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.

   
 

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 1944	F/O K A Hoeg	Beaulieu V-weapon target	?
29 Jan 1944	E S Harrison	Frankfurt	?
30 Jan 1944	E S Harrison	Brunswick	?
3 Feb 1944	E S Harrison	Wilhelmshaven	?
4 Feb 1944	E S Harrison	Frankfurt	?
8 Feb 1944	J J McGarry	Frankfurt	?
11 Feb 1944	E S Harrison	Frankfurt	Returned early, non-sortie - (BT) oxygen out
20 Feb 1944	E S Harrison	Leipzig	?
21 Feb 1944	E S Harrison	Deipholz airfield	?
22 Feb 1944	E S Harrison	Aschersleben	Category A damage - mg hit to #1 engine
25 Feb 1944	E S Harrison	Stuttgart	Landed at RAF Redhill
3 Mar 1944	S W Estes	Berlin (Recall)	?
4 Mar 1944	S W Estes	Bonn & Cologne	?
6 Mar 1944	E S Harrison	Berlin	Category A damage
9 Mar 1944	H F Glass	Berlin	?
16 Mar 1944	E S Harrison	Augsburg	?
18 Mar 1944	E S Harrison	Lechfeld	?
19 Mar 1944	E S Harrison	Wizernes V-weapon site	?
23 Mar 1944	G W Shope	Hamm rail yards	?
26 Mar 1944	E S Harrison	Wizernes V-weapon site	?
9 Apr 1944	J J McGarry	Marienburg	CRASHED soon after take-off after hitting a tree and losing part of tail

 

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© Ray Bowden 2 December 2023

 

Information Update for Readers of "Plane Names & Fancy Noses - 91st Bomb Group (Heavy)"