B-17G, 42-37841, Banshee crashed 27th Aug 1944

[Larry]

I am in contact with someone who had the above mentioned B-17 crash on their in-laws farm at Bowling Green Farm, Badingham, Suffolk, on 27th August 1944.

The B-17 was part of the 306th BS, 303rd BG at Molesworth and was on return from a mission to Esbjerg, Denmark. During the mission th aircraft had been hit in the tail by flak, killing the tail gunner instantly and causing control problems with the tail, for the pilot.

The aircraft only carried nine crew as only one waist gunner was included, possibly to reduce losses? Anyway the remaining eight crew members all bailed out safely near the Suffolk coast, in the hope their B-17 would crash in the sea. Instead it turned inland and circled the farm before crashing in to the farm yard. What is strange is that the eyewitnesses suggest that the B-17 circled the farm for 'about an hour' getting lower and lower. I dont know what a typical return height would be, but is that feasable?

Also Bowling Green Farm, Badingham, Suffolk is circa 92 miles SE from Molesworth, so did USAAF bombing missions take a dogs leg course home or was that used only on the outward flight? I am wondering if the B-17 just flew to East Anglia straight from Denmark in the hope of a diversion and at some point realised a safe landing was not possible. But why so far South East when North Norfolk was nearer to Denmark and Molesworth?

Apparently the main target was to be Focke-Wulf assembly plant at
Johannisthal, near Berlin. But bad weather and thick cloud necessitated attacking Esbjerg Airfield instead.

NB - I have the crew details but I'm not sure where the tail gunner, Milton Ross is buried.

Thanks in advance