I'm looking the the nose art name of the B-17 my father was shot down in over Germany on May 28, 1944. The tail number was 42-97073.
Looking for Nose Art Name
- Thread starter tmanning
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I'm looking for the nose art name of the B-17 my father was shot down in over Germany. He flew for the 401st Bombardment Group, 615th Bombardment Squadron out of Deenthorpe, England. His plane went down on May 28, 1944 over Dessau. The tail number was 42-97073. Is there any kind of record or database still available? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Nothing reported on the MACR: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/90980858
fubar57
General
I don't know if you have this but something may be in here
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
The entries on the data base are for RAF and Commonwealth units, not USAAF.
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This aircraft may not have had a name on it. It was at the Squadron for two months before being shot down.
b17flyingfortress.de
Other aircraft in this .pdf are listed by both name and s/n.
42-97073 | Search Results | B-17 Bomber Flying Fortress – The Queen Of The Skies
b17flyingfortress.de
Other aircraft in this .pdf are listed by both name and s/n.
fubar57
General
No record of Sweet Thing in "B-17 Nose Art Name Directory". Doesn't mean there wasn't one as I have found photos of -17s and -24s when the directories said there were none
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- #9
E.M. Bushendorf was the waist gunner in that crew. My father, Charles Manning (navigator) and Bob Enstad (co-pilot) were the only survivors. The two of them spent over a year in Stalog Luft III.
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- #10
Yes, I do fubar57 but thanks for sharing.
"That Sweet Thing" was Tail No. 42-31619. My Dad flew in that plane for at least three (3) of his earlier missions. All I could find on this plane was a photo of the nose art hanging in the barracks.
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42-31619 of the 401st BG, 42-31619 IY-L That Sweet Thing (AKA BTO in the ETO) - 401st Bomb Group (H) Association
Different aircraft; poster is looking for s/n 42-97073.
Yes, I know. Kind of odd that two B-17's in the same Group would have the same(or near same) name shot down four days apart.
42-31619 lost May 24, 1944. That Sweet Thing. Documented on 401st BG webpage. 42-31619 IY-L That Sweet Thing (AKA BTO in the ETO) - 401st Bomb Group (H) Association
42-97073 lost May 28, 1944. perhaps The Sweet Thing? Not documented on 401st BG webpage but mentioned in a newspaper clipping. 42-97073 IY-N - 401st Bomb Group (H) Association
Perhaps a typo or just wrong information in the newspaper article?
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fubar57
General
Even though the book I mentioned isn't showing "The Sweet Thing" I'll keep looking. A few years ago someone was looking for B-15 nose art. The book said no photo. About a week later I found a photo of the aircraft flying in formation, nose art clearly seen. I found it on a vintage race car site of all places by Googling the copilots name. I wnet through the 401 BG photo album last night and nothing in there as well
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- #15
Thank you for your efforts. I've about exhausted all my resources.
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- #16
In his letters to home, my father also mentioned flying on "That Sweet Thing II." I haven't found any info on that particular plane either.
D
Deleted member 82436
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You all are amazing trying to help. SALUTE!
cvairwerks
Staff Sergeant
If you haven't done it yet, pop over to Aerovintage.com and post the query there as well. A couple of the guys over there managed to find or have copies of a lot of very obscure B-17 photos.
