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Paul Bellamy
2/16/2008 7:10:05 PM | I got one of my Russian-speaking friends to translate the name on this B-17:
Apparently ПОЛЯРHAЯ ЗBEЗДA means Polar Star.
The NARA Caption for this photo is:
"Capt. Chapman and an unidentified crew member stand by the nose of a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress of the 401st Bomb Group at an 8th Air Force base in England, 7 November 1944."
The plane, a B-17F it would seem, is parked on Runway 33, as the Crash Tender shed and Control Tower are visible in the background.
Does anyone know any more on this?
Maj. A.H. Chapman was the Group Air Commander for the mission to Harburg that day, but the chap on the left looks to have Captain's bars on his cap.
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
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Paul Bellamy
2/17/2008 7:26:44 PM | I've been looking at the photo again, and I've noticed something I should have seen right away.
That B-17 is unarmed.
Not just that the cheek gun pivot had been removed and replaced with the clear plug, that's not unknown in a conbat B-17, albeit unusual in late 1944.
The dorsal turret should be visible from this angle. It's not there, and there appears to be a clear panel in it's place, as viewed through the cockpit side window.
Given that an aircraft with identical nose are was possibly flying ops with the 95th BG nearly 2 years earlier, could this be a "hack" airframe?
The 401BG lost their B-17E "hack" 41-9107 at the end of August '44, "replaced by a war weary 614th Fortress" (anyone know which one?), could Polar Star have been visiting from another Group?
Any thoughts on this are encouraged.
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
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swinny
6/12/2013 1:48:01 PM | Hi Paul
I was just looking at the same photo on my pc, has this mystery ever been resolved ?
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 My adoption graves http://www.remember-our-heroes.nl/us_401stBG.htm
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Paul Bellamy
6/12/2013 5:51:14 PM | Hi Andy,
It was, but I can't find the relevant posts...
Zooming in onto the data stencil confirms the aircraft's identity as B-17F-85-BO 42-30117.
Information on this particular airplane's history is vague at best, and often downright contradictory, but what we can be certain of is that she was never assigned to the 401st.
We do know that she was assigned to one of the B-17 groups of the 12AF in the Med, probably the 97BG, and was at Poltava in Russia in October 1944, presumably where the name was applied. The next time she was photographed is at Deenethorpe in November 1944, most likely on her way back to the USA for disposal.
As for the base "hack", B-17E 41-9107 (IN-P, later SC-X), was replaced by B-17G 42-40001(IW-L) which was eventually stripped down and known as "Paris Express".
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
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swinny
6/13/2013 1:15:04 AM | Thank you Paul, So not a 401st plane, but it is taken at Deenethorpe and is it Maj A H Chapman on the photo ?
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My adoption graves http://www.remember-our-heroes.nl/us_401stBG.htm
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