42-97851 | American Air Museum

Nicknames: Qualified Quail
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Production block number: B-17G-35-VE
Manufacturer: Boeing
Markings & paint scheme: Large pinup painted by Tony Starcer (inspired by a Calendar from Earl McPherson), later a row of bombs was painted as missions added up. Vertical stabiliser painted on both sides with a large capital A in white inside a black triangle. Under it was 297851 painted in black. Under that a large capital K (call sign of the plane). All this was within a large red vertical strip. The horizontal elevators and wing tips were also painted red. On the fuselage, on both sides, between the wings and the horizontal elevators were the full call sign in large black capital letters LL-K. Each engine, sometime around the second or third mission was given a name: Engine 1 was Nellie. Engine 2 was Betty M. Engine 3 was Helen Engine 4 was Betty J. The name Margie was also painted near the tail gunner position.

42-97851 Qualified Quail

media-12850.jpeg UPL 12850 42-97851 LL-K Qualified Quail after crash landing in France near Valenciennes on 14 January 1945.
Picture taken on 15 January 1945.

After mission report written by Lt. Seller.

Object Number - UPL 12850 - 42-97851 LL-K Qualified Quail after crash landing in France near Valenciennes on 14 January 1945. Picture taken on 15 January 1945.

Delivered Tulsa 15/3/44; Kearney 4/5/44; Grenier 26/5/44; Assigned 401BS/91BG [LL-K] Bassingbourn 3/6/44; 72m battle damaged Cologne 14/1/45 with Wilbur Seller; force landed Denain Afd, Fr; Salvaged 28/1/45. QUALIFIED QUAIL.

Connections

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Units served with

People

Gregory E Good

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
Highest Rank: Captain
Role/Job: Pilot

William E Guildner

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
Role/Job: Pilot

William E Guldner

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: O-755331 - 19098786
Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
Role/Job: Pilot

Raymond A Johnston

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: O-761439
Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
Role/Job: Bombardier

Sergeant Roy Loyless, a tail gunner of the 91st Bomb Group in position inside B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-95851) nicknamed "Qualified Quail" at Bassingbourn. Printed caption on reverse: 'Roy Loyless, tail gunner on "Qualified Quail" 91st Bomb Grp. 401st, Sqd,'

Roy E Loyless

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 38545285
Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Places

Events

Event	Location	Date	Description
Delivered	Tulsa, Oklahoma, États-Unis	14 March 1944	Delivered to the Control and Acceptance at Tulsa Oklahoma. Officially added to the USAAF inventory on 16 March 1944.
Delivered		5 May 1944	Delivered to Kearney Field, Nebraska home of the 7th Heavy Bombardment Processing Headquarters.
Delivered		26 May 1944	Ferry flight across the North Atlantic to England.
Assigned		3 June 1944	Assigned to the 91st Bomb Group / 401st Bomb Squadron
Other Emergency landing		14 January 1945	Crash landing near Denain, France after severe damage sustained over Cologne, Germany.
Manufactured	Burbank, Californie, États-Unis		Production in March 1944 at the Lockheed Burbank plant in California, USA.
Delivered			Flown from Kearney Field to Grenier Field, New Hampshire.