B-17F shot down in North Africa

[CJE]

Can someone give me some details about B-17F 42-5357 apparently shot down by German fighters probably over Tunisia in 1943?
Thanks in advance.

[shooshoobaby]

# 42- 5357
Assigned 303d BG 1/1/43
Transferred to Air Force Service Command 3/19/43
Transport , Hack ?
Written Off 8/27/44
No other info.
Mike

[CJE]

Judging by the photograph, I strongly doubt that this a/c has survived until 1944. This photograph was taken by the Germans in Northern Africa (probably Tunisia) in 1943.

[Alex Smart]

Hi,

Most of the B17F's from this block were delivered as new a/c from About August of 1942 to February 1943. Arrivals in Europe was around february/march of 1943. So if this a/c served with an 8th AAF unit first then made it out to North Africe post march of 43 then it would fit with it being destroyed in air or on the ground while still just haveing the blue and white Star marking without the yellow outer circle OR the Bar to the roundel.

Maybe this is a help.

Alex

[Stig Jarlevik]

Christian

May I ask what your source is for the reported shoot down by Luftwaffe in 1943. The two individuals don't look very German to me. Certainly no expert but the guy to the right looks more French than German. The clothing doesn't look very German either....

Cheers
Stig

[shooshoobaby]

Looking closer at photo - I think Stig is right. The man on left looks like AAF officer with Crush Hat - looks like AAF patch on Sleeve.
Also looks like A/C Burned , may be a Base - telephone poles in background.
Cheers

[CJE]

Hi there!
My source is the origin of the photograph. It was taken by a PK in N.Africa. It comes from ECPA-D and its reference is DAK 287 L21. I don't need to explain what "DAK" means, do I? As for the chaps, they may be French (or Italian) but definitely not American - unless there is an armed guard behind the photographer!

[Stig Jarlevik]

Hello again Chris

Well, sorry to say, I am not familiar with the French sources and I don't know what DAK is.
What I find very strange is that the USAAF has got their records to incredibly wrong, that not only have they no idea that their aeroplane was lost in North Africa in 1943, but they believe it to be lost one year later....

I guess stranger things than that could happen in "book keeping" departments. Any chance the ECPA-D could have made a mistake??

Cheers
Stig

[kaki3152]

DAK=Deutsches Afrika Korps

[Martin Gleeson]

Hallo all,

Back on 26 August 2003 Carlos Herrera (where is he now ?) posted a link to a different photo of this B-17 wreck. It was coded DAK 287 L17 and a rough English translation of the caption would be: "German pilots and Tunisians examine the wreck of a Boeing B-17 bomber which was destroyed in Tunisia".

As Carlos wrote then go to www.ecpad.fr/ecpa/index.htm and type in 'B-17' into the search engine. The first photo up is the L17 version above. There must be more photos to judge by their numbers.

I suggest the tall figure in CJE's photo is German. Note the light coloured pants flopping down over his boots.Seems like many other photos I have seen of German troops in North Africa or Tunisia. Can't be more sure as my few uniform books are in the attic.

By the way in 2003 no more headway was made in identifying the unit, circumstances, etc.

Hope this helps.

Martin Gleeson.