42-5804 Hell's Halo
- B-17F 42-5804 LG-R 'Hells Halo' 322Bs, 91BG.
Object Number - UPL 33118 - "Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortresses" of the 91st Bomb Group approach their target at Tours, France for another death-dealing blow at enemy installations...
B-17F 42-5804 "Hell's Halo" was delivered at Long Beach 11-Feb-43; Walker 23-Feb-43; Nashville 9-Apr-43; Assigned 96BG Grafton Underwood 27-Apr-43; transferred 423BS/306BG [RD-Z] Thurleigh 6-Aug-43; 322BS/91BG [LG-R] Bassingbourn 11-Sep-43; 323BS [OR-R]; damaged over Oschersleben 11-Jan-44. Attacked by several enemy aircraft KO’d #2 & #3, no brakes to crash landed Hethel, Nfk. 10 RTD No MACR issued. Salvaged 21-Jan-44.
P Capt Leroy Everett (RTD); CP 1Lt Col Milton (WIA-RTD)
N Unknown (RTD); B Larry O’Neill (RTD)
E/TTG Unknown (RTD); RO Unknown (RTD)
BTG Unknown (RTD); LWG Unknown (RTD)
RWG Unknown (RTD); TG Unknown (RTD)
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 323rd Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 323rd Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 323rd Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Grafton Undermud
- Site type: Airfield
![A bomber crew of the 306th Bomb Group wave to Picture Post Girls in front of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24471) nicknamed "Four of a Kind" at Thurleigh in December 1942. Image stamped on reverse: '"Picture Post" [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 11 Dec 1942.' [stamp], '238038.' [Censor no.] Handwritten in censor's blue pencil on reverse: 'American Flying Fortress crew are introduced to the girls they will meet at Picture Post Xmas Party.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-379028.jpg.webp?itok=6Gc6iR0j)
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Bedford
Missions
- Date: 11 January 1944
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Other Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) |
Hethel, Norwich, Norfolk NR14, UK | 11 January 1944 | Aircraft sustained multiple fighter attacks which disabled engines No. 2 and No. 3. Aircraft managed to make it back to England And made a crash landing at Hethel. Brakes also failed. Aircraft had to swerve off of the runway to avoid a collision with a B-24. Aircraft was written off as a Category E loss (Damaged Beyond Repair) and salvaged on 21-Jan-44. |
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 10-Jan-2015. Corrected nickname. All other information edited and/or added per the "The B-17 Flying Fortress Story" Roger A. Freeman with David Osborne and "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.
Lee Cunningham 22-Nov-2014. Added aircraft nickname. The original "Panhandle Doggie" 41-24570 was a DBR on 8-Nov-42 mission also flown by 1Lt William A Anderson. By association of aircraft records, MACR 2286, "The B-17 Flying Fortress Story" Roger A Freeman & Dave Osborne.
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 2286 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database
