Back to English Soil by Keith Woodcock A Boeing B17G of the 91st BG USA 8th Airforce returns to English soil on three engines after a fraught daylight mission over Germany. Signatory: Brigadier General James H McPartlin, AFRes Commander, 442d Troop Carrier Wing, Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base, Missouri. .   A Green Hill Far Away by Robert Tomlin On the morning of October 14th 1943 along with 15 others from the 305th Bomb Group, Lazy Baby set off from Chelveston in England on Mission 115, the second Schweinfurt raid, later to become known as Black Thursday.  By the time they reached Aachen on the outward leg only Lazy Baby and two others of the 305th were left flying.  They were then seriously damaged and three crew severely injured whilst two bailed out.  Diving from 23,000 ft to only 3,000 ft, pilot Ed Dienhart managed to escape the attacking fighters.  With the ball turret gunner trapped and navigator seriously injured they proceeded at 30 to 50 feet, hedge-hopping all the way, to Switzerland and safety.  Guided by the navigator Don Rowley who, despite having both arms virtually severed, managed to steer them from memory for over an hour to Switzerland where they made a dramatic crash landing only four miles from the German border.  The navigator died the following day from his injuries.  Whilst the pilot drew upon every ounce of his flying skills, the rest of the crew exhibited untold valour in the face of terrible adversity and selfless devotion to their stricken comrades.This print is autographed by pilot Ed Dienhart, Brunson Bolin, Co - Pilot  Christy Zullo, Waist Gunner, Raymond Baus, Ball Turret Gunner, Robert Cinibulk, Waist Gunner crew members and Swiss Schoolmaster Leo Thüring who helped to rescue the mortally wounded navigator Safe Pastures by Mark Postlethwaite  B-17G 42-37755 NV-A 325th Bomb Squadron, 92nd Bomb Group from Poddington crash landing in Switzerland on 25th February 1944 after sustaining damage over enemy territory after a raid on Augsburg and Stuttgart. An Interesting Dog Fight by Stan Stokes.  October 23, 1942 was a typical day for American troops at Esprito Santo, but for the crew of a B-17 Flying Fortress it would become a most memorable day. Early that morning the Japanese began shelling the field. Lt. Ed Loberg, a former farm boy from Wisconsin, was ordered to take his B-17 up for a reconnaissance mission to determine where the Japanese guns may be located. Not finding anything they returned to the field. The brakes failed on the B-17 upon landing, and they hit several parked Navy aircraft. Fortunately for Lobergs crew a 100 pound bomb dislodged in the crash did not explode. Later that day the crew boarded another B-17 and went hunting out to sea. Around mid-day the crew noticed a PBY being attacked by a Kawanishi H6K Mavis flying boat. Diving the B-17 straight down, the Mavis and the Flying Fortress soon entered a rain squall. The windows were black with clouds and rain, and the plane was buffeted by strong winds. Emerging from the squall at low altitude into blinding sunlight the B-17 emerged only fifty feet from their adversary. Immediately every gun on both aircraft began firing in a broadside exchange reminiscent of age old sailing ship battles. Thousands of bullets criss-crossed the narrow spread of air, and the Fortress shuddered from the impact. Tracer bullets from the B-17 pelted the Mavis like darts with many ricocheting off its armor. The Mavis made a tight turn, and Loberg turned inside him to avoid the mortal sting from the Mavis tail guns. In and out of rain squalls this interesting dogfight continued for 45 minutes. The Mavis kept very close to the wave tops to protect is vulnerable under belly. Several times during the fight the Mavis disappeared for three or four minutes into clouds, but each time as it reemerged Lobergs B-17 resumed the attack. Twice the B-17 passed over the H6K so close that the jagged bullet holes in the Mavis and the round glasses on its two pilots could be seen clearly. Finally, the Mavis began smoking, and the Japanese plane dropped into the sea and exploded in a large ball of flame. In the words of Ira Wolfert, a war correspondent, who was on the flight; During the duel, the Fort that I was on, with a bullet in one of its motors, and two holes as big as Derby hats in its wings, made tight turns with half-rolls and banks past vertical. That is, it frequently stood against the sea on one wing like a ballet dancer balancing on one point, and occasionally it went over even farther than that and started lifting its belly toward the sky in desperate effort to keep the Jap from turning inside it… Throughout the entire forty-four minutes, the plane, one of the oldest being used in the war, ran at top speed, shaking and rippling all over like a skirt in a gale, so many inches of mercury being blown into its motors by the superchargers that the pilot and co-pilot, in addition to their other worries, had to keep an eye on the cowlings to watch for cylinder heads popping up through them. Others on Lobergs crew that day were B. Thurston the co-pilot, R Spitzer the navigator,  R. Mitchell the bombadier and  E. Gustafson , E. Jung, G. Holbert , E. Smith, and P. Butterbaugh who manned the guns during this unusual dogfight. Both Mitchell and Spitzer were wounded during the battle. Birth of a Legend  by Stan Stokes.  