Hello B 17 folks,
We at B 17 Archaeology are going to repaint and re-dedicate the B 17 G 43-38635 at Castle Air Museum in June. We will be at Castle Air Museum from Saturday June 17 Saturday June 24 or Sunday June 25th 2023.
We invite anyone who wants to participate to come join us..
Also, I have been attempting to compile a list of the 30 missions General Castle flew I have information for 21 missions.
Also, any information when assigned to the following bomb groups?
94th bomb group
447th bomb group
486th bomb group
487th bomb group
Can you provide any other information on the missions General Castle flew? Can anyone add any information?
Here is the list I have compiled:
He flew these a/c when with the 94th BG -
Castle, Frederick W. Col. O-319375 (1091)
06/22/43 Assigned to the 94th Bomb Group Headquarters.
06/22/43 Designated 94th Bomb Group Commanding Officer.
01 06/22/43 OBS 42-29670 TS H Marl, Germany.
Boeing B-17F-65-BO Fortress
29670 (MSN 4784) Accepted by USAAF 26Jan43. United Air Lines, Modification Center #10,
Cheyenne Municipal Airport, WY 31Jan43. 94th Bomb Group, Pueblo AAB, CO 18Feb43.
Smoky Hill Field, Salina, KS 15Feb43. Air Depot, Brookley Field, Mobile, AL 19 March 1943.
Smoky Hill Field, Salina, KS 23Mar43. North Atlantic Wing, Air Transport Command,
Dow Field, Bangor, ME 18Apr43. 333rd Bomb Squadron, 94th Bomb Group, Earls
Colne, UK 22Apr43, Named "Thundermug", then to 544th Bomb Squadron [SU*K],
384th Bomb Group, Grafton Underwood (Station 106), Northamptonshire 16Jul43.
Failed to return from its first combat mission to the Klöckner Flugmototenbau
aero engine factory at Hamburg, Germany 25Jul43 (2KIA:8POW). Before reaching
the target, an enemy fighter cannon shell knocked all the glass from the top turret.
Another shell went throught the left wing without exploding but ripping open the skin.
The tail gunner received a direct hit and then another shell blew out the guns.
Now an easy target, enemy fighters continued to attack until the stabilizer was blown
off and the crew bailed out. The bomber crashed at Uetersen, fifteen miles northwest
of Hamburg, Germany. {1 mission}
Thunder mug b 17 f bo
02 06/26/43 OBS 42-30162 GL N Le Mans, France.
Boeing B-17F-90-BO Fortress
30162 (MSN 5276) delivered Cheyenne Apr 20 1943, Smoky Hill Apr 29 21943, Walla Walla May 7, 1943, Tinker May 21, 1943, Smoky Hill May 24, 2943, Dow Field Jun 2, 1943. Assigned to 94th BG, 410th BS at Rougham Jun 13, 1943.
Named "The Piccadilly Virgin". . Failed to return from a mission to the Friedrich Krupp
Germaniawerft shipyard at Kiel, Germany 4Jan44 (10KIA:1POW Shot down by fighters and ditched into North Sea 4 km N of Helgoland, Germany. MACR 1756
The Piccadilly Virgin B 17 f
-17F-90-BO 42-30162 The Piccadilly Virgin
A 410th Bomb Squadron ship, The Piccadilly Virgin flew her first mission on 06/26/43 to Le Mans, France with Capt. Urban S. Adams as the pilot. She was the group lead that day, with Capt. Kenneth S. Steele as the command pilot and Col. Frederick W. Castle as an observer.
She met her end on a 01/04/44 sortie to Kiel, Germany. All hands were lost except for a photographer who had been added for that mission.
She carried the fuselage code GL N her entire career.
03 07/04/43 OBS 42-3331 QE Z La Rochelle, France.
Douglas-Long Beach B-17F-45-DL Fortress
3331 (MSN 8267) Continental Airlines, Modification Center #13, Denver Municipal
Airport, CO 11May43. North Atlantic Wing, Air Transport Command, Dow Field,
Bangor, ME 2Jun43. 331st Bomb Squadron [QE*Z], 94th Bomb Group, Earls Colne (Station 358),
Essex 5Jun43. Rougham (Station 468), Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk 13Jun43
Named "Naturals/7-11"--artwork of a pair of dice. Failed to return from a mission on
SOE Operation Cadillac (Resistance supplies) 14Jul43. Shot down by Maj. Egon Mayer in FW-190A-6 of JG 2/Stab at Saint-Germain-des-Angles, France. 8 KIA, 2 evaded. MACR 116.
