41-2578 Butcher Shop/ Big Tin Bird
IWM, Roger Freeman Collection
Object Number - FRE 5781 - A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-2578) nicknamed "Butcher Shop" of the 92nd Bomb Group at Bovingdon. Written on slide casing: 'B-17 E 12578...
Boeing B-17E Pendleton, Oregon – 18 February 1942 Lead bomber of first strike force on VIII Bomber Command Mission 1 (17 August 1942).
41-2578
Butcher Shop (97BG)/Big Tin Bird (20FG)
Polebook, England (340BS/97BG) – April 1942
Bovingdon, England (326BS/92BG) – 25 August 1942
Glatton, England (457BG) – 3 March 1944
Kings Cliffe, England (77FS/20FG) – 3 August 1944
Alconbury, England (Salvaged) – 6 August 1945
Squadron hack for Colonel Cy Wilson (CO 20FG).
Oldest Boeing B-17 in the 8AF at war’s end.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Twelfth Air Force Fifteenth Air Force Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
![Ground personnel of the 97th Bomb Group reservice a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-9023) nicknamed "Yankee Doodle", following the raid on Rouen. Image stamped on reverse: 'Associated Press.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 18 Aug 1942.' [stamp], 'Air=SER (Boeing).' [written annotation] and '216112.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'U.S FLYING FORTRESSES RAID ROUEN IN DAYLIGHT. Associated Press Photo Shows: No sooner had one of the huge Fortresses landed after the raid than ground crew im](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-379318.jpg.webp?itok=n7iztoxa)
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force Twelfth Air Force Fifteenth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
![Colonel Frank A. Armstrong of the 97th Bomb Group in the cockpit of his B-17 Flying Fortress. Image stamped on reverse: 'Photographed by US Army Air Air Forces.' [caption], 'US Official Phot No. USB 230. (WA) Distributed by the Ministry of Information.' [caption] 'USAA(BRI)CCC:TYPE.' [written annotation] Printed caption on reverse: 'LEADER OF THE US BOMBING ATTACK ON WILHELMSHAVEN. Photo shows:- Col. Frank A. Armstrong of Asheville N.C. who led the bombing attack on Wilhelmshaven- the first American air a](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-379326.jpg.webp?itok=PgnVoxm0)
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: VIII Bomber Command 1st Bomb Division 306th Bomb Group 97th Bomb Group
- Service Numbers: O-17459
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant General
- Role/Job: Commanding Officer; Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 97th Bomb Group 340th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-361713
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 20th Fighter Group 55th Fighter Squadron 77th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-21538
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Fighter Pilot Squadron/Group Commander
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Connington
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Kingscliffe, Apethorpe
- Site type: Airfield
Missions
- Date: 17 August 1942
- Official Description:
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 20-Oct-2014 "Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman.
![A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-2578) nicknamed "Butcher Shop" of the 97th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '17-8-42 D.' Printed caption removed from reverse. On reverse: Photopress, US Army Press Censor ETO and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps].](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-408714.jpg.webp?itok=SJ31g-Qe)
