Posted By David Crawford on April 03, 2006 at 16:02:09:
In Reply to: Re: 452nd Bomber Group Deopham Green posted by Vic Walzel on April 03, 2006 at 10:47:15:
: : : : Good Evening from the U.K.,
: : : : I wonder if we have an expert of this site who can provide me with the following details. I am looking for information on a 452nd B.G. aircraft the Passionate Witch, This was a B17G-30-DL, with the serial No. 42-38124. The information I am looking for is the 728th Squadron code letters, I know that it would start 9Z-? , I can not find the final part of this code, which I believe would have been painted on the tail fin.
: : : : Thanking you in advance for any help.
: : : : Regards
: : : : David Crawford
: : : : (The Blck Swan & the Merlin fly together)
: : : : Hi David,
: : : I believe you may be overlooking the "-" as the final part. Project Bits and Pieces says the squadrons were identified by a "-" or a "+" adjacent to the R?T letter in the vertical stabilizer in the summer of 1944.
: : : Other information given is that 42-31824 was not named. "Passionate Witch" is one of the B-17s in the 452nd Bomb Group that had an unknown serial number. It was hard to keep all the names and serial numbers together since names were not official in any sense of the word. Many planes had several names.
: : : Vic
: : Vic,
: : we seem to be at cross purposes, my eqquiry was about 42038124 not 42-31824 that you supplied information about. The B17 in question was lost when an R.A.F. Lancaster ran over it at Dunsfold airfield in March 1944, I have the photo's of the incident.
: : Regards
: : Dave C. (The Black Swan & the Merlin fly together)
: Dave,
: My old fingers double-crossed me on the serial number. 42-38124 was the intended input and not 42-31824. This plane was salvaged on 27 March 1944 and sounds like the "Passionate Witch" you are seeking. As I said, this reference doesn't show it has a name but that is no sign it was not named "Passionate Witch" as you suggest. The other information about the squadron codes with the "-" and "+" after the R/T letters still stands.
: Vic
Vic, thanks for information, one further thing if I can ask. The accident at Dunsfold Airfield between the Lancaster & the B17g was photographed by an Eighth Air Force Photographer called Russell J. Zorn. Now I have seen one photograph but I would think he would have taken others which may show the Fuselage markings. I wonder if these photographs & he must have taken thousands during the war are accessible somewhere. The reason I ask is that the Radio operators of both the b17 & the Lancaster are friends of mine & I was trying to research the B17 without their knowledge for a project I am doing. So any help would be appreciated, but thanks for the help you have given. Its sixty years since these guy's flew but it will never be forgotten.
Dave C.