Naturals aka Salty’s Naturals
B 17 f d
04 07/14/43 OBS 42-5881 XM G Le Bourget, France.
Lockheed/Vega B-17F-30-VE Fortress
5881 MSN 17-6177) Accepted by USAAF at Lockheed Field, Burbank, CA Apr43. Long Beach Field, CA 17Apr43.Smoky Hill Field, Salina, KS 28Apr43. Air Service Command, Tinker Field, Oklahoma City, OK 6May43.Staging Base, 21st Bomb Wing, Lincoln Field, NB 18May43. North Atlantic Wing, Air Transport Command, Dow Field, Bangor, ME 23May43. 332nd Bomb Squadron, 94th Bomb Group, Earls Colne (Station 358), Essex 27May43. Rougham (Station 468), Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk 13Jun43. Named "The House of Lords" Returned to US. Grenier Field, Manchester, NH 23Dec44. Modified for training, stripped of armor, armament, turrets and bombing equipment; designated TB-17F. Patterson Field, Dayton, OH 16Mar45. To Reconstruction Finance Corporation, Searcy Field, Stillwater, OK for storage and disposal 4Oct45. War Assets Corporation. Sold to Paul Mantz 19Feb46; scrapped
THE HOUSE OF LORDS B 17 f d
05 07/24/43 OBS 42-3319 TS L2 Bergen, Norway.
Douglas-Long Beach B-17F-45-DL Fortress
3319 (MSN 8255) Continental Airlines, Modification Center #13, Denver Municipal Airport, CO 7May43. North Atlantic Wing, Air Transport Command, Presque Isle Field, ME 2Jun43. 333rd Bomb
Squadron [XM*A2], 94th Bomb Group, Earls Colne (Station 358), Essex 5Jun43. Returned to US.
4136th Base Unit (Oklahoma City Air Technical Service Command), Tinker Field,
Oklahoma City, OK 9Apr44. Wright Field, Dayton, OH 26Nov44. Bolling Field, Washington, DC 29Dec44.Drew Field, Tampa, FL 10Feb45. Wright Field, Dayton, OH 20Mar45. Drew Field, Tampa, FL 15Oct45. To Reconstruction Finance Corporation, Walnut Ridge Field, AR for storage and disposal 7Jan46. War Assets Administration. Sold to Texas Railway Equipment Company, Houston, TX Sep46; scrapped. Named THIS END UP / WACKEROO II / SHACKEROO II
Shackeroo II / Wackeroo II
B 17 f do
06 07/28/43 OBS 42-3287 GL U Oschersleben, Germany.
Douglas-Long Beach B-17F-45-DL Fortress
3287 (MSN 8223) Continental Airlines, Modification Center #13, Denver Municipal
Airport, CO 28Apr43. North Atlantic Wing, Air Transport Command, Dow Field,
Bangor, ME 24May43. 410th Bomb Squadron [GL*O], 94th Bomb Group, Earls
Colne (Station 358), Essex Jun43. Rougham (Station 468), Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk 13Jun43.
Accident at Rougham 10Jul43 (1KIS). After a practice mission, the aircraft crash
landed on the grass at Honington (Station 375), Suffolk 4Aug43. Salvaged by 1st Strategic Air Depot, Troston (Station 595), Suffolk. Named DRIBBLE PUSS / SUGAR PUSS
No name B 17 f
07 08/17/43 OBS 42-30453 TS K Regensburg, Germany.
Boeing B-17F-105-BO Fortress
30453 (MSN 5567) United Air Lines, Modification Center #10, Cheyenne Municipal Airport, WY 3Jun43. Rapid City Field, SD 15Jun43. Geiger Field, Spokane, WA 22Jun43. Operational Training Unit,17th Bomber Operational Training Wing, Grand Island Field, NB 28Jun43. North Atlantic Wing,
Air Transport Command, Dow Field, Bangor, ME 14Jul43. 333rd Bomb Squadron [TS*K],
94th Bomb Group, Rougham (Station 468), Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk 13Jul43.
