Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Crashed on takeoff after a possible engine failure. There were no casualties.

While cruising in the vicinity of Boise-Gowen Field at an altitude of 7,000 feet, the airplane collided with a second USAAF B-17 registered 41-2603. Out of control, it entered a dive and crashed in Kuna, southwest of the airport. Ten crew members were killed and one bailed out and was seriously injured. 41-2603 landed safely at Gowen Field.
Crew:
2nd Lt Paul C. Painter, pilot,
2nd Lt William W. Reed Jr., copilot,
S/Sgt Rollen H. Eubank, flight engineer,
Sgt Pasquale P. Patri, assistant flight engineer,
2nd Lt Raymond A. Hay, navigator,
S/Sgt William J. Griffiths, radio operator,
S/Sgt Raymond A. Etherton Jr, assistant radio operator,
2nd Lt Howard H. Norton Jr, bombardier,
Sgt Christian F. Weinhold, assistant radio operator,
Sgt Arthur P. Mayer, air gunner.

On approach to Casper Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions when the airplane crashed in a field. There were no fatalities.

The airplane departed RAF Thurleigh to attack a train factory located in Lille. In unknown circumstances, it collided with a second USAAF B-17 registered 41-24471 that was also carrying 10 crew members on the same operation. Following the collision, both airplanes dove into the ground and crashed in the city of Marcq-en-Baroel. Six crew members were killed and four others became PoW.
Crew:
1st Lt Jack A. Spaulding, pilot, †
Cpt Russell Gilbert Kahl, copilot,
T/Sgt Thomas H. Gilliland, mechanic, †
2nd Lt Wallace Braxton Kirkpatrick, navigator,
S/Sgt Edward A. Nork, radio operator,
2nd Lt Gordon R. Grant, bomb aimer, †
S/Sgt Dale A. Davis, air gunner, †
Sgt Louis R. Morgan, air gunner, †
T/Sgt Leon Williams, air gunner, †
Sgt Earl E. Santos, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Thurleigh to attack a train factory located in Lille. In unknown circumstances, it collided with a second USAAF B-17 registered 41-24498 that was also carrying 10 crew members on the same operation. Following the collision, both airplane dove into the ground and crashed in the city of Marcq-en-Baroel. Three crew members were killed and seven others became PoW.
Crew:
Cpt James A. Johnston, pilot, †
Cpt Doyle L. Dugger, copilot, †
S/Sgt Clyde M. Bennett, mechanic,
1st Lt Frank Josepoh Jacknik, navigator,
T/Sgt Robert Louis Stevenson, radio operator,
1st Lt Shedrick Evans Jones, bomb aimer,
S/Sgt Charles Raleigh Tipton, air gunner, †
Sgt Thomas Daniel McMahon, air gunner,
Sgt Frederick J. Zdobylak, air gunner,
S/Sgt John Patrick Morrison, air gunner.

After a crew was dropped at Pyote AFB, Texas, the airplane was flying back to base in Casper with seven crew members on board. While cruising at an altitude of 9,000 feet over New Mexico, the airplane suffered an in flight fire then exploded and crashed 5 km east of Medio, some 56 km north of Tucumcari. The airplane was destroyed and all seven occupants were killed.
Crew:
2nd Lt Theodore L. Hinman, instructor pilot,
2nd Lt Robert J. George, pilot,
F/O Robert B. Goodman, copilot,
2nd Lt Miller C. Ashcraft, navigator,
T/Sgt Maynard J. Marple, flight engineer,
T/Sgt Charles F. Zinn, radio operator,
S/Sgt Thomas L. Hamilton, air gunner.

The airplane departed Port Moresby-7 Mile Drome on a bombing mission against a Japanese convoy in the Huon Gulf off Lae. Over the target are, it was hit by enemy fire (anti aircraft and Japanese fighters). The pilot was able to leave the combat area but was eventually forced to make an emergency landing in hilly terrain near Kaisenik near the Black Cat Pass, east of Wau. During the crash landing, the fuselage broke rear of the radio compartment and the tail gunner Sgt Henry B. Bowen was killed and the radio operator Robert H. Albright was seriously injured. All seven other crew members suffered various injuries. On January 14, the radio operator died from injuries sustained.
Crew:
1st Lt Raymond S. Dau, pilot,
2nd Lt Donald W. Hoggan, copilot,
2nd Lt Albert V. Cole, bombardier,
2nd Lt Peter J. Hudec, navigator,
Sgt Robert H. Albright, radio operator, †
S/Sgt Lloyd T. Dumond, flight engineer,
Sgt Francis E. Caldwell, air gunner,
Sgt Henry J. Blasco, air gunner,
Sgt Henry B. Bowen, air gunner. †

The crew departed RAF St Eval on a positioning flight to Thurleigh, the crew returning to base. Approaching the destination, weather conditions worsened and the pilot was forced to return to St Eval. On approach, the pilot overshot and initiated a go around procedure then the airplane was never seen again. As it failed to return, SAR operations were conducted but no trace of the airplane nor the crew was ever found. During these SAR operations, two RAF planes were lost as well. It is believed that the B-17 crashed somewhere in the Celtic Sea off RAF St Eval. Lost without trace.
Crew:
1st Lt Lemuel B. Smith,
1st Lt Murrel C. Henry,
1st Lt Robert L. Brandon,
1st Lt James O. Jones Jr.,
2nd Lt James C. Murphy,
S/Sgt Judson W. Elliott,
S/Sgt Joseph S. Barnes,
S/Sgt Jerrold M. Hopkins,
S/Sgt Earl K. Owen,
S/Sgt Carlton E. Porter.

Following an uneventful flight from Guatemala City, the airplane landed at Seymour Island Airfield then collided with a Bell P-39D Air Cobra registered 41-7096. There were no casualties but both airplanes were destroyed.

The airplane was returning to Seymour Island Airfield following a maritime patrol flight. On final approach, it developed engine trouble and was ditched in the sea off the island. Two crew members were killed and at least two others survived.
Crew:
Lt Robert H. Gaughan, pilot,
Lt Skousen, copilot,
S/Sgt Henry W. Pfingstl, flight engineer, †
Sgt Bert T. Helton, bombardier. †