B-17 photos *Now with Pictures and VIDEO*

[Holedigger]

The attrition rate of AC is a hard thing to wrap one's brain around. I saw one report about bf-109s that stated that of the 30,000 or so produced, the number of them airworthy at the end of the war was only in the hundreds(weather this was due to parts, pilots or fuel or a combination there-in , I don't know, was not an in depth article)! B-17s seems to have had a much higher survival rate! Many did finish 50 missions, some passed a hundred.

[RAMC181]

Tonight I was given a bunch of pictures of my friend'd grandfather who was a B-17 ball turret gunner. I am going to scan these pics when I get home, but my friend's grandfather passed away. He wants to know everything he can about him. The photos, are late model G's with the triangle S on the tail and a diagnal stripe. The photos are amazing in detail and clearity. many pictures of bomb runs, and even close flack. The planes are all coded IN-then the individual letter. His plane was IN-P and serial number 338758. He was a ball turret gunner but sometimes flew in the waist as well. THe pictures are amazing. There is one shot that looks like a state side training shot infornt of a well worn F model with the numbers 3371 real big on the front. Any help would be appreciated.

I'd love to see those photo's sometime.

I have a copy of the training photo here, your friend's Grandfather is the chap on the left hand end of the front row if I remember correctly.

There's a thread been started for you on the main 401BG Association forum: HERE
I've posted direct links on there to your friend's Grandfather's crew, which includes the list of missions they flew, and which aircraft they flew them in.
There's a lot of info elsewhere on that forum on whereabouts on the base the 613th had their aircraft parked, and were billeted etc.

I've got a couple of photo's of the existing 613th barrack huts (the only barrack huts left at Deenethorpe) that I took last year on my camera, I'll sort them out in a day or two.
If they aren't too good I can always pop up to the old base and get you some more, it's only about 7 miles away and I'm there quite often.

Anything else you think you might want, just let me know and I'll see what I can pull from the files for you.

All the best,
Paul

401BG (H) Association
401BG Historical Society (UK)

[mustangdriver]

THank you all so much for the help already. I am not sure who is more excited him or I. I am going to try and get the photos up tonight. I look forward to finding out anything that I can.

[mustangdriver]

O.K. I did the best I could with the pics, as I have copies of the originals. But here you are. Enjoy.

[mustangdriver]

It looks like the photos were censored out in the area of the tail code for some reason.

[the330thbg]

yah and he missed a few!!!



A triangle 'S'. thankfully he did..,

Great shots!!!!

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!

[B-29 Super Fort]

Great photos thanks for posting them.

[bilwor]

Thanks Mustangdriver for posting.
bill word

[Django]

Great pics. Yeah, too bad about the sensor.

That Flak burst is close!!

[Bear]

Great pictures Chris! Thanks for posting.

[Steve Nelson]

Great pics, thanks for posting!

Interesting that the censor blotted out the bomb group, but not the serial numbers or squadron codes. According to my references, the 401st BG's tail marking was a yellow diagonal stripe, bordered in black. "IN" was the code of the 613th BS.

SN

[RAMC181]

Some great photo's there MD!

This one here rang a bell:



The aircraft in the foreground is IW-N 43-38738 "Be Comin' Back" which survived her 57 misions, and ended up at Kingman:





The plane in the background is marked IY-G and is radar-equipped.
This must be 44-8708, which seems to have only flown in the same squadron box as IW-N on two occasions:
Group Mission 225 to Hagen marshalling yards on the 10th March 1945
Group Mission 246 to Oranienburg ordnance depot on the 10th April 1945

So, the photo must presumably have been taken on either of these dates.

All the best,
PB

[SPANNERmkV]

Thanks Chris and Paul.

Looks like the flak had them dialed in on altitude.

The average "combat" life expectancy of a B-17 was 230 hours.

[mustangdriver]

I am currently making a movie slideshow of these pictures so that his family can enjoy them. I have contacted three of the remaining crewmembers to see if they have any pictures.

[the330thbg]

Does a 'flak' burst 360? or just out and down?

Thanks!