Named "Thunderbird". Failed to return from a shuttle mission to the Messerschmitt
aircraft factories at Regensburg, Germany 17Aug43 (10POW). Flak damaged engine No.3, crashed
Saverne, France. MACR 831
Thunderbird B 17 f
08/21/43 Awarded the Silver Star.
08 08/24/43 OBS 42-30453 TS K Beutre, France.
Boeing B-17F-105-BO Fortress
30453 (MSN 5567) United Air Lines, Modification Center #10, Cheyenne Municipal Airport, WY 3Jun43. Rapid City Field, SD 15Jun43. Geiger Field, Spokane, WA 22Jun43. Operational Training Unit, 17th Bomber Operational Training Wing, Grand Island Field, NB 28Jun43. North Atlantic Wing,
Air Transport Command, Dow Field, Bangor, ME 14Jul43. 333rd Bomb Squadron [TS*K],
94th Bomb Group, Rougham (Station 468), Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk 13Jul43.
Named "Thunderbird". Failed to return from a shuttle mission to the Messerschmitt
aircraft factories at Regensburg, Germany 17Aug43 (10POW). Flak damaged engine No.3, crashed
Saverne, France. MACR 831
Thunderbird B 17 f
09 09/16/43 OBS 42-5881 XM G Cognac, France.
Lockheed/Vega B-17F-30-VE Fortress
5881 MSN 17-6177) Accepted by USAAF at Lockheed Field, Burbank, CA Apr43. Long Beach Field, CA 17Apr43. Smoky Hill Field, Salina, KS 28Apr43. Air Service Command, Tinker Field, Oklahoma City, OK 6May43. Staging Base, 21st Bomb Wing, Lincoln Field, NB 18May43. North Atlantic Wing, Air Transport Command, Dow Field, Bangor, ME 23May43. 332nd Bomb Squadron, 94th Bomb Group, Earls Colne (Station 358), Essex 27May43. Rougham (Station 468), Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk 13Jun43. Named "The House of Lords" Returned to US. Grenier Field, Manchester, NH 23Dec44. Modified for training, stripped of armor, armament, turrets and bombing equipment; designated TB-17F. Patterson Field, Dayton, OH 16Mar45. To Reconstruction Finance Corporation, Searcy Field, Stillwater, OK for storage and disposal 4Oct45. War Assets Corporation. Sold to Paul Mantz 19Feb46; scrapped.
The house of Lord's B 17 f
10/18/43 CMP Duren, Germany.
010 12/16/43 CMP 42-3483 MI A Bremen, Germany.
Douglas-Long Beach B-17F-70-DL Fortress
MSN 8419/8439. built by Douglas Aircraft Company, Long Beach, CA. Redesignated as B-17G-1-DL after modification with Bendix chin turret. No.3 bulkhead armor deleted
Dispositions from B-17 Fortress Master Log, Dave Osborne
3483 (MSN 8419) Accepted by USAAF 5Jul43. Continental Airlines, Modification
Center #13, Denver Municipal Airport, CO Jul43. Rome Air Depot, NY 7Aug43.
Modified to B-17G standard. Equipped with H2X airborne radar in a radome
behind the chin turret. Pathfinder Force [PFF] aircraft. 812th Bomb Squadron [MI*A],
482nd Bomb Group, Alconbury (Station 102), Huntingdonshire Oct43.
384th Bomb Group, Grafton Underwood (Station 106), Northamptonshire 14Apr44.
Declared ‘war weary’. 401st Bomb Group, Deenethorpe (Station 128), Northamptonshire 17Apr44.
Radio-relay aircraft. 8th Fighter Command 22Jul44. Returned to US. 121st Base Unit
(Redeployment Processing), Bradley Field, Windsor Locks, CT 12Jul45.
To Reconstruction Finance Corporation, Storage Depot No.41, Kingman Field, AZ
for storage and disposal 30Dec45. War Assets Administration. Sold to Wunderlich
Contracting Company, Jefferson City, MO Jul46; scrapped. Named CHOPSTICK A-ABLE.
