B-17 Serial number request, if anyone can help...

[Nick Hector]

Looking for the serial number of a B-17 attributed to 3/JG 53's famous experte Wilhelm Crinius on 26.12.42

All I know is that it came from 414th BS, 97th BG. Crew of Lt. Tom Borders. Already damaged by Flak

Can any B-17, 9th AAF or 97th BG aficionado assist?

[udf_00]

http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1941_4.html
Boeing B-17F-5-BO Fortress
24413 ("Birmingham Blitzkreig") assigned to 92nd BG at Bangor, July 14, 1942; transferred to 97th BG, 414th BS at Polebrook,
August 24, 1942; transferred to 12th Air Force at Maison Blanche, November 13, 1942; transferred to Tafaraoui,
November 22, 1942; transferred to Biskra, December 25, 1942; MIA on mission to Bizerte, December 26, 1942,
sustained a direct hit by AAA fire, exploded, 10KIA.
http://usaafdata.com/?q=search
crew list pasting 41-24413 in Details.

[Nick Hector]

Many thanks udf,

Seems Crinius might even have overclaimed slightly on this one...

Nick

[Russell]

Hi Nick
Birmingham Blitzkreig was not the only B-17 lost on that raid. Buy MAW Vol 3, mid next year to see who the second B-17 was.

I would like to hear your ( or any one else) thoughts on what and who Franz Schiehs shot down on 16 Jan 43. So far we have not been able to trace who it was. Given the pilot was a POW and the wreck (Hurricane) was in Axis territory it was someone, but who??.

The other mystery are Schroer's 2 claims on 11 Feb 1943 just west of Rhodes. Suggestions welcome.

Regards

Russell.

[Nick Hector]

Russell,

Schroer's 2 "Beaufort" kills do remain a mystery. I can only re-quote (and state my firm disbelief in the relevance of) the following:

Believed by some sources to be 14 sqn B-26A-1-MA Marauder Is reported missing on 15.2.43 (….why the discrepancy in dates??) one was 41-7377/FK150, P/O Colin Carl Truman RAAF and crew all MIA. The other was FK142, forcelanded in Turkey with crew interned in Ankara. They do not appear to have been the result of enemy action and the losses took place hours later at around 1600 British Timing as well as the wrong date... It's pretty darn clear that the two events are NOT related.

As for the Hurricane claimed by Franz Schiehs (Schiess? - which is correct??)

Fighters over Tunisia contains all that is known about that one. It's a mystery.

[Col Bruggy]

Hi Russ,

The other B-17, besides "Birmingham Blitzkrieg", was: B-17F-20-BO 41-24532. Assigned 422BS/305BG Presque Is. 19/10/42; Grafton Underwood 25/10/42; Transferred 414BS/97BG Polebrook 4/11/42; Maison Blanche 13/11/42; Tafaraoui 22/11/42; Biskra 25/12/42; MIA Bizerte 26/12/42 Pilot: Claude Lawrence. A/c. damaged by explosion of 41-24413, crash-landed in no-man's-land, two baled out, Foster rescued by British Army, Cockrell PoW. Rest landed with plane including, Lawrence, Locker, Vandergriff - 3 WiA, all eventually returning to duty.

Col.

[Nick Hector]

Col,

Many thanks. A big help.

Don't worry Russell, I will still by the next volume of AHOTMAW



Nick