B-17 Bombers Heavily Damaged But Returned | 1

Pictures of heavily damaged B-17 Flying Fortresses but returned to England.

== B-17G-45-DL 44-6158 „Sky Monster“ - 92nd BG; 327th BS

A direct flak hit in the radio room blew the Radio Operator (T/Sgt. William B. Post) out of the plane. He was lucky to be wearing his chute and became POW.

Less lucky were S/Sgt. Robert L. Shackelford (Ball Turret Gunner), who was killed by the blast and S/Sgt. Frank S. Wisilosky (Waist Gunner), who was fatally wounded. The rest of Lt. Elvin E. Hendrickson’s crew retuned to base with the plane.

== B-17F-15-BO 41-24496 „Chennault’s Pappy“ - 306th BG; 423rd BS

Despatched with Capt. Robert C. Williams’ Crew along with 12 other B-17s to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France on 17 November 1943. Hit by enemy fighters and flak. Three crew members were wounded. Top Turret Gunner T/Sgt. Kenneth R. Aulenbach was killed.

== B-17G-45-BO 42-97376 "Aunt Callie's Baby" aka "Lucky Lady“ - 95th BG; 335th BS

Piloted by Lt. Stacy J. Tavis. Mid-Air-Collision caused by prop wash with B-17 #42-102450 (Lt. Robert L. Duncan Crew). All members of Lt. Tavis’ Crew returned safely. The entire 9 man crew of Lt. Duncan’s plane perished.

== B-17G-80-BO 43-38172 „Lovely Julie“ - 398th BG; 601st BS

The aircraft was hit by flak after bombs away, then a shell exploded in the nose killing togglier/bombardier. S/Sgt George E. Abbott. Pilot Lt. Lawrence M. DeLancey managed to bring his battered ship home, making a safe landing despite no brakes.

== B-17G-50-BO 42-102459 "Little Kenny" - 384th BG; 544th BS

Hit twice by flak and flew all the way back from Germany in spite of a useless rudder and extensive damage to the entire tail assembly, as well as less obvious damage to nose and wing. The pilot, 2nd Lt. Verlin D. Reed, and the co-pilot, 2nd Lt. Howard K. Johnson, did not budge the plane from formation. One piece of flak had gone through the left horizontal stabilizer and exploded against the vertical stabilizer, while another was exploding in the nose. The tail gunner Ernest J. Gariepy was wounded.

== B-17F-65-BO 42-29673 „Old Bill“ - 305th BG; 422nd Bomb Squadron

Piloted by Capt. William D. Whitson. Suffered damage by enemy aircraft and flak. The nose was shot off by FW 190 and Navigator Lt. Douglas R. Venable Jr. was killed by flak. Capt. Whitson and his co-pilot Lt. Harry L. Holt were wounded.

== B-17G-10-VE 42-39988 "Lace's Aces" aka "The Iron Ass" - 96th BG; 339th BS

Tail Gunner S/Sgt. Charles A. Haywood, stands beside the 3 by 6 ft. hole torn in the tail by 20 mm shells that barely missed his head. Rest of the crew unknown.

== B-17F-80-BO 42-29997 „Sack“ - 379th BG; 527th BS

Hit by fragments of a German 21 CM (8.3 inch) Rocket on 28 July 1943. No other information available.

== B-17F-27-BO 41-24610 „Joe Btfsplk II“ - 303rd BG; 427th BS

A 6-foot-4-inch navigator, 1st Lt. H. E. Miller, who saw a German FW-190 fighter nearly, blow the tail off the Flying Fortress flying ahead of him, thought at the time that the hole was wide enough for him to walk through. Back at the home station he had a chance to prove it. The pilot was 1st Lt. Donald D. Stockton.

== B-17G-40-BO 42-97061 „General Ike“ - 91st BG; 401st BS

One of the giant three-bladed propellers was torn from its hub on "General Ike" by a near-hit flak burst on a bombing mission over Germany. The heavy blades scarred the engine cowling and ripped into the metal fuselage, before plumeting earthward. The plane was forced to leave the formation and returned to Bassingbourne, England, alone.