Mia
42-3483 Chopstick A-Able
Late f early g
B 17g 1st pathfinder
011 12/30/43 OBS 42-3500 MI J Ludwigshafen, Germany.
Douglas-Long Beach B-17F-70-DL Fortress
3500 (MSN 8436) Accepted by USAAF 16Jul43. Rome Air Depot, NY 6Aug43. Modified to B-17G
standard. Equipped with H2X airborne radar in a radome behind the chin turret. Pathfinder
Force [PFF] aircraft. 812th Bomb Squadron [MI*J], 482nd Bomb Group, Alconbury (Station 102),
Huntingdonshire Sep43. Failed to return from a mission to railway marshalling yards at
Frankfurt am Main, Germany 4Feb44 (11POW:1EVD). As a pathfinder aircraft it flew as the
lead aircraft with additional mission pilot and navigator. As the planes were passing over
the Netherlands en route to Germany, local cross winds carried the bombers straight into
enemy flak. When it was hit by flak over the target it lost part of the oxygen equipment.
The Mission Pilot, who was the only one on board at that time (rest of the crew already had
bailed out over Germany), successfully crash landed the aircraft in a field between Meddo
and Zwolle, near Winterswijk, Netherlands. MACR 2249 and 3159. Most of the crew bailed out
over Germany, and 11 became POW, Released in 1945.
The pilot who made the forced landing evaded capture with the help of the Dutch underground.
F early pathfinder f g
Mij
012 01/30/44 OBS 42-3484 MI B Brunswick, Germany.
Douglas-Long Beach B-17F-70-DL Fortress
3484 (MSN 8420) Continental Airlines, Modification Center #13, Denver Municipal
Airport, CO 10Jul43. Grenier Field, Manchester, NH 12Aug43. Rome Air Depot, NY.
Modified to B-17G standard. Equipped with H2X airborne radar in a radome behind
the chin turret. Pathfinder Force [PFF] aircraft. 812th Bomb Squadron [MI*B],
482nd Bomb Group, Alconbury (Station 102), Huntingdonshire 27Sep43.
Returned to US. 121st Base Unit (Redeployment Processing), Bradley Field,
Windsor Locks, CT 11Jul45. To Reconstruction Finance Corporation,
Storage Depot No.41, Kingman Field, AZ for storage and disposal 21Dec45.
War Assets Administration. Sold to Wunderlich Contracting Company,
Jefferson City, MO Jul46; scrapped.
Mib F early pathfinder h2x
02/11/44 Special duty to the 4th Combat Bomb Wing Headquarters.
02/16/44 Awarded an Oak Leaf Cluster to the Distinguished Flying Cross.
02/25/44 Released from special duty.
013 02/25/44 CMP 42-31449 XM A Regensburg, Germany.
Boeing B-17G-20-BO Fortress
MSN 6546/6745. Dispositions from B-17 Fortress Master Log, Dave Osborne (FORTLOG)
Production changes: A-2A ball turret with oxygen line changes.
31449 (MSN 6563) United Air Lines, Modification Center #10, Cheyenne Municipal Airport, WY 2Nov43. Portland AAB, OR 4Nov43. United Air Lines, Modification Center #10, Cheyenne Municipal
Airport, WY 13Nov43. Staging Base, 21st Bomb Wing, Kearney Field, NB 16Nov43.
332nd Bomb Squadron [XM*A], 94th Bomb Group, Rougham (Station 468),
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk 20Dec43. 333rd Bomb Squadron [TS*B]. Named "Texas Mauler".
Returned to US. 121st Base Unit (Redeployment Processing), Bradley Field, Windsor
Locks, CT 26Jun45. 4100th Base Unit (Fairfield Air Technical Service Command), Patterson Field,
Dayton, OH 27Jun45. 4168th Base Unit (Oklahoma City Air Technical Service Command),
South Plains Field, Lubbock, TX 21Oct45. To Reconstruction Finance Corporation,
Storage Depot No.41, Kingman Field, AZ for storage and disposal 22Nov45.
War Assets Administration. Sold to Wunderlich Contracting Company, Jefferson City, MO Jul46; scrapped
B 17 g Texas mauler
03/06/44 Special duty to the 4th Combat Bomb Wing Headquarters.
