B-17F-95-BO 42-30315 "Battle Queen/Peg of my Heart" ...

[Mark Allen M]

This particular B-17F was damaged by Flak on the double strike mission to Schweinfurt/Regensburg. After reaching the target the group flew over the Brenner and over Italy to north Africa. But flak hits and fighter attacks damaged the brand new B-17. 17th August 1943 the B-17F of the 390th bomb group, 569th bomb squadron made a belly landing at Utzendorf, nine miles North of Berne, Switzerland.

Additional photos in the links below.
https://theairtacticalassaultgroup.com/ ... styleid=12
http://www.americanairmuseum.com/aircraft/4299

Delivered Cheyenne 13/5/43; Geiger 26/5/43; Gt Falls 7/6/43; Smoky Hill 1/7/43; Dow Fd 11/7/43; Assigned 569BS/390BG [CC-S] Framlingham 12/7/43; Missing in Action Regensbury 17/8/43 with Steve Rapport, Co-pilot: Elmer Holloway, Navigator: Grover Boyd, Bombardier: Chas Ryan, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: John Scott, Radio Operator: Bill Carter, Ball turret gunner: Theo Obsharsky, Waist gunner: Blair Neal, Waist gunner: Joe Russell,Tail gunner: Ricardo Robledo (10INT – but both WGs and ettg later escaped and returned to base; flak, crashed Utzendorf, nine miles N of Berne, Switz; Missing Air Crew Report 391. BATTLE QUEEN aka 'PEG OF MY HEART'.

Below Boeing B-17F-95-BO 42-30315 damaged during Regensburg mission and interned in Switzerland Aug 17, 1943. MACR 391.
Photos show her being salvaged in Switzerland for trip to Dübendorf Airfield near Zurich Switzerland.




















This last photo is interesting. I can only assume these fellows are a part of the original crew?


Dübendorf Airfield near Zurich Switzerland, where the storage area was - the photos here were taken immediately after WW2

[dollar65]

The B-17 in the last photo is 42-38204

http://www.303rdbg.com/intern.html

Very nice photos, thanks for posting

Laurent

[Cubs2jets]

This last photo is interesting. I can only assume these fellows are a part of the original crew?

No, that's a younger Brad Pitt, Ryan Stiles, Diedrich Bader and Jason Alexander filming a never released movie about WWII.

C2j

[Ken]

Stunning photos, Mark. More WIX gold, IMHO.

Ken

[Adam Kline]

Again Mark thanks for posting.

[Matt_in_NC]

Those photos are fantastic! It's interesting to see an F model with the cheek windows usually seen on -Gs. I know they existed (maybe it was a field mod???) but this is one of the first up-close photos I've seen of such an aircraft. Thanks again for posting!

[Matt_in_NC]

Those photos are fantastic! It's interesting to see an F model with the cheek windows usually seen on -Gs. I know they existed (maybe it was a field mod???) but this is one of the first up-close photos I've seen of such an aircraft. Thanks again for posting!

[Tiger Tim]

Check out the Jungmann in the first pic. I didn’t realize they were painted in the cheery Swiss trainer colours during wartime, for some reason I always pictured that coming later.

[JimH]

From Google Earth I think I may have found that intersection?

2AD8BCEF-8F9A-43B9-BC30-A72D6BBCA34E by Jim Harley, on Flickr

[AG pilot]

"From Google Earth I think I may have found that intersection?"

That is pretty amazing.....well done!