A machine gun from a B-17 Flying Fortress of the 379th Bomb Group after a mid air collision, 5 January 1944. Not To Be Published 6 Jan 1944. Printed caption on reverse: 'Twenty-Eight Die When Three Fortresses Crash In The Take-Off For Raid On Kiel. Twenty-eight airmen were killed when three Flying Fortresses crashed together while forming up for yesterday's (January 5) raid on Kiel. the crash occurred at 2,000ft. and all three planes exploded when they hit the ground with full bomb-load. The ten crew-members on two of the aircraft died before reaching the ground. Three men escaped from the last plane but one of these died later. Associated Press Photo Shows:- A machine-gun from one of the crashed Fortresses sticks nose down in the ground while crewmen's belongings lie scattered around. IRV 263696. 6-1-44-Y.' Censor no: 298998. On reverse: Associated Press, Ministry of Information, and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau Not To Be Published [Stamps].