014 04/08/44 CMP 42-31449 XM A Hesepe, Germany.
Boeing B-17G-20-BO Fortress Production changes: A-2A ball turret with oxygen line changes.
MSN 6546/6745. Dispositions from B-17 Fortress Master Log, Dave Osborne (FORTLOG)
31449 (MSN 6563) United Air Lines, Modification Center #10, Cheyenne Municipal Airport, WY 2Nov43. Portland AAB, OR 4Nov43. United Air Lines, Modification Center #10, Cheyenne Municipal
Airport, WY 13Nov43. Staging Base, 21st Bomb Wing, Kearney Field, NB 16Nov43.
332nd Bomb Squadron [XM*A], 94th Bomb Group, Rougham (Station 468),
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk 20Dec43. 333rd Bomb Squadron [TS*B]. Named "Texas Mauler".
Returned to US. 121st Base Unit (Redeployment Processing), Bradley Field, Windsor
Locks, CT 26Jun45. 4100th Base Unit (Fairfield Air Technical Service Command), Patterson Field,
Dayton, OH 27Jun45. 4168th Base Unit (Oklahoma City Air Technical Service Command),
South Plains Field, Lubbock, TX 21Oct45. To Reconstruction Finance Corporation,
Storage Depot No.41, Kingman Field, AZ for storage and disposal 22Nov45.
War Assets Administration. Sold to Wunderlich Contracting Company, Jefferson City, MO Jul46; scrapped. Texas mauler
04/11/44 Transferred to the 4th Combat Bomb Wing Headquarters.
And these when with the 4th CBW (both HQs were located at Rougham) -
Castle, Frederick W. Col. O-319375 (1091)
04/11/44 Transferred from the 94th Bomb Group Headquarters.
04/27/44 Awarded an Oak Leaf Cluster to the Distinguished Flying Cross.
05/06/44 Awarded an Oak Leaf Cluster to the Air Medal.
015 05/08/44 CMP 42-97603 TS K Berlin, Germany.
Lockheed/Vega B-17G-20-VE Fortress
97603 (MSN 17-6968) Accepted by USAAF at Lockheed Field, Burbank, CA Jan44. Continental Airlines, Modification Center #13, Denver Municipal Airport, CO 3Jan44. Scott Field, Belleville, IL 10Feb44. 3539th Base Unit (Technical School), Langley Field, Hampton, VA 13Feb44. North Atlantic Wing, Air Transport Command, Presque Isle Field, ME 11Mar44. Pathfinder Force [PFF] aircraft. Ferried on the North Atlantic route from RCAF Gander, Newfoundland to Prestwick (Station 500), Scotland 11/12Mar44. 333rd Bomb Squadron,
94th Bomb Group, Rougham (Station 468), Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk 12Mar44. 548th Bomb Squadron [GX*K], 385th Bomb Group, Great Ashfield (Station 155), Suffolk 12Mar44. Named *Gremlin Buggy II* Failed to return from a mission to Karlsruhe, Germany 27May44 (10INT). Flak hit No.2 engine. Crash landed in Knutwil, Switzerland. MACR 5266.
Gremlin buggy ii
016 06/06/44 CMP 42-97633 TS M Cabourg, France.
Lockheed/Vega B-17G-20-VE Fortress
7633 (MSN 17-6998) Accepted by USAAF at Lockheed Field, Burbank, CA Jan44. Continental Airlines, Modification Center #13, Denver Municipal Airport, CO 12Jan44. 4th Search Attack Squadron, 1st Search Attack Group,Langley Field, Hampton, VA 4Feb44. 1377th Base Unit (North Atlantic Wing, Air Transport Command), Grenier Field (Station 16), Manchester, NH 29Mar44. 333rd Bomb Squadron, 94th Bomb Group, Rougham (Station 468), Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk 23Mar44. 457th Bomb Group, Glatton (Station 130), Huntingdonshire 3Apr44. Returned to US. To Reconstruction Finance Corporation, Walnut Ridge Field, AR for storage and disposal 7Jan46. War Assets Administration. Sold to Texas Railway Equipment Company, Houston, TX Sep46; scrapped
B 17 g
017 06/25/44 CMP 42-97646 TS B Vercors Plateau, France.
