Posted on 09/02/2012 8:54:46 AM PDT by Windflier
If it ain’t Boeing, I ain’t going. No Lancaster or Liberator could have survived that.
I heard that. The Boeing B-17 was renowned for its ability to take massive punishment, and still get the crew home in one piece (if not itself).
It's absolutely my favorite WWII warbird.
What an awesome account that I’d not heard of before and truly amazing photos. Thank you!
What an awesome account that I’d not heard of before and truly amazing photos. Thank you!
You bet, Menehune. Glad you enjoyed it.
Hat tip to ExTexasRedhead.
WOW Ping.
They don’t make ‘em like they used to. Great story and pics, thanks!
That's true of a lot of things, but when we Americans put our minds to it, we can still 'build it better' than anyone else on the planet.
The Curiosity rover on Mars is one recent example.
If it ain’t Boeing, I ain’t going. No Lancaster or Liberator could have survived that................................................ Boeing built British bombers too, a little known fact.
Where did this come from?
Impressive but I doubt it crossed the channel to the UK. More like somewhere back in N. Africa from the looks of the sand.
Martin Caidin wrote a history of the B-17 that is absolutely fascinating. He tells the story of one B-17 that landed at its base in England. When the ground crew opened the hatch they found one of the door gunners badly wounded...and every other crewman, including both pilots, dead at their positions.
Where online can this article be found?
URL?
I don’t know who did the write-up or when, but they didn’t know what they were talking about. This aircraft was damaged over the port of Tunis. That’s in Tunisia, on the coast of North Africa. They didn’t come from England and they certainly did not return there.
The 97th Bomb Group was reassigned from the 8th Air Force to the 12th Air Force in November, 1942. At the time of this mission, they were stationed in Algeria, and the damaged aircraft returned to their base after the collision. Take a look at the pictures, not exactly the English countryside.
Most likely Libya.
This story is also well known. They think the German fighter
pilot was already dead, killed by a B-17 gunner, when he
crashed into the B-17.
But there are a couple of things wrong with this account.
1. The 97th Bomb Group was based in North Africa at that
time, not England. Their base was in Algeria or Libya.
Still a great feat of airman ship to get her home.
2. The photograph was most likely taken from another B-17,
not a escorting P-51 fighter. P-51’s did not start flying
escort until 1944.
Still a great story.
Mike
Did you miss the header up top?
Impressive but I doubt it crossed the channel to the UK. More like somewhere back in N. Africa from the looks of the sand.
You could be right. England is a long, long way from Tunisia.
If I knew that, I would have posted it. I got this in email, as indicated on the header up top. I'd like to know too, if anyone knows the source.
Chateau-dun-du-Rhumel Airfield From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Part of Twelfth Air Force 97th BG 414bs Sweet Chariot.jpg Gen. Jimmy Doolittle awards the Purple Heart to the aircrew of Boeing B-17E Fortress 41-9021 ‘Sweet Chariot’ at Chateau-dun-du-Rhumel Airfield, Algeria, July 1943.
Type Military Airfield Coordinates 36°08′39″N 006°07′53″E Built 1942 In use 1942–1943 Controlled by United States Army Air Forces Chateau-dun-du-Rhumel Airfield is located in Algeria
Chateau-dun-du-Rhumel (Chateaudun Du Rhumel) Airfield is an abandoned military airfield in Algeria, located about 6 km north-northwest of Chelghoum el Aid, in Mila province, about 47 km southwest of Constantine.
During World War II it was used by the United States Army Air Force Twelfth Air Force during the North African Campaign against the German Afrika Korps. The airfield was built by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, and its primary use was that of a heavy bomber airfield, with concrete runways, hardstands and taxiways. Billeting and support facilities consisted of tents. The 2d Bomb Group and the 97th Bomb Group were the primary tenants at the airfield, both flying B-17 Flying Fortresses missions over targets in Italy; Tunisia; Sicily and Sardinia. The 1st Fighter Group flew escort for the Fortresses, as well as attacking enemy ground targets of opportunity.
Known units assigned to the airfield were: HQ 5th Bombardment Wing, March– August 1943 HQ 7th Fighter Wing (later 47th Bombardment Wing), 11 January – 1 March 1943 2d Bombardment Group, 27 April- – 7 June 1943, B-17 Flying Fortress 97th Bombardment Group, 8 February – 1 August 1943, B-17 Flying Fortress 1st Fighter Group, February – 29 June 1943, P-38 Lightning
When the Americans moved out in late 1943, the airfield was dismantled and abandoned. Today, there is almost no evidence of its existence, as the land has returned to agricultural use. Faint outlines of dispersal pads, runways and taxiways can be seen in aerial photography, and there may be a number of agricultural buildings on a former concreted aircraft parking/maintenance area to the south of the field.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.