B-17engineer
Colonel
From a book Half a WIng, Three engines and a prayer.
"At 1310 we began a slow letdown. Somewhere near Amsterdam, Holland, I witnessed an event that left me dumbfounded. Down below us and slightly ahead were a couple off crippled B-17's streaking like hell for home. The one at the higher altitude suddenly began jettisoning everything they could get there hands on to lighten the load. Someone threw a full box of .50 caliber ammo. It went plunging down and hit the lower B-17 right between the No.1 and No.2 engines leaving a gaping hole. At 1331 I noted in my log that five me bailed out of a B-17 of the "C-K" squadron. I've often wondered what happened to the other 5-maybe they made it back, but i doubt it. One hell of a way to go down!"
"SInce there was never a C-K squadron on the 8ths roster, this ship had to be "Meat Hound", a B-17F 42-29524 carrying the 358ths V-K symbol on the tail. Many crews reported the strange sight of men bailing out of the crippled B-17 that later rejoined formation. Lt.Shoup's crew positivly identified this aircraft as No. 524. Shoup's crew saw the plane with two feathered props and three parachutes. Other crews saw nine men jumping from the bomber over Holland, "Making mostly delayed jumps"
"Meat Hound was flow by Lt. Jack Watson and crew, they were on there eighth mission. He ordered them to hit the silk after the bomber had lost two engines and caught fire. He was about to jump himself when the flames abated anough to risk staying with the airplane. Watson managed to land the plane at Metfield."
"At 1310 we began a slow letdown. Somewhere near Amsterdam, Holland, I witnessed an event that left me dumbfounded. Down below us and slightly ahead were a couple off crippled B-17's streaking like hell for home. The one at the higher altitude suddenly began jettisoning everything they could get there hands on to lighten the load. Someone threw a full box of .50 caliber ammo. It went plunging down and hit the lower B-17 right between the No.1 and No.2 engines leaving a gaping hole. At 1331 I noted in my log that five me bailed out of a B-17 of the "C-K" squadron. I've often wondered what happened to the other 5-maybe they made it back, but i doubt it. One hell of a way to go down!"
"SInce there was never a C-K squadron on the 8ths roster, this ship had to be "Meat Hound", a B-17F 42-29524 carrying the 358ths V-K symbol on the tail. Many crews reported the strange sight of men bailing out of the crippled B-17 that later rejoined formation. Lt.Shoup's crew positivly identified this aircraft as No. 524. Shoup's crew saw the plane with two feathered props and three parachutes. Other crews saw nine men jumping from the bomber over Holland, "Making mostly delayed jumps"
"Meat Hound was flow by Lt. Jack Watson and crew, they were on there eighth mission. He ordered them to hit the silk after the bomber had lost two engines and caught fire. He was about to jump himself when the flames abated anough to risk staying with the airplane. Watson managed to land the plane at Metfield."
