B-17G Flak Damage 12th AF

[Jack Cook]

[mustangdriver]

Wow! Any word on the crew?

[daveymac82c]

That must have been one h*ll of a landing to try and do safely with a tail hardly attached at all. I wonder if the pilots could even control the rudder or elevator. Where did the cables run along in the B-17? the roof or the floor? or the walls?

-David

[Shay]

I'm wondering if some that damage was caused by the ground crews cutting into the airframe to egress the injured crew?

I notice the Fortress is resting on it's ball turret


Shay
____________
Semper Fortis

[mustangdriver]

That must have been one h*ll of a landing to try and do safely with a tail hardly attached at all. I wonder if the pilots could even control the rudder or elevator. Where did the cables run along in the B-17? the roof or the floor? or the walls?

-David

The cables run down the interior of the roof. Just an amazing photo

[Jack Cook]

I'm wondering if some that damage was caused by the ground crews cutting into the airframe to egress the injured crew?

The fuselage collasped after the crew entry door was opened

[Curtis Block]

With holes in the sides that big, you wonder why they bothered with the door.

[Dan Johnson II]

Back in 79-80 while I was in college I worked in a Nursing home. The son of one of the people there was the Navigator on that 17. Can't for the life of me remember his name.

They actually repaired the fuselage. I don't think it went back into combat but it did fly again.

[daveymac82c]

Wow....

-David

[Django]

I can't believe they got home.

[CWBuff]

This is a well-known ship named 'Sweet Pea', from the 429th BS, 2nd BG.

Originally assigned to the 99th BG in January of 1944, this Fort was transferred to the 2nd BG in March of that year
after having flown 14 missions. She went on to fly 46 more with the 429th BS.

Thursday, September 21st, 1944: During a mission to bomb marshalling yards at Debreczen, Hungary, 'Sweet Pea' took
a direct hit from flak which blew the fuselage apart in the area of the waist guns, almost severing the tail completely.

Miraculously, the ship kept together for pilot Capt. (Lt.?) Guy Miller and co-pilot Lt. Tom Rybovich through the several
hour flight back to its base at Foggia where the Fort's back all but broke upon landing.

I have conflicting info as to casualties, but it seems that at least one gunner was killed instantly by the flak burst, at
least one other crewman was wounded and died later with a third also being wounded and possibly dying later.


USAAF photo



USAAF photo



Image source: unknown web



USAAF photo


'Seet Pea' was repaired and put back into the air, only to burn after a crash landing at Bari in June of 1945.


USAAF photo


Fade to Black...

Last edited by CWBuff on Tue Jan 01, 2008 4:10 am, edited 1 time in total.

[CWBuff]

Some more images...


Found on unknown forum (possibly TOCH!)


Found on unknown forum (possibly TOCH!)


Found on unknown forum (possibly TOCH!)


Ebay auction image


Ebay auction image


Sweet Pea meets her final fate at Bari...


Found on unknown forum (possibly TOCH!)


Fade to Black...

[jmkendall]

Thanks Jack,

As a model builder; one thing I noticed is that the interior of the fusalage was painted and not natural metal. So; now I'm wondering which is correct.

Joe

[boomerang]

Jack THANK YOU a Superb post

This is just Unnnnnnnbelievable

[chobi]

Hi!

I'm activating this old topic, hope you don't mind.
Trying to find any photo of Sweet Pea's nose art.
I have one photo from the 'Frantic Joe' mission on 2 June 1944 but her nose was in the shadow and nothing can be seen on it.
Also, there's a bunch of photos of the fuselage and tail after she was hit over Hungary, but I see no photo of her nose?

Any help is appreciated!