42-31572 My Beloved Too/My Beloved Also - 21 Feb 1944
 

B-17G 42-31572, 401BS/91BG [LL-Y], was shot down by fighters/flak on 21 Feb 1944. According to various sources around 14.00 hours the group part of 1st Combat Wing was attacked by Luftwaffe fighters while on their way to Güthersloh. The primary target was obscured by clouds, thus the group bombed Achmer as an alternative.
According to a German report the B-17 went down on 15.30 hours in Hiltrup near Münster (south 7 kms). See attached.

The MACR doesn't give a clue about times.

According to O.K.L. Fighter Claims - Reich, West & Südfront
January-April 1944, Issue No. 1, around 14.00 hours ZG26 and JG11 were active in the area Lüchtringen/w. Hannover (B-17F 42-30712 Miss Minookie code OR-R - 91BG/323BS went down at that time in this area). Apparantly 42-31572 was hit but could escape - at three top level, according to the MACR: 'on the deck', due west, ergo: home.

Now the issue. The distance between Lüchtringen and Hiltrup is ca. 120 kms. Ergo ca 30 min. flight time plus/minus. Who has an explanation for the crash time of 15.30 hours?

--Cees

PS: Achmer was bombed approx 14.50 hours. From Lüchtringen to Achmer (via Güthersloh) is 190 kms which is approx. 48 minutes flight time...
PPS: Höxter area - Lowestoft is course 281 which passes the city of Münster.

Re: 42-31572 My Beloved Too/My Beloved Also - 21 Feb 1944
 

The AV report on the three men killed is AV635/44. Unfortunately only gives the date and location of the crash, not the time.

Jump to page 61 on this link:

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/18238591

I suppose one possibility, since the KU 906 page shown is a translation of the original German KU report, is that there is a typo on the time and it should be 1430 not 1530.


While it might have been possible to look at the original German AV635/44 folder which should be on page 68 of this next link, it appears Maj Sekowski on 4 Nov 1947 checked it out and never returned it. ;-(

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/17352808

Re: 42-31572 My Beloved Too/My Beloved Also - 21 Feb 1944
 

Thanks for digging into this! I come to the same conclusion: it must be a typo. --Cees