Three crew members of B-17 42-37938,OR:E survey the tail damage received during a mission on April 19, 1944.
Source: B-17 Fortress At War by Roger A. Freeman
Three crew members of B-17 42-37938,OR:E survey the tail damage received during a
mission on April 19, 1944.
Source: B-17 Fortress At War by Roger A. Freeman
The tail emplacement of the "Mary Alice" was shattered by a
20mm cannon shell which killed the gunner. Note the face decoration on the gun shield.
Source: B-17 Fortress At War by Roger A. Freeman
A B17-G that made it to Sweden. The ship in the picture is #42-102905
"905" from the 748th SQ 457th BG. The date for this landing was the October 7,
1944 and the target was Politz in Poland. The damage to the tail is said to have been
inflicted by an 88 shell that didn't explode, but just passed right through the elevator.
Other damage included a hit in the nose compartment, two engines knocked out, radio
destroyed, no brakes, and ruptured fueltanks. One airman was killed and the bombardier was
mortally wounded. The navigator was hit by fragments and went into shock. The day after
they counted over 70 holes in the plane. "905" was later scrapped on the
airfield were it landed.
SOURCE: contributed by Daniel
Pettersson of the Stragglers website
A flak hit removed the tail gun position from this B-17. That's all the info I
have. Anyone out there have more data on this incident?
SOURCE: contributed by "Troy"
Fighter attacks killed a gunner and shattered much of the tail section of Reluctant
Dragon, a B-17 of the 96th BG. Six men bailed out, but the remaining three returned
with the plane to the base at Snetterton Heath.
SOURCE: The Mighty Eighth by Roger A. Freeman
This 91st BG B-17 named Old Ironsides had its stabilizer knocked off by a
1000 pound bomb dropped by another bomber flying above it during a mission over Bremen.
SOURCE: The Mighty Eighth by Roger A. Freeman
This 385th BG B-17 was called Honkey Tonk Sal. The aircraft was salvaged
despite the massive tail damage received on a March 15 1944 mission.
SOURCE: contributed by Bill Varnedoe
Another view of Honkey Tonk Sal.
SOURCE: contributed by Bill Varnedoe
A rocket caused this damage to B-17 #42-30720, LF:G on January 11, 1944. Lt.
Hahn brought her home safely.
SOURCE: The Mighty Eighth by Roger A. Freeman
February 16, 1943: One of thirty damaged Fortresses, the 303rd's Joe Btfsplk
(flown by 1/Lt Donald E. Stockton, on the left), came home with an FW-190's cannon fire
hole as big as a household door in the fin. Damage was inflicted by a FW 190 during a raid
on the U-Boat base at St. Nazaire in occupied France.
SOURCE: The Mighty Eighth by Roger A. Freeman
Thru Hel'en Hi Water returned to base after a direct hit on the tail. The
tail gunner was uninjured, fortunate that he was checking the tail wheel when the shell
hit.
SOURCE: Game manual for Microprose's "B-17 Flying Fortress" game,
submitted by Paul Varn
A B-17 tail gunner looks through the hole in the tail assembly of his
plane after meeting with German fighters over Steyr, Austria.
(Some people think that this is B-24 tail, but look at the top of the rudder -
it does not go all the way to the top of the tail.)
SOURCE: B-17 Flying Fortress by William Hess