Colin P. Kelly, Americas first hero of WW II, was born in Florida in 1915. He was accepted to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and following graduation Kelly married the former Marian Wick. Kelly received his primary flight instruction at Randolph Field in San Antonio, and after earning his wings he moved across town to Kelly Field for advanced pilot training. Unlike many would-be fighter pilots, Kelly was not disappointed with being assigned as a bomber pilot. Kelly received a letter of commendation from The Secretary of War when he crash landed a Northrop A-17A he was ferrying to Mitchel field in a vacant street in Brooklyn. In September of 1940 Kelly was promoted to Captain, and was assigned to the 42nd Bomb Squadron as commander of a B-17. Kelly trained in Hawaii, and was later made Operations Officer for the 14th Bomb Squadron. In September of 1941 Kelly and his crew flew from Hawaii to Clark Field in the Philippines. The B-17s were an important addition to the woefully inadequate and obsolete air forces which America had in the Philippines. The Japanese Imperial forces attacked the Philippines only hours following the attack on Pearl Harbor. Mitsubishi Zero fighters, flying to maximize their range, were able to accompany Japanese bombers from bases in Formosa. The initial attack on Clark Field damaged or destroyed many American aircraft. Kellys squadron had been moved south to another field and had escaped damage. On December 10, Kellys squadron was ordered to fly north to Clark Field where they would refuel and arm their aircraft for attacks on the Japanese invasion fleet. Kellys regular B-17D was out of service, so his crew was assigned a B-17C. At Clark Field three 600-pound armor piercing bombs were loaded on Kellys B-17 when an air raid hastened their departure. Kelly flew northward to the northern most tip of the island of Luzon. Kelly spotted a number of Japanese ships which were supporting an amphibious landing. The young Captain dropped his three bombs hoping to destroy the largest of the Japanese ships. One bomb struck the vessel, igniting a tremendous blaze. On returning to Clark Field, the B-17 was attacked by a number of Japanese fighters, including a Zero flown by Saburo Sakai. Sakai would become the highest scoring Japanese ace to survive the War with 64 victories. Amazed by the speed of the Flying Fortress, the Zeros needed full throttle to make passes at the B-17.  Kellys B-17 was eventually hit and set afire. Captain Kelly ordered his crew to abandon ship. Kelly remained with the aircraft, and he did not survive the crash landing. With America desperate for any good news on the war front, and with Army brass in the Philippines anxious to claim some positive results, Colin Kellys exploits became exaggerated in many news accounts. By the time the story was publicized stateside, many believed he had dived his B-17 down the funnel of a Japanese battleship. While Kelly was indeed an American hero,  the unfortunate gross exaggeration of his exploits, should not tarnish the fact that Kelly, like many that would follow him in the years ahead, had made the ultimate sacrifice for his country in the line of duty.  Fortress Under Siege by Stan Stokes.  In the mid-1930s engineers at Boeing suggested the possibility of designing a modern long-range monoplane bomber to the U.S. Army Air Corps. In 1934 the USAAC issued Circular 35-26 that outlined specifications for a new bomber that was to have a minimum payload of 2000 pounds, a cruising speed in excess of 200-MPH, and a range of at least 2000 miles. Boeing produced a prototype at its own expense, the model 299, which first flew in July of 1935. The 299 was a long-range bomber based largely on the Model 247 airliner. The Model 299 had several advanced features including an all-metal wing, an enclosed cockpit, retractable landing gear, a fully enclosed bomb bay with electrically operated doors, and cowled engines. With gun blisters glistening everywhere, a newsman covering the unveiling coined the term Flying Fortress to describe the new aircraft. After a few initial test flights the 299 flew off to Wright Field setting a speed record with an average speed of 232-mph. At Wright Field the 299 bettered its competition in almost all respects. However, an unfortunate crash of the prototype in October of 1935 resulted in the Army awarding its primary production contract to Douglas Aircraft for its DB-1 (B-18.) The Army did order 13 test models of the 299 in January 1936, and designated the new plane the Y1B-17. Early work on the B-17 was plagued by many difficulties, including the crash of the first Y1B-17 on its third flight, and nearly bankrupted the Company. Minor quantities of the B-17B, B-17C, and B-17D variants were built, and about 100 of these aircraft were in service at the time Pearl Harbor was attacked. In fact a number of unarmed B-17s flew into the War at the time of the Japanese attack. The German Blitzkrieg in Europe resulted in accelerated aircraft production in America.  