== B-17G-90-BO 43-38594 „Lady B Good“ - 457th BG; 749th BS

The aircraft was piloted by 1Lt. Craig P. Greason. Attacked by jet-propelled Messerschmitt Me 262 on the 18 March 1945 mission to Berlin.

== B-17G-85-VE 44-8811 - 398th Bomb Group; 600th BS

Just after bombs-away a direct hit by flak completely tore the tail gunner position away and disabled the rudder controls. The tail gunner, S/Sgt. Wallace E. Kasch, was carried away without his chute, his remains were never found. Lt. Col. Edwin B. Daily and 1st Lt. John L. Hahn, get the aircraft back to base using the engines for directional control. Rest OK.

#B17 #B17FlyingFortress
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Music: Go On Without Me by Bryan Teoh, Public Domain

[Tsamokie]

The B-17 was darn tough but the crews were tougher still. God Bless those courageous young men.

[ianclarke]

Very moving pictures. A testament to all aircrews that went over Germany.

[mikentx]

B-17's seem to have the attitude of, "I will do everything in my power to get you back home. Even if I have to sacrifice myself." B-24's on the other hand had the attitude of, "I can take you further and faster. But if you screw up, I just may kill you."

[doyerknives]

God bless all those boys who gave it all.

[cliffnelson]

I cannot even imagine the horror and terror that these crews knew when they were

[garypender]

Had the opportunity to fly in a B-17G in the late 90’s, the Liberty Belle! As we flew around Palm Springs, CA, we were allowed to move around the aircraft. As I did, I thought of those boys, heroes, and what it must have been like flying over Germany, with flak bursts and fighters trying to kill you? Watching other B-17’s being blasted out of the sky, wondering if your next? What heroes these boys were!! And what an incredible airplane! If you love the B-17, put your money down and take a ride in one, while the few remaining B-17’s are still flying?
Excellent video, especially liked the description of what happened!!🫡✈️🇺🇸🇺🇸

[globaleye]

We shall not see their like again, it takes a special kind of courage to face these threats time after time...

[unwantedspirt]

2:03 that bomber damage looks a lot the damage the YE OLD PUB told when it got escorted by a German pilot

[thomasconnolly]

I can't imagine the stress and fear they had to overcome.

[just_here_for_the_likes]

I always thought the phrase
"she'll bring you home"
Was because of all the females who helped build the the plane wanted their love ones to come home safe.

Which is why i always thought that the planes were so tough.

[clearcreek]

The Flying Forts is a great book written by Martin Caiden.

[hevog]

It is just incredible what people do to each other over and over again. Why can't people just live in peace? So many young lives lost, so much precious material and funds wasted. This needs to stop.

[GARTH]

think its said that the B17 could sustain the most damage of any bomber and still complete its mission, truly amazing..

[BCox-vmxd]

This generation was true hero's. We can't ever show our appreciation for their sacrifices. I thank God every day for these sacrifices. Not like today, I wonder just how many would be able to do what they did.

[jamessimms]

Last one was so close to War’s end in Europe

[stevenkaskus]

God bless all especially those that didn't return 😢💔🙏🇺🇸

[jonathanbaird]

Thank you for the incredible work you do in remembering and memorializing the aircraft and crew on your website and this channel. Your contributions are incredibly appreciated. Have you had the opportunity to see a B-17 there in Germany? I hope so and if not, I hope you can one day. If anyone deserves a free ride, it's you.

[cokers]

My uncle was the waist Gunner kia in the first video. S/N 44-6158 "Sky Monster" I'm very honored to have been named after him.

[stevenkaskus]

These planes were alot more airworthy than modern day passenger jets, a bird can take out a entire plane and all aboard much less keep flying with the whole front literally gone.

[WittnerMusic]

Tough, beautiful birds. Hard to grasp how some of them stayed in the air with the damage they sustained.