Boeing b17 flying fortress heavy bomber world war photos. Fortress for freedom 388th bombardment group h association. A b17 flying fortress crew returns from the 2nd schweinfurt. I created this site to help others research the history of the 390th bomb group, its missions, and aircraft. B17f of the 388th bomb group, 561st bomb squadron just ag b17g10dl crash and fire sn 4237789, 384th bomb group 544th squadron, 24 april 1944 b17g flying fortress code 448151 cco of the 390th bomb group 569th squadron, crash near steinbourg france, january 1945. Heavy bomber training organizations primarily under ii bomber command in the united states and noncombat units are not included the b17 flying fortress was perhaps the most wellknown american heavy bomber of the second world. The 200 missions story is questionable, but that b17 was around for a long time. Weve recently needed to relocate the 388th database maintained by our historian. That is the name given to the beautifully restored b17 at the 8th air force museum in pooler, georgia. As follows are links to web sites other than the 398th site. The group was activated in the united states in december 1942 and moved to england in june 1943.
Tsgt raymond wilson flew several missions with other 388bg crews, documented in this extract from the 388bg website. These sites contain topics of additional interest on the army air force, aviation, b 17s, and other 8th air force groups. Little boy blue was a douglas b 17 in the 388th bomb group 560th squadron stationed in knettishall in england during wwii. See more ideas about fighter jets, ww2 aircraft and poppy craft. Detailed database of the 8th air force 388th bomb group of world war ii. The 388th bombardment group h arrived at station 6, knettishall, england, in mid1943 and sent b17s against nazi germany for two years, until its mission was accomplished. History books aircraft time line commanders main bases component units assigned to history. The 388th flew over 300 missions during the war july 17, 1943 to may 20, 1945.
Functioned primarily as a strategic bombardment organization until the war ended. Moved to england in jun 1943 and assigned to eighth af. The markings of city of savannah will be those of b17g 4297542 when it was assigned to the 563rd squadron of the 388th bomb group and flown by the ralph kittle crew. There is also a 388th bomb group fortress for freedom booklet showing the 388th bg insignia and a vmail from the 388th that col. At age 24, he was assigned as a pilot with the 427th bomb squadron of the 303rd bomb group, the hells angels. The group is stationed at hill air force base, utah. When adolph hitler began his conquest of europe in 1939, he began to turn that continent into festung europa. The research database contains information for over 7,000 crew, 400 b 17 aircraft, and 70,000 crew detail records, including mission dates, crew members for each mission, and aircraft histories.
The command conducted the heavy bombardment operations of eighth af from 17 aug 1942 until early in 1944. Mission this website was created to preserve and perpetuate the history of the 486th bomb group. This bomber is named in honor of the city of savannah, a b 17 of the same name that left savannah and hunter army air field, birthplace of the 8th army air force, in 1944 and flew bombing missions to germany with the 388th bomb group on knettishall airbase in east anglia. Robert taylor bringing peacemaker home 91st bomb group b 17. The group was activated in the united states in december 1942 and moved to england in. Crash landed boeing b17g 42107091 forbidden fruit of the 452nd bomb group, 728th bs deopham green, may 1944. Cock o the walk, gremlin gus ii, battlin betsy, bli. The 8th af was primarily engaged in the bombardment of strategic targets in europe.
This bomber is named in honor of the city of savannah, a b17 of the same name that left savannah and hunter army air field, birthplace of the 8th army air force, in 1944 and flew bombing missions to germany with the 388th bomb group on knettishall airbase in east anglia. The 483rd bombardment group was a b17 group that fought with the fifteenth air force in italy from april 1944april 1945, mainly taking part in the strategic bombing offensive. However some of the missions went to belgium, the netherlands, norway, poland and czechoslovakia. German me 410 aircraft attacking a b17g bomber of us 562nd bomb squadron, 388th bomb group over brux, czechoslovakia now most, czech republic may 12 1944. As shown there are 2 bomb pin tags with cotter pins and one with a lead flaming bomb on the wire that appear to have been pulled off bombs on that mission. The 388th bombardment group was a b17 unit that took part in the strategic bombing campaign over europe, as well as flying a number of tactical missions to support the allied armies fighting in europe after dday. Ground personnel of the 452nd bomb group attend to the wreck of a b 17 flying fortress serial number 421074 nicknamed round trip of the 388th bomb group, destroyed by german dive bombers. Official homepage of the 385th bomb group association. B 17 of the 381st bomb group 535th bomb squadron bomb run photo november 26, 1944 hamburg via high over germany, a flight of b 17s from the 398th bg on a bombing run to neumunster on 8 april 1945 via fighters weave over a formation of b 17s during a raid. Battle damaged b17g from 379th bomb group, june 1944. A bomber crew of the 388th bomb group with their b17 flying fortress serial number 425906 nicknamed sandra kay. Ground personnel of the 452nd bomb group attend to the wreck of a b17 flying fortress serial number 421074 nicknamed round trip of the 388th bomb group, destroyed by german dive bombers.
Heavy bomber training organizations primarily under ii bomber command in the united states and noncombat units are not included. This is a wwii photo album scrapbook of the commanding officer of the 388th bomb group or 388th bombardment group col. The 388 bomb group association was formed to insure the accomplishments and sacrifices of the men and women of the 388th are. Klint was copilot on the b17 old squaw for the september 6, 1943, mission to stuttgart, germany. The group is stationed at hill air force base, utah during world war ii, its predecessor unit, the 388th bombardment group heavy was an eighth air force b17 flying fortress unit in england, stationed at raf knettishall station 6. This website honors and preserves the record of the 384th. The 388th bombardment group was a b 17 unit that took part in the strategic bombing campaign over europe, as well as flying a number of tactical missions to support the allied armies fighting in europe after dday.
