesChanges to person associations
Sources

Mission log of George Housten Simpson

Date16 Dec 2017 02:03:43
ContributorVideogoat60
ChangesChanges to nicknames
Sources

Personal collection of Bethany S. Huber, daughter of Herman S. Haag (top turret gunner and engineer of B-17 41-24444, the Red Gremlin)

Date15 Dec 2017 20:35:26
ContributorVideogoat60
ChangesChanges to person associations
Sources

Personal collection of Bethany S. Huber, daughter of Herman S. Haag (top turret gunner and engineer of B-17 41-24444, the Red Gremlin)

Date15 Dec 2017 20:31:24
ContributorVideogoat60
ChangesChanges to place associations
Sources

Personal collection of Bethany S. Huber, daughter of Herman S. Haag (top turret gunner and engineer of B-17 41-24444, the Red Gremlin)

Date15 Dec 2017 20:21:06
ContributorVideogoat60
ChangesChanges to description
Sources

Email from Museum of Flight, Seattle, WA, USA.

Date15 Dec 2017 18:30:28
ContributorVideogoat60
ChangesChanges to manufacturer, nicknames and markings
Sources

Info sourced from an email from the Museum of Flight. Email was in response to my request for any info about 41-24444, The Reg Gremlin. My wife's father was Herman Haag, the top turret gunner and engineer of The Red Gremlin

Date27 Sep 2014 18:40:02
ContributorAAM
ChangesAAM ingest
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log

41-24444: Gallery (2 items)