Hick's Hack B-17 447th

[Django]

Does anyone have any pics of this aircraft?

http://www.447bg.com/42-31082.htm

A friend of mine (and WIX lurker) just let it be known that his Great Uncle was the Bombadier on this aircraft.

[Second Air Force]

Chad,

As it says in the text, the airplane was delivered new to the 447th at Harvard AAF, Nebraska. I've got the base file from there but no photo of that airplane. I'll get into my Nebraska stuff to see what I can come up with.

Scott

[Django]

Thanks Scott.

Anyone else?

[Holedigger]

Sorry, only K tail I have is Fuddy Duddy! Anyone have a BG album perhaps? Got to be another pic out there somewhere.

[Second Air Force]

Anyone have a BG album perhaps?

Chris,

Go to the link on Django's first post and go through the entire 447th website. It is a really well done site and has some stuff from the original Group "yearbook".

I've been gathering up every bit of material that I can on an original Group airplane named Scheherazade that was delivered new to the 447th at Harvard Army Air Field, flew combat for the entire tour, and was later scrapped at Kingman. We've got photos of her in Nebraska with the nose art having just been applied, photos of her in the ETO, and a Bill Larkins picture of her without engines at Kingman.

Whenever I'm at Harvard I can't help but think of those brand new Fortresses being delivered......

Scott

[Dan Johnson II]

I have an original 447th Group History. I didn't find anything on Hick's Hack in it. The crew photo looks to be one taken before they went overseas. I have one similar of another 447th crew. The more recent 447th history also doesn't have anything on that particular 17

[Second Air Force]

You're correct, Dan. That photo was taken at Harvard in October after the crew got their new airplane. They headed for the combat zone in mid November.

Notice in the photo that Hick's Hack has only the right cheek gun modification, as do many of the original ships.

Scott

[Django]

Thanks for looking Dan.

Surely a pic exists somewhere though.

[Second Air Force]

It's on my "to do" list of research subjects. My Harvard research has led me to a number of sources with info on the 447th. Surely a photo of her, either in Nebraska or England, will show up someday. So far, no luck, but I'll keep looking.

Scott

[Holedigger]

In hunting around the net chasing leads on this, I did come across a sobering article on just how dangerous even training can be. A 3 fort midair collision at Harvard Army airfield, resulting in 14 fatalities, two planes lost, the third damaged.
http://www3.gendisasters.com/nebraska/1 ... n-aug-1943

[Second Air Force]

Here's a link http://www.nebraskaaircrash.com/crashsites/harvard.html (and shameless plug) to Jerry Penry's excellent Nebraska's Fatal Air Crashes of WWII book, particularly the Harvard accident.

Scott

[zanoya]

Hi Scott--
I am new to this forum. My father, Philip Zanoya piloted SCHEHERAZADE. I would be interested in any information you might have on this plane.
Her crew chief, Kenneth Johnson celebrated his 95th birthday today.

~John

[Second Air Force]

Welcome aboard, John.

I would love to share what I can about Scheherezade. It'll take me a little while to find what I have in the way of photos etc. I'll send you a PM tomorrow.

Please wish Sergeant Johnson a happy birthday for me if possible. He had a great Fortress with a heck of a record, a tribute to him, his maintenance crew, and the aircrew who flew her.

Scott

[zanoya]

Hi Scott,
Here are a couple of articles about SCHEHERAZADE, as well as a sketch of my father, and a photo of myself with Kenneth and Eleanor Johnson as they celebrated his 95th birthday and their 67th anniversary. The gentleman on the left is Art Kuhns, who was also a crew chief.
~John