B-17 Blue Bird K

[BluebirdK]

Hi, can anyone help, I'm doing some research on B-17 Bluebird K of the 349th BS 100BG out of Thorpe Abbotts which was one of three B-17s lost to this squadron on the 100s first mission on the 25th June, 1943.
All I know is the aircraft was lost without trace whist on a bombing mission to Bremen. Can anyone direct me to either a German site or sites which may list all their flak and fighter claims?

Cheers

Bluebird K

 

[SaparotRob]

Hi BluebirdK. I'm looking forward to the replies for this one. I can't help but I'm a B-17 fanboy.

 

[Ed Williamson]

Hi, can anyone help, I'm doing some research on B-17 Bluebird K of the 349th BS 100BG out of Thorpe Abbotts which was one of three B-17s lost to this squadron on the 100s first mission on the 25th June, 1943.
All I know is the aircraft was lost without trace whist on a bombing mission to Bremen. Can anyone direct me to either a German site or sites which may list all their flak and fighter claims?

Cheers

Bluebird K

That was presumably 42-29986, Petrich crew ?

Bremen was the target but aircraft attacked targets of opportunity. As the other two 100 BG aircraft were lost whilst trying to bomb a convoy, it's probable that Bluebird was lost in the same way. The two aircraft observed going down were spotted falling about 15 miles north of Wangerooge (Friesian Islands) over open sea, it is likely that they were victims of fighter attack . . . it would be improbable for shipborne AAA to down 3 x B-17s.

There was an Eighth AF legend concerning this mission and the 100th. It was said that one a/c lowered undercarriage as a sign of surrender, then as two German fighters fell into escort mode close alongside, the B-17 gunners opened fire, downing one, damaging the other The legend stated that the LW subsequently sought out the 100th for revenge, and this was one of the reasons for the heavy losses that the Group subsequenlty suffered.

 

[mjfur]

42-29986 | American Air Museum

www.americanairmuseum.com

http://joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1942_1a.html

29986 (MSN 5100) Continental Airlines, Modification Center #13, Denver Municipal Airport, CO 22Mar43. United Air Lines, Modification Center #10,
Cheyenne Municipal Airport, WY 7Apr43. Staging Base, 21st Bomb Wing, Kearney Field, NB 16Apr43. Wendover Field, UT 2May43.
Staging Base, 21st Bomb Wing, Kearney Field, NB 22May43. Baer Field, Fort Wayne, IN 27May43.
North Atlantic Wing, Air Transport Command, Dow Field, Bangor, ME 3Jun43. 349th Bomb Squadron [XR*Q], 100th Bomb Group, Thorpe Abbotts (Station 139), Norfolk 5Jun43.
Failed to return from a mission to Bremen, Germany 25Jun43 (10MIA). Shot down by Bf 109G-6 of JG 11/II over North Sea N of East Frisian Islands, Germany. MACR 2969

MACR https://catalog.archives.gov/id/90890264
The first page is 42-29986, but the other pages seem to be a jumble of other MACR's not connected to 42-29986.

 

[BluebirdK]

Hi,

can anyone direct me to where I can look up German flak reports?

Cheers

Bluebird K

 

[Snautzer01]

Hi,

can anyone direct me to where I can look up German flak reports?

Cheers

Bluebird K

What do you mean? German documents or allied describing flak and flak movements intel?
This is what pilots got eBay: heavy Iron (Tanks Guns Ships Trains)

 

[BluebirdK]

Hi, I'm looking for documents really where the Germans would have recorded their claims for Allied aircraft brought down. In particular I'm looking for the records of 11/JG11.

 

[Snautzer01]

Archives like BAMA, but i suggest you try books first. Like

 

[Snautzer01]

Or Luftwaffe Aerial Victory Claims from 1939 - 1945

 

[BluebirdK]

What do you mean? German documents or allied describing flak and flak movements intel?
This is what pilots got eBay: heavy Iron (Tanks Guns Ships Trains)

I'm looking for German flak claims of B-17s for the 25/6/1943 but don't know where to start looking.

Bluebirdk

 

[Snautzer01]

Flak units