Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

En route, the aircraft was attacked by a German fighter. Crew bailed out and was later rescued and captured. The aircraft was destroyed while crashing in an open field located in Hijken, north of Beilen. Aircraft was christened 'Junior She’s My Gal II '.

Probable cause:

Shot down by fighter.

Crash of a Boeing B-17G-5-BO in Schoonebeek: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 6, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Operator:

Registration:

42-31135

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MSN:

6348

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En route, while overflying Holland, the aircraft was attacked by a German fighter. The captain ordered all occupants to abandon the aircraft and to bail out. The aircraft christened 'Susie Sag Tits' went out of control and crashed in an open field located some 2 km south of Schoonebeek. A crew was killed while all nine other occupants escaped unhurt.

Probable cause:

Shot down by fighter

Crash of Boeing B-17G-15-VE in Headcorn

Date & Time: Feb 25, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Operator:

Registration:

42-97458

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MSN:

6822

YOM:

1944

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Aircraft was returning to its base following a mission over Augsburg, Germany. Due to technical failure, crew elected to make an emergency landing in a field in Headcorn. On landing, aircraft hit a tree, lost a part of its right wing and came to rest, broken in two. All crew escaped safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Unknown technical failure.

Crash of a Boeing B-17G-1-VE Flying Fortress in Oostrum: 10 killed

Date & Time: Feb 22, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Operator:

Registration:

42-39809

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

6552

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En route, the bomber aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field located in Oostrum. All ten occupants were killed. It is unclear whether the plane crash resulted from an accident or hostile action.

Crash of a Boeing B-17G-20-BO Flying Fortress in Afferden

Date & Time: Feb 22, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Operator:

Registration:

42-31510

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MSN:

6624

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While overflying The Netherlands, the crew was forced to attempt an emergency landing for unknown reason. Aircraft came to rest in a field located in Afferden, Limburg. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, all ten occupants escaped.

Crash of a Boeing B-17G-1-BO Flying Fortress in Frankfurt: 10 killed

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Operator:

Registration:

42-31036

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

6149

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While overflying Frankfurt on a bombing mission, the aircraft was shot down by Flak and crashed. All ten occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by Flak.

Crash of a Boeing B-17G-20-DL in the Lake Grevelingen: 10 killed

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Operator:

Registration:

42-37975

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

8761

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The crew was engaged in a bombing mission over Frankfurt. While cruising over The Netherlands, the four engine aircraft was short down by German Flak and crashed into the Grevelingen Lake, off the village of Bruinisse. Four dead bodies were found while all six others occupants were never found.

Probable cause:

Shot down by Flak.

Crash of a Boeing B-17F-35-BO Flying Fortress in Dalhart: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 16, 1944 at 0200 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Operator:

Registration:

42-5144

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Dalhart - Dalhart

MSN:

3683

Location:

Texas

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

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Crashed on a night takeoff from Dalhart Airport, Texas. Five crew were killed while five others were injured.

Crash of a Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress in Epe: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jan 11, 1944 at 1330 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Operator:

Registration:

42-31451

Flight Phase:

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Site:

MSN:

6565

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The crew was returning to his base in England in a formation with few other Boeing B-117 when he was attacked by a wave of three Messerschmitt Me.109. Hit by several shots, the aircraft went out of control, dove in the ground and crashed in a field located in Epe, some 10 km north of Apeldoorn. A crew member was able to bail out before the crash, was evacuated and was taken POW while all nine other occupants were killed.
Crew:
Ross A. McCollum, pilot,
Marcum E. Thomas, copilot,
Daniel P. Jones, navigator,
Lloyd George Crabtree (POW)
Wayne Austin Warner, engineer,
Henry A. Stelmach, radio operator,
Howard Leon Chatelain, gunner,
Leander J. Aurie, gunner,
Warren B. Goss, gunner,
Andrew Paul Barrus, gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down.

Crash of a Boeing B-17F-70-DL Flying Fortress off Hardewijk: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jan 11, 1944 at 1330 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Operator:

Registration:

42-3486

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

8422

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Aircraft left an airbase in the UK in the morning with 500 other bombers bound for Braunschweig, Germany. While cruising over The Netherlands at a height of 21,000 feet, aircraft was hit by Flak. Several bullets hit the aircraft and both right engine caught fire. Three crew bailed out and were later rescued while the aircraft dove into the lake Wolderwijd, off Hardewijk. All seven other occupants were killed. British Air Command confirmed that 60 other bombers were shot down by Flak over The Netherlands on this 11 of January 1944.
Crew:
James J. Maginnis, pilot, †
Roy H. Peterson, copilot, †
Clarence Blevins, navigator, †
George Clifford Wylie, †
William A. Glenn, gunner,
Angelo Riccardi, gunner, †
Joseph P. Keane, gunner, †
Harry Sutton, tail gunner, †
Raymond H. Rajala, radio operator,
Euian C. Mills, ball turret gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by Flak.