92nd Bomb Group B-17F Bundles for Berlin

[Steve Birdsall]

I'm trying to positively identify the handful of 92nd Bomb Group B-17Fs that were photographed at Gander in August 1942, a short time before they made the Atlantic crossing. I think that Bundles for Berlin may be 41-24419, but it's not easily proved.

http://users.beagle.com.au/stevepb/800Bundles.jpg

Is the fellow standing on the left Captain Robert J. Reed? Is the one on the right Lieutenant Neil H. Ritchie? Are Sergeant Samuel L. Williams or Sergeant John Paulick in the front row? Does anyone recognise anyone here?

[edwest]

You might want to try this forum:


http://forum.armyairforces.com/search.aspx?searchid=106587&high=bundles




Ed

[Steve Birdsall]

Thanks Ed, but that link you posted led to a "There is no record to display" notice . . . ?

I've already posted at Army Air Forces about several of these aircraft without much luck. It seems that the 92nd had no interest in them after the 97th took them (fair enough), and the 97th promptly painted over all the nicknames and squadron insignia with only a couple of exceptions, notably 41-24442 "Little Eva".

[Alex Smart]

Hello Steve,
Is it known just where this photo was taken ?
I just wonder if it is in the UK, as I do not automatically recognise the single engined a/c on the right of picture, what is it please ?
Thanks
Alex

[RSwank]

Steve,
I noticed that John Paulick's son posted on this link many years ago.

http://forum.armyairforces.com/NOSE-ART-amp-CREW-B17F-4124419-m62103.aspx

Have you ever tried to get in touch with him regarding the identification of his father in the picture?

[Steve Birdsall]

Alex, as you probably know, the little collection of photos of early 92nd B-17Fs are all captioned "England" with dates of either August 19, 1942 or September 8, 1942. Thanks to Mark Cowan we know for sure that the photo of Exterminator was taken August 19 in Newfoundland, and I assume that the other photos of 327th Bomb Squadron aircraft were taken at the same time.

I think the photo of Bundles for Berlin was taken at Gander, but I could be wrong, of course.

RSwank, yes I tried to follow up that old post from John Paulick's son, but I've had no response. He hasn't posted for more than seven years so probably moved on. Perhaps I should too!

[Alex Smart]

Hello Steve,
Never give up, your input and knowledge is too great to lose.

41-24419 B17F-5-BO
You probably know all this already but I thought to put it in might help.

Added to AAF inventory - 28-06-1942
Gained - 92nd BG - 00-06-1942
A/c Arrived OR Assigned Overseas - 19-08-1942
Gained 97th BG - 00-08-1942
To 12 AAF - Departed Predannack - 17th Nov 1942
97th BG/341st BS
Bombed by Luftwaffe 10th January 1943
Salvaged Overseas

Photo of "Bundles for Berlin", "Society Gal" and" Tiger Rose" on page 149 of Cliff T. Bishops Fortresses of the Big Triangle First.
All said to have been taken at Bangor 9th August 42.
92nd BG left Bangor from 12th August to 27th August 42
92nd flew opps between September and October 42
92nd BG swapped its B17F's for the 97th BG's B17E's
97th BG carried out some 41 operations from 17th Aug 42 up to 10th Jan 43.
16 over France and Holland up to 21st October 42, 1st from N.Africa on 16th Nov 42.

Refs:Fortresses of the Big Triangle First;Heavy Bombers of the Mighty Eighth;5th Bomb Wing.

Note:Wallace R. Forman in his "B-17 Nose Art Name Directory" has "NO" for pictures in his collection for "Society Gal" and "Tiger Rose" BUT a "YES" for "Bundles for Berlin" I wonder if it is a different picture to the one at the head of this thread ?

All for now
Alex

[shooshoobaby]

Steve -
I lived in Newfoundland for 3 years in the 50s - That is NOT Gander Field.
Gander was in the Middle of Nowhere - No Trees , No nothing.
Mike

[Steve Birdsall]

Thanks for the kind words Alex, always appreciated! As far as I know, the only photos of these early 92nd B-17Fs that exist are the seven in the USAF collection - the 325th Bomb Squadron's Dottie, Blooming Grove and the left side of what I think is possibly Tiger Rose. There are also four aircraft from the 327th Bomb Squadron: Exterminator, Virgin Sturgeon, Hellzapoppin and Society Gal (which appears in the background of the Virgin Sturgeon and Hellzapoppin shots). The 327th Squadron photos appear to have been taken at Gander on August 19, 1942.

Cliff Bishop only had the three photos that he used in his book . . . exactly the same shot of Bundles for Berlin, plus Society Gal and Tiger Rose. So a grand total of nine photos.

Mike, thanks for the correction. I guess it's Bangor? I believe that Bundles for Berlin is a 327th Squadron plane, but haven't been able to confirm it.