USAAF Nose Art Research Project


 

Spirit of Flak-Wolf
B-17G-20-BO 42-31616

303rd Bomb Group, 427th Bomb Squadron

Appearance
Spirit of Flak-Wolf The replacement Fortress for the earlier "Flak-Wolf"
The replacement Fortress for the earlier "Flak-Wolf"

This B17 was named as a replacement for the earlier 42-3131 "Flak-Wolf" which was lost on 11 January 1944 on a mission to Oschersleben.

"Spirit of Flak-Wolf" piloted by the crew of Lt McGarry crashed on 9 April 1944 taking off for a mission to Marienburg. It hit a tree and lost part of its tail stabiliser then struck another tree and finally crashed south of Winwick.

Spirit of Flak-Wolf had completed 18 missions successfully including two to Berlin, as well as the recalled attempt on 3 March 44. It had been hit by machine-gun fire over Aschersleben and flak over Berlin and had been the regular mount for the crew of Lt Harrison who had aborted on 9 April flying in another Fort.


  Additional image Of  
 

Known Mission List

Date Pilot

Target

Notes
23 Nov 1943? Assigned to USAAF
27 Nov 1943? To Cheyenne Modification Center
5 Dec 1943? To Grand Island AAB
17 Dec 1943? To Presque isle AAB
21 Dec 1943? Assigned overseas to 8th Air Force
14 Jan 1944? Assigned to 303rd Bomb Group at Molesworth
21 Jan 1944F/O K A HoegBeaulieu V-weapon target?
29 Jan 1944E S HarrisonFrankfurt?
30 Jan 1944E S HarrisonBrunswick?
3 Feb 1944E S HarrisonWilhelmshaven?
4 Feb 1944E S HarrisonFrankfurt?
8 Feb 1944J J McGarryFrankfurt?
11 Feb 1944E S HarrisonFrankfurtReturned early, non-sortie - (BT) oxygen out
20 Feb 1944E S HarrisonLeipzig?
21 Feb 1944E S HarrisonDeipholz airfield?
22 Feb 1944E S HarrisonAscherslebenCategory A damage - mg hit to #1 engine
25 Feb 1944E S HarrisonStuttgartLanded at RAF Redhill
3 Mar 1944S W EstesBerlin (Recall)?
4 Mar 1944S W EstesBonn & Cologne?
6 Mar 1944E S HarrisonBerlinCategory A damage
9 Mar 1944H F GlassBerlin?
16 Mar 1944E S HarrisonAugsburg?
18 Mar 1944E S HarrisonLechfeld?
19 Mar 1944E S HarrisonWizernes V-weapon site?
23 Mar 1944G W ShopeHamm rail yards?
26 Mar 1944E S HarrisonWizernes V-weapon site?
9 Apr 1944J J McGarryMarienburgCRASHED soon after take-off after hitting a tree and losing part of tail



 
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© Ray Bowden 2 December 2023