B17 Identification needed

[Steve Smith]

Hi,

A real needle in a haystack here.

at 16:20 hours on January 10th 1945 a B17 '311' flown by 2nd Lt Burnley made an emergency landed at RAF Chedburgh.

Can anyone I.D this crew and group. A real stinker I know.

TIA

Steve

[Alex Smart]

Hello Steve,
Hope this may be of use ?

42-3311 - Never left the USA.
42-5311 - Never left the USA
42-30311 - MACR 681 - 17/08/1943.
42-31311 - Never left the USA.
42-97311 - "Shoo Shoo Baby"/"Silver Fox" - 398;303 - "GN-O";457 Bomber Groups.
43-38311 - 493BG/493BS "N", MIA 30/03/1945, MACR 13553.
43-39311 - 8AF 20/02/1945, salvaged 9AAF, Germany 10/05/1946.
44-6311 - Assigned 8AF 19/07/1944.
44-8311 - 91BG - "DF-P" "Terry's Tiger".
44-83311 - 15AF 21/02/1945.

Don't think I missed any out ?

Alex

[RSwank]

Alex, For what it is worth I come up with the same final six as the first 4 seem to be out.

44-8311 was in the 91st BG and was salvaged 11/12/44. If we also eliminate 44-83311 (since in the 15th AF) that cuts it down to 4 possibles that end in 311. Eliminating 43-39311 since it appears to have arrived too late, we are left with just 3.

[Steve Smith]

Gents,

Grateful thanks, so that leaves:

42-97311 - "Shoo Shoo Baby"/"Silver Fox" - 398;303 - "GN-O";457 Bomber Groups.
43-38311 - 493BG/493BS "N", MIA 30/03/1945, MACR 13553.
44-6311 - Assigned 8AF 19/07/1944.

I have been on the 457 and 493 Bomb Group Association while both sites are very detailed, neither record a 2nd Lt Burnely or Burne. I will keep trying however.

Any idea what group 44-6311 served with?

Kind regards

Steve

[Alex Smart]

Hello Rolland,

I agree
44-8311 accident in France 26/11/44.
44-83311 to 15 AAF.
43-39311 to 8AAF 20/02/45.

So just leaves -

42-97311.
Boeing G-45 -BO
457BG -18/02/44 AI; 28/04/44 AOS; 01/05/44 G; 03/05/44 MOD 303BG.
398BG -18/02/44 AI; 28/04/44 AOS; 22/05/45 G 303BG; 00/05/45 351BG.
303BG - 18/02/44 AI; 28/04/44 AOS ; 13/05/44 398BG; 10/06/44 AF Honington RG ?; 00/00/45 RAF Manston RG 06/02/45 ; 22/05/45 457BG.
(See GOBA 806;807 - NASA 60956AC - VALA 50).

43-38311.
Boeing G-85-BO.
493BG/862BS
22/07/44 AI; 09/08/44 AOS; 00/0044 G; 30/03/45 FTR AA CR Buchholz ? - Lt. Lewis B. Hoagland -1kia,9 pow, MACR 13506.

44-6311
Douglas G-50-DL.
Information wanted

Ref for above " Heavy Bombers of the Mighty Eighth" by Andrews & Adams 1995.
AI = a/c added to AAF inventory.
AOS = a/c arrived overseas.
G= Gained.
MOD = unknown Modification Center.
GOBA = "Might in Flight: Daily Diary of the Eighth Air Force's Hell's Angels 303rd Bombardment Group (H). Harry D. Gobrecht, 1993.
VALA = "Vintage Aircraft Nose Art" Gary M. Valant1987.

Alex

[RSwank]

44-6311 was called "Coaltown Express" and was in the 486th BG according to this page (search for the plane): http://www.486th.org/BS832/Robinson.htm


You can also to a site search and see who flew it: site:www.486th.org/ 44-6311
Since a site search for Burnley yields nothing.

[Alex Smart]

Great Rolland,
From the link you gave I found -

http://www.486th.org/Mssn/M101t150/F130.htm

10/01/45 - "311" - DE 20 - BURNEY.

So pilots name that day was BURNEY.

Any idea as to the meaning of "DE 20" ?

Different a/c but the same crew members, see 6311 - 1/10/45 mission 130.

http://www.486th.org/BS834/Burney.htm

Alex

PS
a/c name not in the book that I referenced above or in B17 nose art name directory.

[RSwank]

Alex, good find. His name was Jimmie P Burney. I suspect DE was the airplane code/id and 20 was the Hardstand.

His obit is on this page: http://www.486th.org/Assn/LastFlt09.htm

[Steve Smith]

Gents,

I don't know what to say..but fantastic work.

Thank you all for finding that needle !!!

Kind regards

Steve