Serial number of 422Nd Special Leaflet Sqn B-17, damaged on 3-4 May 1944?

[Martin Gleeson]

Hello Theo,

Not my area of knowledge and I cannot add much but I would like to highlight an incident on 12 May 1944 (11/12 or 12/13 May, I am not sure).

B-17G-1-BO 42-31032 JJ-B of the 422nd Squadron on a leaflet mission to Denmark was attacked by a Ju 88 and badly damaged but reached base. Two crew were killed and three badly injured (all named), including the ball turret gunner who claimed to have shot down the Ju 88.

I mention the above because I see no comparable claim by a Nachtjager for 11/12 May 1944 in your first edition, but I do note Werner Baake made a claim for a Lancaster that night. Could there be some confusion between the 3/4 and 11/12 May claims ?

To really confuse matters 'THE MIGHTY EIGHTH WAR DIARY' records some matching details for the above under 11/12 May (page 242) but almost identical details repeated for 12/13 May (page 243).

The information I found on 42-31032 came from 4 photos on page 45 of 'SECRET SQUADRONS OF THE EIGHTH' by Pat Carty, 1990, Ian Allen. However nothing else in the text or appendices.

Hopes this helps.

Regards,

Martin Gleeson.