The B-17E was the first truly heavily armed variant and made its initial flight in September of 1941. B-17Es cost $298,000 each and more than 500 were delivered. The B-17F and B-17G were the truly mass-produced wartime versions of the Flying Fortress. More than 3,400 B-17Fs and more than 8,600 B-17Gs would be produced. The American daylight strategic bombing campaign against Germany was a major factor in the Allies winning the War in Europe. This campaign was largely flown by B-17 Flying Fortresses (12,677 built) and B-24 Liberators (18,188 built.) The B-17 bases were closer to London than those of the B-24, so B-17s received a disproportionate share of wartime publicity. The first mission in Europe with the B-17 was an Eighth Air Force flight of 12 B-17Es on August 12, 1942. Thousands more missions, with as many as 1000 aircraft on a single mission would follow over the next 2 ½ years, virtually decimating all German war making facilities and plants. The B-17 could take a lot of damage and keep on flying, and it was loved by the crews for bringing them home despite extensive battle damage. Following WW II, B-17s would see some action in Korea, and in the 1948 Israel War. There are only 14 flyable B-17s in operation today and a total of 43 complete airframes. Portrait of a Queen  by Stan Stokes.  The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is the subject of Stans painting. B-17s were produced in large numbers and along with the B-24 Liberator carried out the brunt of the Eighth Air Forces long range strategic daylight bombing campaign. These missions were very dangerous, especially early in the War when long range fighter escort was unavailable. The sacrifice made by these bomber crews hastened the end of the War. Rubys Fortress by Stan Stokes.  The B-17 Flying Fortress, was one of the most acclaimed aircraft of WW II. It is also one of those uniquely popular warbirds which has attracted more than its fair share of romance and nostalgia over the years. Nearly 13,000 of these aircraft were produced. The origins of the B-17 dates to 1934 when the Boeing company was authorized to build a prototype of a long-range, metal, monoplane, medium bomber which was designated Model 299. During the first public exposure of the prototype a reporter from the Seattle Daily Times coined the term flying fortress in his description of the new sleek, heavily armed aircraft. Boeings public relations department liked this reference, and shortly thereafter the aircraft became known as the Flying Fortress. Boeing received an initial order for 13 aircraft, designated the YB-17, and these aircraft were delivered in 1937. Later that year Boeing obtained orders for several enhanced models, which were designated B-17Bs. These aircraft had supercharged engines permitting higher ceilings, redesigned nose sections, hydraulic brakes, and larger rudders. With the outbreak of WWII the first Flying Fortresses were used by the RAF. Early experience by the RAF underscored the need for increased defensive firepower. Boeing responded by redesigning the entire rear fuselage on the aircraft, and incorporating a rear gun and a remotely controlled under belly turret gun. The resulting B-17E was only slightly slower than its predecessor at 317 MPH, and in mid-1942 the USAAF began moving B-17 units to the United Kingdom.  These were primarily B-17Fs. Flying Fortresses had the ability to take a lot of punishment. The aircrafts flying characteristics were excellent, and it was not unusual for  B-17s to return to base with large sections of wing surface or tail fin missing. The first B-17G  models began to see action late in 1943, and were, along with the B-24 Liberators, carried the brunt of the USAAF daylight bombing campaign against targets of strategic significance. Such missions were exceedingly dangerous until only very late in the War. Luftwaffe pilots learned to attack B-17s head-on from the 12 oclock position, as this was the most vulnerable area to attack, and one in which crew injury was the most likely. Aviation artist Stan Stokes, in his painting entitled Rubys Fortress, shows a B-17G of the 8th Air Forces 385th Bomber Group over Germany in 1945. The aircraft in the foreground was named for Cpl. Ruby Newell of Long Beach, California. Ms. Newell was voted the most attractive WAC in England in 1944. The nose art painted by Cpl. Ploss was a fitting tribute, and such nose art was a great morale booster for bomber crews and ground support staff. Many B-17s were named after women, appropriate considering the fact that during wartime the majority of the people which built these planes were women. Flying Into a War  by Stan Stokes.  