B-17F 42-3413 "Hard Luck" ...
Sun Dec 21, 2025 2:37 pm
Douglas-Long Beach B-17F-55-DL Fortress 42-3413 "Hard Luck" mixed amongst a bunch of 100th BG B-17G's. Interesting (to me) that an 'F' would be with 'G's.
(MSN 8349) Accepted by USAAF Jun43. Lockheed Aircraft, Modification Center #3, Love Field, Dallas, TX 10Jun43. 100th Bomb Group 13Aug43. North Atlantic Wing, Air Transport Command, Dow Field, Bangor, ME 18Aug43. 350th Bomb Squadron [LN*V], 100th Bomb Group, Thorpe Abbotts (Station 139), Norfolk 20Aug43. Named *Hard Luck*– name derived from the date of assignment, Friday 13th August 1943, and the last two digits of the serial number. On a mission to railway installations around Berlin, Germany 7May44, flak killed the navigator and wounded the bombardier.(1KIA:1WIA:8RTD). {62 missions; first 50+ missions were flown with original engines}. Failed to return from a mission to SW Germany oil plants 14Aug44 (9POW). Flak damaged an engine which caught fire and spread, the aircraft crashed Falkengesass, Germany.
MACR 7899.
on mission to Berlin 7/5/44 with Loren Van Steenis, Navigator: Harry Becker (Killed in Action), Bombardier: Lester Torbett Wounded in Action, (8 Returned to Duty); Missing in Action SW Germany oil plants 14/8/44 with Don Cielewich, Co-pilot: Lenard Moen, Navigator: Clifford Brown, Bombardier: John Cochran, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Cyrenne Ropson, Radio Operator: Ben Baldasano, Ball turret gunner: John Funkhouser, Waist gunner: Herb Klepp, Tail gunner: Henry Sytnik (9 Prisoner of War); flak KO’d engine and fire spread and crew all bailed OK, aircraft skidded into farm and killed 10 civilians after crashed at Falken-Gesass, near Beerfeld, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 7899. HARD LUCK !
https://www.americanairmuseum.com/archi ... ft/42-3413
(MSN 8349) Accepted by USAAF Jun43. Lockheed Aircraft, Modification Center #3, Love Field, Dallas, TX 10Jun43. 100th Bomb Group 13Aug43. North Atlantic Wing, Air Transport Command, Dow Field, Bangor, ME 18Aug43. 350th Bomb Squadron [LN*V], 100th Bomb Group, Thorpe Abbotts (Station 139), Norfolk 20Aug43. Named *Hard Luck*– name derived from the date of assignment, Friday 13th August 1943, and the last two digits of the serial number. On a mission to railway installations around Berlin, Germany 7May44, flak killed the navigator and wounded the bombardier.(1KIA:1WIA:8RTD). {62 missions; first 50+ missions were flown with original engines}. Failed to return from a mission to SW Germany oil plants 14Aug44 (9POW). Flak damaged an engine which caught fire and spread, the aircraft crashed Falkengesass, Germany.
MACR 7899.
on mission to Berlin 7/5/44 with Loren Van Steenis, Navigator: Harry Becker (Killed in Action), Bombardier: Lester Torbett Wounded in Action, (8 Returned to Duty); Missing in Action SW Germany oil plants 14/8/44 with Don Cielewich, Co-pilot: Lenard Moen, Navigator: Clifford Brown, Bombardier: John Cochran, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Cyrenne Ropson, Radio Operator: Ben Baldasano, Ball turret gunner: John Funkhouser, Waist gunner: Herb Klepp, Tail gunner: Henry Sytnik (9 Prisoner of War); flak KO’d engine and fire spread and crew all bailed OK, aircraft skidded into farm and killed 10 civilians after crashed at Falken-Gesass, near Beerfeld, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 7899. HARD LUCK !
https://www.americanairmuseum.com/archi ... ft/42-3413
Re: B-17F 42-3413 "Hard Luck" ...
Sun Dec 21, 2025 3:49 pm
Run what you brung.
Re: B-17F 42-3413 "Hard Luck" ...
Tue Dec 23, 2025 5:37 pm
Killed 10 civilians after crashing... 
Phil
Phil