42-38050 | American Air Museum

42-38050 Thunder Bird

media-38170.jpeg UPL 38170 "Ground crew of the 359th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, pose beside a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. England, 19 April 1945. Aircraft No 42-38050."

https://www.fold3.com/image/48254810?terms=42-38050

Object Number - UPL 38170 - "Ground crew of the 359th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, pose beside a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. England, 19 April 1945. Aircraft No 42-38050."

Delivered Cheyenne 25/11/43; Syracuse 18/12/43; Presque Isle 22/12/43; Assigned 359BS/303BG [BN-U] Molesworth 18/1/44; transferred 384 Grafton Underwood 23/3/45; ret Molesworth 14/4/45; transferred 388BG Knettishall 30/4/45; 116m, retUS Bradley 11/7/45; 4185 BU Independence 1/7/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Kingman 21/12/45. THUNDERBIRD. (Preserved as above from 44-85718 in 303BG livery after restoration at Duxford, UK; also featured in Keith Ferris’ mural at Smithsonian Institute.)

Connections

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

Units served with

303rd Bomb Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

359th Bomb Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

384th Bomb Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

388th Bomb Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

People

James Spalding Andrus

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 13094930
Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
Role/Job: Radio Operator

Richard Kenneth Baer

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 16126211
Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
Role/Job: Waist Gunner

George Edward Baltes

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 19069634 / O-758514
Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
Role/Job: Pilot

James Brooks

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
Role/Job: Navigator

Adam Champagne

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 18171431
Highest Rank: Sergeant
Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Places

Duxford

Site type: Airfield
Known as: "Duckpond"

Grafton Underwood

Site type: Airfield
Known as: Grafton Undermud

Knettishall

Site type: Airfield

Molesworth

Site type: Airfield

Missions

B-17 Flying Fortresses, (LL-F, serial number 42-97467) of the 91st Bomb Group, (OJ-G, serial number 42-97212) of the 96th Bomb Group and (LD-D, serial number 42-39994) of the 100th Bomb Group in Sweden, 1944. Written on slide casing: 'Sweden, 297467 LL:F, 18/7/44, 297212 OJ:G, 11/4/44, 239994, LD:D 3/3/44.'

8th Air Force 250

Date: 6 March 1944

Events

Event	Location	Date	Description
Delivered	Cheyenne AAF, WY	25 November 1943	Delivered Cheyenne AAF 25-Nov-43.
Assigned	Molesworth, UK	18 January 1944	Assigned 359BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF.
Assigned	Grafton Underwood	23 March 1945	Transferred to 384BG, 8AF USAAF.
Assigned	Molesworth, UK	14 April 1945	Returned to 303BG, 8AF USAAF.
Assigned	Knettishall, UK	30 April 1945	Transferred to 388BG, 8AF USAAF.
Other Returned ZI	Bradley AAF, CT	11 July 1945	Returned to Bradley AAF 11-Jul-45.
Manufactured	Long Beach, CA		Built at Douglas.