Lockheed/Vega B-17G-25-VE Fortress
97646 (MSN 17-7011) Accepted by USAAF at Lockheed Field, Burbank, CA Jan44. Continental Airlines, Modification Center #13, Denver Municipal Airport, CO 16Jan44. 4th Search Attack Squadron, 1st Search Attack Group,Langley Field, Hampton, VA 1Mar44. 1380th Base Unit (North Atlantic Wing, Air Transport Command), Presque Isle Field (Station 2), ME 3Apr44. 333rd Bomb Squadron [TS*B], 94th Bomb Group, Rougham (Station 468), Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk 4Apr44. 709th Bomb Squadron, 447th Bomb Group, Rattlesden (Station 126), Suffolk Apr44.
Crash landed at Rougham 25Aug44. Salvaged and repaired. Damaged taxying at Rougham 25Apr45. Returned to US. 121st Base Unit (Redeployment Processing), Bradley Field, Windsor Locks, CT 13Jul45. 4185th Base Unit (Oklahoma City Air Technical Service Command), Independence Field, KS 15Jul45. To Reconstruction Finance Corporation, Storage Depot No.41, Kingman Field, AZ for storage and disposal 12Jan46. War Assets Administration.
Sold to Wunderlich Contracting Company, Jefferson City, MO Jul46; scrapped
B 17 g
018 07/19/44 CMP 42-97634 TS A Ebelsbach, Germany.
Lockheed/Vega B-17G-20-VE Fortress
97634 (MSN 17-6999) Accepted by USAAF at Lockheed Field, Burbank, CA Jan44. Continental Airlines, Modification Center #13, Denver Municipal Airport, CO 12Jan44. 4th Search Attack Squadron, 1st Search Attack Group, Langley Field, Hampton, VA 4Feb44. Pathfinder Force [PFF] aircraft. 1377th Base Unit (North Atlantic Wing, Air Transport Command), Grenier Field (Station 16), Manchester, NH 17Mar44. 333rd Bomb Squadron, 94th Bomb Group 24Mar44. Ferried Meeks Field, Keflavik, Iceland to Prestwick (Station 500), Scotland 29Mar44. 711th Bomb Squadron, 447th Bomb Group, Rattlesden (Station 126), Suffolk Mar44. Failed to return from a mission to the I.G. Farben chemical and synthetic oil works at Leuna, Merseburg, Germany 2Nov44 (5KIA:5POW). The box barrage of flak was heavy around the target. An estimated 500 Luftwaffe fighters went up to meet the bomber force. Crashed near Gera, Germany. MACR 10164
B 17 g
019 10/19/44 CMP 44-8177 TS O Mannheim, Germany.
Lockheed/Vega B-17G-50-VE Fortress
8177 (MSN 17-7577) Accepted by USAAF at Lockheed Field, Burbank, CA Jun44. Lockheed Aircraft,
Modification Center #3, Love Field, Dallas, TX 29Jun44. 3539th Base Unit (Technical School),
Langley Field, Hampton, VA 23Jul44. 1379th Base Unit (North Atlantic Wing, Air Transport
Command), Dow Field, Bangor, ME 27Aug44. 333rd Bomb Squadron [TS*O], 94th Bomb Group,
Rougham (Station 468), Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk 30Aug44. Accident returning from a mission
to the Lützkendorf oil facilities at Mücheln, west of Merseburg, Germany 30Nov44.
Mid-air collision over Battlies Corner, Rougham with B-17G 42-97985. During the landing break
at Rougham in deteriorating weather, the two aircraft were on final approach, one above the other.
The Control Tower advised the aircraft to go around; the lower aircraft, #985, responded and
pulled up into the aircraft above. The No.3 and No.4 propellers of #177 struck #985 on the fuselage
aft of the wings. The tail snapped off, the wreckage crashed in a farmer’s field near the base
and was destroyed by fire. An electrical fault on #177 caused the main landing gear to be manually
cranked down early on approach. The plane veered off course but parallel to the runway,
touched down in a field of Brussel sprouts, bounced into the air and over two stone walls lining a lane,
the rolled to a stop in a second field of sprouts, knocking off the chin turret and damaging the right
wing trailing edge but without injuries to the crew. Salvaged and repaired. Returned to US.
