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Flying Fortress 42-31968

Type : Flying Fortress Mark : G-35-BO Last Flew : 19th March 1944

Known information

19th March 1944

Named 'Miss Irish'. Hit by flak on mission to V-rocket site in Marquiese Mimoyecques. opening up a hole in the fuselage which sucked out Radio Operator Technical Sergeant Edward Walker Jr to his death, and nearly compromised the aircraft. Pilot 2nd Lieutenant John P Gibbons successfully guided the aircraft back to land after jettisoning the bomb load in the Channel. The aircraft was deemed beyond repair.

Pilots and Aircrew who flew : Flying Fortress G-35-BO 42-31968
A list of all aircrew from our database who are associated with this aircraft. A profile page is available by clicking their name.
Name	Info
Gibbons, John P Click the name above to see a profile of Gibbons, John P	Gibbons, John P Pilot of Flying Fortresses with 100th Bomb Group. On 19th March 1944, his B-17G Flying Fortress 42-31968 'Miss Irish' of 100th Bomb Group was hit by flak, opening up a large hole in the fuselage in the area of the radio room. The radio operator, Technical Sergeant Edward Walker Jr was killed when he was sucked through the hole. The aircraft was almost completely severed, but Gibbons was able to jettison the bomb load and return to land safely, although the aircraft was later scrapped.
Walker Jr, Edward Click the name above to see a profile of Walker Jr, Edward    Died : 19 / 3 / 1944	Walker Jr, Edward Radio Operator on Flying Fortresses with 100th Bomb Group. On 19th March 1944, his 100th Bomb Group Flying Fortress 42-31968 'Miss Irish' was hit by flak and he was sucked out of the hole created where the floor and right side of the radio room had been, and killed. The pilot managed to get the aircraft back to land safely, although it was then scrapped.

Squadrons for : Flying Fortress G-35-BO 42-31968
A list of all squadrons known to have flown Flying Fortress G-35-BO 42-31968. A profile page is available by clicking the squadron name.
Squadron	Info
100th Bomb Group Country : US Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of 100th Bomb Group	100th Bomb Group The 100th Bomb Group were based at RAF Thorpe Abbotts, and flew Flying Fortresses which specialised in daylight bombing deep into Germany. The 100th Bomb group became known as the ‘the Bloody Hundredth’ due to their heavy losses. On their first mission alone the 100th Bomb Group lost three planes and thirty men and worse was to follow. On March 6th 1944 fifteen aircraft were lost during a mission to bomb Berlin. The 100th Bomb Group's main missions were to bomb strategic targets such as airfields, oil installations, enemy ground defences and submarine and transport facilities. The 100th Bomb Group flew six ‘Chowhound’ missions dropping food parcels to hungry Dutch citizens after May 1945.

Aircraft type : Flying Fortress
A profile page including a list of all art prints for the Flying Fortress is available by clicking the aircraft name.
Aircraft	Info
Flying Fortress Click the name above to see prints featuring Flying Fortress aircraft. Number Built : 12677	Flying Fortress 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

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