B-17 pilot whose crew was credited with the most aerial kills

[Buckeye30]

Hi Michael. The planes' names were based on the dance rather than the song so evidently their wives were enthusiasts; other names came from musical comedies featuring black artists like "Cabin in the Sky" 1943 (Lena Horne, Duke Ellington).
Many white GIs listened to black music, "Jezebel" by the Golden Gate Quartet (1941) was popular and several planes were named that ( it was also a Bette Davis film though).
I believe the quartet were the first black artists to perform at the White House (ironic name?).


Just remembered another "Susie Q" ( the other spelling) one of the B-17Es transferred to the Middle East from Tenth AF in India in June 1942; serials were replaced by white plane numbers. She was probably one assigned to XII AFSC in Algeria later (from block 41-9011--245). There is a nice photo of the left side in Dana Bell's "Air Force Colors" Vol.2.
She is right at the beginning of this film, due for salvage...................

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5N2APKJtrg