Warbird Information Exchange

Greetings All,
Who is the cat in this forum that has the answers on aviation accidents and mishaps?
I would like to know about the overseas accident regarding B-17G 42-97328 with the
561BS/388BG of Station Knettishall #136. Pilot was Herbert C. Shute, on 05/03/1945.

According to Freeman B-17G-45-BO 42-97328 left Grenier AAFB 22 Mar 44 and was assigned to the 561st Bombardment Squadron, 388th Bomb Group, Knettishall on 23 March 1944. She was named "HEAVEN'S ABOVE". She survived the War, and returned to Bradley AAFB (CT) on 29 Jun 45. She was passed to the 4168th Base Unit at South Plains, Indiana 2 July 1945. She was sent to Kingman AAFB, Arizona on 17 December 1945 and transferred to the RFC (Reconstruction Finance Corp) for disposal. The trail ends there. Some sources state that as many as 18,000 aircraft passed through Kingman AAFB postwar. Most were scrapped. '328 was probably one of the 5,400 aircraft purchased for scrap by the Wunderlich Contracting Co. for $2.7 Million in 1947 (about $500 per plane), and was most likely scrapped in 1948 – 49.

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Kind Regards,
Gary Lewis
J.A.F.O.

Preliminary look into this one indicates to me that this B-17 was involved in a minor taxiing accident. I will have to go downstairs and look at the microfilm to get the details. I will try to get down there this afternoon.

TonyM.

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"Welcome back Mr. Lasky."

Thanks Tony appreciate it.

_________________
Kind Regards,
Gary Lewis
J.A.F.O.

G1954,

From the Army Air Forces Form No. 14 Aircraft Accident Report:

At 2250 local, the B-17G # 42-97328 landed at AAF Station # 136 after returning early from a local night training mission because of adverse weather conditions. It was raining pretty good at the field when the ship landed. The pilot, 1Lt. George L. Stefke, taxied the airplane to the correct parking area and because the maneuvering favored the starboard side turned over the taxiing duty to the co-pilot 2Lt. Herbert C. Shute. Lt. Shute, unable to see in the steady rain and darkness at the field, taxied into a "nacelle stand." The nacelle stand was struck by the number-four propeller, which threw the nacelle stand into the number-three propeller. The airplane suffered minor damage. The report states that the accident was charged to the co-pilot 2Lt. Shute; that is probably why he is erroneously listed as the left seat pilot on some documents. The accident report contains no photos. Sorry.

The report can be found on:
AAF Aircraft Accident Reports Microfilm
Call # 46509; May 3, 1945, Accident # 521.

Good luck with your research.

TonyM.

Good luck with your research.

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"Welcome back Mr. Lasky."

Cool Tony, thanks for the information
Appreciate it. I wonder how much that cost him.

_________________
Kind Regards,
Gary Lewis
J.A.F.O.