John Davy Crockett was trained as a navigator by Pan Am in mid-1941 because the USAAF did not have its navigator school in operation. Davy was assigned to the 36th Bomb Squadron of the 19th Bomb Group flying the new B-17C Flying Fortress. Davy found that most Air Corps pilots were used to doing their own navigating, so his job would be easy. Davy experienced a crash in a B-17 while training, but the crew walked away from the wreck. In late 1941 his crew was informed that they would be flying to Clark Field in the Philippines. On December they left Albuquerque and flew to Hamilton Field in California. They received a briefing on expected weather and left on the evening of December 6 for their first stop at Hickham Field, Oahu Hawaii. Flying into the darkness over the vast Pacific, the pilot for the first time in Crocketts career turned the navigation over to Davy. Realizing that the Hawaiian Islands were only small dots on the charts of the vast Pacific, and that his aircraft would have little fuel reserves left when it arrived, sent chills up Crocketts spine. As dawn broke Davy saw lots of islands where there were not suppose to be any. His panic subsided when he realized that they were only clouds. The pilot, Earl Cooper, came on the intercom at that moment to ask for an ETA. As Davy responded, the gunners in the back came on the intercom to report a large formation of aircraft about ten miles north of their position. They must be Navy aircraft. Minutes later they had descended to about 1200 feet when eight fighter aircraft came straight at them with their guns blazing. As the aircraft flew bye the flight engineer, Jesse Broyls, yelled out, Rising Sun ! The zeros reformed behind the unarmed B-17, and as Cooper dove the lumbering giant towards the wave tops, Crockett could hear the thump of bullets hitting his plane. The No. 2 engine was hit and Cooper shut it down. Rounding Diamond Head at about 300-feet the crew saw smoke and fire everywhere, and Japanese planes all over the sky. They passed over Hickham Field at about 1000-feet, realizing that this was no time and place for a landing. They turned towards Ford Island and passed directly over the USS Arizona minutes after the ship had exploded. Crocketts B-17 now became a target for nervous anti-aircraft gunners on the ground, and the B-17 had its No. 4 engine shot out. Cooper prepared the crew to bail out, but he then saw an opportunity to bring the big bird into Wheeler Field. He came straight in and belly-landed the B-17 with almost no fuel left. The plane slid to a stop on the turf just short of a group of P-40s. The entire crew got out of the B-17 and ran for cover in a patch of nearby woods. The B-17s on the flight from the mainland were scattered all over the island, with most of them seriously damaged. Fortunately, there were only two casualties, a flight surgeon who was killed and a bombardier who was injured when they were strafed while running from their plane. Crockett would survive a third crash in another B-17 on December 25th when he would spend six days in a life raft.  Nine-o-Nine by Stan Stokes.  One of only fourteen B-17s that still fly, the Collings Foundation is the proud owner and operator of B-17G serial no. 44-83575. This aircraft was built on April 7, 1945 in Long Beach, CA by Douglas Aircraft under license from Boeing. She served as part of the Air/Sea 1st Rescue Squadron and in the Air Transport Service. She was subject to three separate nuclear explosions. After a thirteen-year cool down period the aircraft was sold for scrap. The Aircraft Specialties Company began a restoration of the aircraft. Named Yucca Lady the aircrafts skin was fabricated and replaced on site; engines and props were stripped, cleaned, repaired and tested. For the next twenty years 44-83575 served without incident as a fire bomber dropping water and borate on wild fires throughout the West. In 1986 the Collings Foundation of Stow Massachusetts purchased the aircraft and had her restored to her wartime configuration by Tom Reilly Vintage Aircraft. She was considered one of the finest B-17 restorations and has received numerous awards. In 1987 at an airshow at Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, the aircraft was struck by a severe cross wind while landing. This resulted in a severe non-fatality accident, that necessitated another substantial restoration. With the support of many individuals and corporations, and support from many folks from Beaver Falls 44-83575 rose again like a Phoenix. The aircraft is named in honor of Nine-O-Nine, a B-17 that flew 140 successful combat missions with the 323rd Squadron of the 91st Bomb Group. The original Nine-O-Nine did not lose a crewman, and did not have to abort a single mission. This amazing record was attained between February 1944 and April 1945. During this time the Nine-O-Nine participated in eighteen raids on Berlin and flew an amazing 1129 combat hours. She underwent 21 different engine changes, 4 wing replacements, and fifteen main gas tank replacements due largely to heavy damage from flak. The Nine-O-Nine had six hundred patches in her fuselage and wings when the War ended in Europe. She was flown home, but later succumbed to the scrappers guillotine. In Stan Stokes highly detailed painting, that is a tribute to both the original Nine-O-Nine, and her present namesake flown by the Collings Foundation, the original Nine-O-Nine is readied for another mission to Berlin at its airfield in England in 1945. Those Golden Moments by Philip West.  