Delivered Cheyenne 8/12/43; Kansas City 27/12/43; Orlando 1/1/44; 902 BU Orlando 2/6/44; Mat Spl Tonopah 23/6/44; Mat Com Wright Fd 28/6/44; Grenier 28/6/44; Prestwick, UK 30/6/44; Assigned 560BS/388BG Knettishall, fitted with TV camera and GB-4 glide bomb equipment (Batty*) 2/7/44; on non-op mission from Fersfield to North Witham 29/7/44 with Ken Snedeker, Co-pilot: John Baird, Navigator: Chas Trimble, pass-Major Henry Rand, pass-Sgt Bernard Kurs (4 Returned to Duty); upon returning only one u/c wheel was down but aircraft skidded across runway, crashing through a gas truck into 44-6096 which exploded killing two bystanders M/Sgt Clove Wells, Sgt Clarence Nietzke, plus Navigator: Chas Trimble (3 Killed in Service), two other ground crewmen Cpls Bill Brown and John Taney were OK.



* Batty project - 3 x B-17 fitted with bomb racks for 2,600lb GB-4 glide bombs and with remote controls and TV equipment to control their descent to target. Only 1 x B-17 so fitted was used operationally before the project was pulled.