Paul Bellamy
9/21/2008 9:46:55 AM | 
B-17G-55-VE 44-8258 arrived at Deenethorpe in the first few days of October 1944, and was allocated to the 615th Squadron as IY-A.
A PFF Ship fitted with the AN/APS-15 "Mickey" H2X radar set, she flew 13 documented missions, including one as Group Lead Ship, before making a forced landing at the Allied airfield at Melsbroek, Belgium on December 11th 1944. On New Year's Day 1945, before she could be returned to Deenethorpe, she was attacked and destroyed on the ground by German fighters.
Note the antenna on the upper surface of the nose, in front of the navigator's astrodome.
This shows she was fitted with the AN/ARN-5 Blind Landing System used with the ground-based SCS-51 Instrument Landing System. The SCS-51 was installed at Deenethorpe in July 1944, one of the first USAAF bases in England to recieve this useful, and potentially life-saving, equipment.
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
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donaldbyers
9/22/2008 7:37:49 PM | Great picture Paul thanks for posting it. Thought I got rid of my bug but it seems to be back again yuk!!!!
Don
Sgt. Donald C. Byers, 613th Bomb Squadron, Togglier, 42-97344 Carrie B II, KIA 08/24/1944.
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