As the sun slowly begins to rise this wintry morning over Thorpe Abbots, Norfolk, ground crew prepare B-17G The All American Girl in an almost surreal setting, for her 99th dangerous mission over enemy territory. On 10th January 1945, 19-year-old pilot, 1st Lt. John Dodrill and his crew went missing on a combat sortie to Cologne. Like many other crews, they made the ultimate sacrifice in the fight for freedom, with the Bloody Hundredth Bombardment Group playing its full part with courage and honour. Thunderheads Over Ridgewell by Robert Taylor  Robert's emotive painting shows 381st Bomb Group B-17 Fortresses returning to Ridgewell on a summer afternoon in 1944 during a period when the Group reached the peak of its effectiveness - for several months it was top ranked outfit in the Eighth. Between June 1943 and the end of hostilities the 381st completed 297 combat missions, hit almost every important target in German hands, and was credited with the destruction of 223 enemy aircraft. One aircraft more than any other came to symbolise the great daylight bombing campaign of the USAAF in Europe during World War Two, the B-17 Flying Fortress. Out of Fuel and Safely Home by Robert Taylor  Damaged by flak and enemy fighters, and almost out of fuel, after a gruelling eight hour mission the pilot of this B-17 Fortress makes a forced landing in the safety of an English cornfield. A pair of P-51 Mustangs have escorted the damaged aircraft back across the North Sea, and peel off as they see their charge safely back on friendly sight Signatories: Jim Barker, Richard Headrick, Bill Lawley, D Litsinger, LA Mitchell Legend of Colin Kelly by Robert Taylor December 10th 1941, Just three days after the Japanese attack on Pearl harbor, captain Colin Kelly's 19th BG B-17C is heavily outnumbered by Zeros as it returns to Clark Field after completing a successful bombing attack. With his aircraft on fire. Kelly remained at the controls whilst his crew bailed out. Seconds later the B-17 exploded. Colin Kelly gave his life and was posthumously awarded the DFC. A legend was born.  Signed by Robert Altman, James Halkyard

Skipper Comes Home by Robert Taylor    From the summer of 1942 until the end of hostilities, the USAAFs Eighth Air Force took the battle to enemy occupied Europe every single day that weather permitted.  The largest air unit ever to go to war, the Eighth played a vital role in the ultimate defeat of Hitlers Germany.  In the forefront of this awesome fighting force, the crews of the mighty B-17 Flying Fortress will be forever remembered.

Company of Heroes by Robert Taylor  Returning to base following the ordeal of a gruelling daylight raid, when barrages of flak and the persistent attendance of enemy fighters were an accepted feature of the mission were, for the weary aircrews, moments of pure exhilaration.  The entire airfield suddenly transformed into a cacophony of noise and activity as, one after another, the mighty bombers landed and came to rest.  Jeeps scurried about collecting crews, whisking them away for debriefing and well-earned nourishment while groundcrews, after their anxious wait, milled around their charges.   The 34th Bomb Group's Queenie, first home to Mendlesham today, has come to a standstill, the co-pilot already briefing the crew chief on the state of the aircraft.  Another B-17 taxies while a jeep scurries across the tarmac to collect the crew of a third aircraft.  Other B-17s are already parked as the last man home makes his final approach, streaming vapour from a badly overheating engine.  It is April 1945.  The fickle English weather greets the returning airmen with a mixture of brilliant spring sunshine and passing  April showers.

Return to Rattlesden by Nicholas Trudgian  With their crews, the 447th Bomb Group B-17 Fortresses arrived at Rattlesden in late 1943, the East Anglian base from which the group flew all its missions until the end of the war. Entering combat on December 24, the 447th targeted submarine pens, naval installations, ports and missile sites, airfields and marshalling yards in France, Belgium and Germany in preparation for the Normandy invasion. In the thick of the bomber offensive, the 447th took part in the Big Week raids, supported the D-Day Landings, aided the breakthrough at St Lo, pounded enemy positions during the airborne invasion of Holland, and dropped supplies to the Free French forces fighting behind enemy lines. During the Battle of the Bulge, December 1944- January 1945, the group attacked marshalling yards, railroad bridges and communications centres in the combat zone, later resuming their offensive against targets deep inside Germany. When the war ended the 447th had flown over 257 individual missions, with one of their aircrew, Robert Femoyer, being awarded the Medal of Honour. Theirs was typical of the action packed campaigns flown by the American Eight Air Force bomb groups in Europe during WWII.