This B-17F, tail number 41-24577, was named Hell’s Angels after the 1930 Howard Hughes movie about World War I fighter pilots. Assigned to the 358th Bombardment Squadron of the 303rd Bombardment Group, this Flying Fortress was originally commanded by Captain Id E. Baldwin. He piloted her overseas from Kellogg Field near Battle Creek, Michigan, to RAF Molesworth, England, in 1942. The bomber would fly with several commanders and numerous crewmen during her fifteen months with the Eighth Air Force In the European Theater. The aircraft was the first B-17 to complete 25 combat missions in Eighth Air Force, doing so May 14, 1943. she is seen here having completed her thirty-first mission. Hells Angels was returned to USA after 48th mission Dec 13, 1943. Scrapped Aug 14, 1945.
Date 1943
Source United States Army Air Forces via National arhives, from: Yenne, Bill, 2006, B-17 at War, Zenith Press; 1st edition, ISBN-10: 0760325227
Author United States Army Air Forces
Permission
(Reusing this file)
USGOV-PD
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