B-17 serial number ?

[sgt hawk]

My Father flew 28 missions with 331 sqd 94th Bomb Group out of Burry St Edmonds, most in "Limey Lifesaver" 44-??321 How can I find this Aircraft
Greg Hawkins

[Paul Krumrei]

All I found were P-51, P-38, B-25's with that 44 year with 321.

I also found 1 B-24 with the 321 serial, but not a B-17 in any of my records or Joe Baughers.

Are you sure it is 44-XX321?

The unit you describe, did have B-17's though.

[sgt hawk]

I checked the 94th Bomb Group website and "Limey Lifesaver" is listed (I believe it was listed sometime in the early 90's by the Pilot, Roy Sykes who is now deceased) he says the last 3 numbers were 900) My father was Flight engineer and he thought 321 were last 3) This aircraft survived,as Dad's last 3 missions after 25, were into Holland flying food and medical supplies, then the War ended.
Thanks

[sgt hawk]

I checked the 94th Bomb Group website and "Limey Lifesaver" is listed (I believe it was listed sometime in the early 90's by the Pilot, Roy Sykes who is now deceased) he says the last 3 numbers were 900) My father was Flight engineer and he thought 321 were last 3) This aircraft survived,as Dad's last 3 missions after 25, were into Holland flying food and medical supplies, then the War ended.
Thanks

[Paul Krumrei]

So your saying it should be 44-xx900
?

[Paul Krumrei]

Nothing close on that one either.

[Old SAR pilot]

Nothing to match on Joe Baugher's site, either...

http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/usafserials.html

[bipe215]

The only 44-xx321 B-17 I can find is 44-83321 which was assigned to the 15th AF 17/2/45.

Steve G

[bipe215]

I have looked up all B-17G's ending in '900' that were assigned overseas. All are either in other groups or otherwise named. There was one xx900 in the 94th named 'Sally' and it is accounted for on the group website. Some eroneous info is involved here somehow.

Steve G

[sgt hawk]

Thanks for the help guys. Looks like I need to try and get some better information. Dad is 87 now and in poor health. I recall he had a small (shirt pocket) note book among his momentos, that he kept. In it were engine setting info and other Flight engineer info. I haven't seen it in years and would't know where to look for it. It might have the aircraft number in it.
Dad went into the Air corp in late 39, after basic he was sent to Hawaii on the Uss Saint Mihiel (it was an Army run Transport that had been hauling mules to Alaska) and did it stink! Assigned to the 46th Pursuit Sqdrn 7th Air Force at Wheeler Field. By December 7th, 1941 he was a corporal and crew chief on a Curtiss P-36A #86 (the one and only one I have ever seen is at the USAFM at Wright Patterson and is represented as Dad's plane). He was just leaving the mess hall that morning with 2 half pints of milk when the attack began (a lot of the men were on pass or sleeping in, and being a depression era 20 year old, you could always get extras on Sunday) Dad says he knew imeadiately that they were Japanese and ran towards the flight line and with assistance pulled #86 out of line (aircraft were all lined up that day) and placed it next to the outside hangar wall. In between ducking he managed to arm and fuel the plane. His pilot that day was to have been Lt Othniel Norris but Norris had picked the wrong sized butt pack parachute (they fit into the seat and this one didn't) and had returned to get another. The plane was idling and a Lt Phillip Rasmussen whith the right parachute and in his pink pajamas jumped in and took off. Rasmussen was given credit for a kill over Kaneahoe Bay, but the aircraft was shot to pieces and he was extremely lucky to get back. Dad would return to the states and then on to England.

[fotobass]

Wow, what an incredible story!

[David_Aiken]

Aloha All,
The story of Phil and that P-36 is in the following article: http://www.flightjournal.com/ME2/dirmod ... DF526DDD7E

Cheers,
David Aiken
PearlHarborHistory@ hotmail.com

[bomberflight]

I just checked in my trusty copy of B-17 Nose Art Directory by Wallace R. Foreman.

It lists a "Limey Saver" with the 94th BG / 331st BS and the serial as xx-xx900 and states there was no known picutre of this aircraft when my copy was published in 1996.

[bipe215]

So we've got two sources that show a 94th ship named 'limey saver' with the same partial number. But it doesn't show up elsewhere. Makes you wonder if maybe there is an error in the partial number.

Steve G

[sgt hawk]

still trying to ask surviving crew if they have any recolection. Oh! it's "Limey Lifesaver" instead of Saver. Rumor (and that's all it is) is this was the ship pulled out of storage at Kingman and retrofitted for Ferrying Winston Churchill around during His visit in the late 40's. I doubt this, but maybe there was a sense of humor or some tongue in cheek going on. By 45 paint was dropped due to several factors. Extra weight and deep penatration missions with escort seem to justify the fact. So Retrofitting wouldn't have been difficult(get rid of the square "A" on the tail, the yellow on the elevators and the red on the engine cowls would do it for exterior.
Will keep looking-Thanks