42-29944 Buzzing Bronco, Winning Run

The crumbled nose of a crashed B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Winning Run"of the 303rd Bomb Group. First handwritten caption on reverse: '6/9/43 B.' Second handwritten caption on reverse: '6/9/43 GNE crashed on approach.' media-407662.jpg FRE 4270 The crumbled nose of a crashed B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Winning Run"of the 303rd Bomb Group. First handwritten caption on reverse: '6/9/43 B.' Second handwritten caption on reverse: '6/9/43 GNE crashed on approach.' Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 4270 - The crumbled nose of a crashed B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Winning Run"of the 303rd Bomb Group. First handwritten caption on reverse: '6/9/43 B.'...

Delivered Cheyenne 17/3/43; Gore 28/3/43; Metropolitan 13/4/43; Presque Is 29/4/43; Assigned 427BS/303BG [GN-E] Molesworth 9/6/43; secret mission to North Africa 16/8/43 ret 23/8/43; battle damaged T/Ops 6/9/43 with Jake James, Co-pilot: Howard Ness, Navigator: Paul Scoggins, Bombardier: Walter Witt, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Bill Watts, Radio Operator: Albt Martell, Ball turret gunner: Angelo Longo, Waist gunner: A.J. Hamilton, Waist gunner: Frank Misiak, Tail gunner: Jesse Tripp, pass-Frank Schersschel, Life Magazine correspondent; crash landed RAF Deanland, near West Malling, Kent, UK; (11 Returned to Duty) Salvaged 7/9/43.



Details about the emergency landing from http://www.303rdbg.com/427james.html : ”Crew Incident: 06 September 1943, Mission #67 to Stuttgart, Germany in B-17F #42-29944 Winning Run aka Buzzing Bronco (427th BS) GN-E. It became apparent when reaching the French coast, on the return journey, that many of the B-17s were low on gas. Ten of the nineteen 303rd BG(H) B-17s landed at bases other than Molesworth to refuel. Captain Jacob C. "Jake" James, Pilot of Winning Run made a wheel's up crash-landing on a small British Fighter practice landing airfield at Deanland (near Uckland), England with all four engines dead due to lack of fuel. He was forced to take instant evasive action to miss another Fortress making an emergency landing on an intersecting runway. The aircraft was a total loss and three crewmen sustained slight injuries as a result of the crash. A passenger on the flight was Life Magazine War Correspondent Frank T. Scherschel. His story of the crash landing "Any landing you walk away from is a good one" appeared in the 12 October 1943 issue of Life Magazine.

Note : The LIFE magazine article is on-line at http://books.google.be/books?id=MlcEAAAAMBAJ&printsec=frontcover&hl=fr#v... :

The issue is dated October 11, 1943. It starts at page 74 and ends on page 82. It has other pictures of the crash.



Nicknamed 'Winning Run' by Billy Southworth, who's father managed the Cardinals baseball team until 1945.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

Official emblem of the 303rd Bomb Group approved 7 November 1942.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 10600464
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Aerial Gunner

Places

Missions

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added the Production block number per info on the internet.
SOURCE: https://b17flyingfortress.de/en/b17/42-29944-buzzing-bronco-aka-winning…

Date
Contributorphil marchese
Changes
Sources

Added mfgr code

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a space before the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” to aid clarity.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

Re-Aligned picture associations confused with 42-29994

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log

42-29944: Gallery (8 items)