The 388th operations group 388 og is the flying component of the 388th fighter wing, assigned to the air combat command twelfth air force. These photographers were taken at poltava, russia on june 22 1944. Pilot of 301st bomb groups 42378, shot down by fighters on june 23, 1944. Roland downs fixing a b17 in knettishall, england september 18, 2012 portraitsofwar my obsession with the 388th bomb group stems from a chance encounter with a collection of negatives and photographs taken by an artist attached to the 388th in knettishall, england. If you do not see the name of the unit you are searching for, you may click on any unit and type the correct name into the form that follows.
There is one photo of a german aircraft peeling away from the right wing of a b 17 with the h shown. Bomb group for sale military collectibles for sale. He flew his first combat mission on august 16, 1943. In november 1942, eaker then viii bomber command commander and spaatz eighth air force commander visited thurleigh. Began operations on 17 jul 1943 by attacking an aircraft factory in amsterdam. Heavy bomber training organizations primarily under ii bomber command in the united states and noncombat units are not included the b 17 flying fortress was perhaps the most wellknown american heavy bomber of the second world. For so many of the original members to see this b17 and for this museum to honor them by placing the high bar h the 388ths unit symbol on the plane is wonderful. Ww 2 a2 jacket 560th bomb squadron 388th bomb group 8th air force size 36. The original city of savannah, like zographos and lewis, was assigned to the 388th bomb group and flew missions out of station 6 in knettishall, england, during the war. Sy bartlett, in his capacity as spaatzs aide, went along. Help with funding of my book on my uncle, john rossio who was a ball turret gunner during wwii.
Sep 18, 2012 wwii 388th bomb group post radio mechanic cpl. Grottaglie and home a history of the 449th bomb group book iii hardcover. The actual hardluck group was the 306th bomb group at thurleigh, which multiplied by three became the 918th at archbury in the book and movie. B17 flying fortress photographs world war ii database. My father, ralph kittle, was the pilot of the city of savannah of the 388th bomb group, shot down on the crews th mission, after bombing plauen, germany, on march 5, 1945. The lone holdout against the third reich was the island nation of great britain. These sites contain topics of additional interest on the army air force, aviation, b17s, and other 8th air force groups. B17g serial 42107073 silver shed house from 452nd bomb group, 5 september 1944. A bomber crew of the 388th bomb group with their b 17 flying fortress serial number 425906 nicknamed sandra kay. That aircraft was celebrated as the 500th b17 to leave savannah for england. A chronological list of the 316 combat missions flown by personnel of the 384th bomb group during wwii june 1943 through april 1945. Every page showing everything within this album and scrapbook is shown.
Little boy blue was a douglas b17 in the 388th bomb group 560th squadron stationed in knettishall in england during wwii. The group was activated in the us on 20 september 1943 and moved to italy in marchapril 1944. His individual flight record while with the 458th was contributed by his son steve wilson. They remained in the 388th bomb group until their combat tour was complete. All photos are 4 x 6, professionally printed on fuji paper. The 388th bombardment group h arrived at station 6, knettishall, england, in mid1943 and sent b 17s against nazi germany for two years, until its mission was accomplished. Cox and the 388th bomb group h was awarded the distinction of being the first to bomb the coastal areas of france on dday june 6th, 1944. Lost on may 29,1943 mission to bomb the sub pens at st. This is a list of united states army air forces b17 flying fortress units of the united states army air forces, including variants and other historical information. In january 1942 it was in java with the 7th bomb group. Name sqdn history 22979 49 transfer from 99th bg 14 nov 43. Pilot of 301st bomb group s 42378, shot down by fighters on june 23, 1944. Links to other web sites 398th bomb group web site. The 384th bombardment group heavy flew 316 combat missions over europe in b17 aircraft during world war ii in the 8th air forces strategic bombing campaign against axis powers.
Wwii 350th sq 100th bomb group b17 my aching back and crew photo messerschmitt. B17 flying fortress units of the united states army air forces. Full mission details can be displayed by clicking on the mission number. The 388th flew b 17 s out of knettishall, england during the war. See more ideas about ww2 aircraft, wwii and aircraft. This is a list of united states army air forces b 17 flying fortress units of the united states army air forces, including variants and other historical information. It later flew from australia and new guinea with the 19th bomb group and, when they went home, it continued to serve with the 43rd bomb group.
We welcome members of the 388 fbw korea the 388 tfw vietnam and the 388 fw today. The 388 bomb group association was formed to insure the accomplishments and sacrifices of the men and women of the 388th are remembered. That aircraft was celebrated as the 500th b 17 to leave savannah for england. The research database contains information for over 7,000 crew, 400 b17 aircraft, and 70,000 crew detail records, including mission dates, crew members for each mission, and aircraft histories. It was dedicated in february of this year, a wonderful day. B 17 flying fortress units of the united states army air. Most of these missions were flown in conjunction with other bomb groups of the 8th airforce. The 483rd bombardment group was a b 17 group that fought with the fifteenth air force in italy from april 1944april 1945, mainly taking part in the strategic bombing offensive. Please select any of the units below to submit a research inquiry to ww2 researcher bill beigel. The 384th bombardment group heavy flew 316 combat missions over europe in b 17 aircraft during world war ii in the 8th air forces strategic bombing campaign against axis powers.
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