1103rd Base Unit (Caribbean Wing, Air Transport Command), Morrison Field, West Palm
Beach, FL 20Oct45. To Reconstruction Finance Corporation, Walnut Ridge Field, AR for
storage and disposal 2Jan46. War Assets Administration. Sold to Texas Railway Equipment
Company, Houston, TX Sep46; scrapped.
B 17 g
020 11/09/44 CMP 44-8239 TS W Saarbrucken, Germany.
Lockheed/Vega B-17G-55-VE Fortress
8239 (MSN 17-7639) Accepted by USAAF at Lockheed Field, Burbank, CA Jul44. Lockheed
Aircraft, Modification Center #3, Love Field, Dallas, TX 19Jul44. 302nd Base Unit
(Staging Wing), Hunter Field, Savannah, GA 20Aug44. 1377th Base Unit (North Atlantic
Wing, Air Transport Command), Grenier Field (Station 16), Manchester, NH 18Sep44.
333rd Bomb Squadron [TS*W], 94th Bomb Group, Rougham (Station 468), Bury St Edmunds,
Suffolk 20Sep44. Returned to US. To Reconstruction Finance Corporation, Walnut Ridge Field, AR
for storage and disposal 1Jan46. War Assets Administration. Sold to Texas Railway
Equipment Company, Houston, TX Sep46; scrapped.
B 17 g
00/00/00 Change in rank - Brig. Gen.
021 B 17 G 44-8444 12/24/44 shot down
Lockheed/Vega B-17G-65-VE Fortress
8444 MSN 17-7844) Accepted by USAAF at Lockheed Field, Burbank, CA Sep44. Lockheed Aircraft,
Modification Center #3, Love Field, Dallas, TX 14Sep44. 302nd Base Unit (Staging Wing),
Hunter Field, Savannah, GA 29Sep44. Pathfinder Force [PFF] aircraft. 1379th Base
Unit (North Atlantic Wing, Air Transport Command), Dow Field, Bangor, ME 16Oct44.
836th Bomb Squadron [2G*C], 487th Bomb Group, Lavenham (Station 137), Suffolk 20Nov44
Named "Treble Four". Shot down on a tactical mission in support of the Battle of
the Bulge to a Luftwaffe airfield at Babenhausen, Darmstadt, Germany 24Dec44 (4KIA:3WIA:3RTD).
The plane was leading the Group with General Frederick Castle as commander. As the plane
neared the front battle lines of the ground forces, No.1 engine began to throw oil and it was
difficult for the plane to maintain position. General Castle reported that he was aborting the
mission and dropped down to the left to head back to England. At this time, a flight of three
Bf 109s appeared and the General apparently decided to attempt to remain as leader.
The German fighters passed through without attacking. The General could not maintain his
lead position because of the engine failure and again dropped down to the left to head back
to England. A Bf 109 attacked, wounding the radar navigator and fatally wounding the radio
operator, followed by another three Bf 109 which set No.1 and No.2 engines on fire. The
tail section and gun compartment was riddled with 30 caliber and 20mm cannon shell holes,
fatally wounding the tail gunner. The right wing was struck by a 20mm cannon shell which
burst inside a fuel tank, blowing the wing off and causing the plane to enter a spin.
The pilot ordered the crew to bail out. The plane exploded and crashed in a forest 300 yards
west of the Château d'Englebermont, 2km south of Neupré, Belgium. The wrecked aircraft was
found in four pieces about one half mile from another. The tail section had sheared off at
Station #7 by the force of the explosion and there was evidence of an interior fire. A 20mm
cannon shell had exploded inside the right wing Tokyo tanks, causing an explosion which
sheared the wing off at Station #16, which in turn caused the plane to spin. The waist and
radio room section had sheared off from the main wing and nose section at Station #5
with evidence of an interior fire. The main wing and nose section had impacted the ground
inverted while spinning and the bomb load exploded on striking the ground. Salvaged 28Jan45
Shot down by Gunfire From German Messerschmitt BF 109G-6 and Crashed 8 Miles Southwest of Liege, Belgium. BF 109G-6 Flown By Uffz. Heinz Bake of JG 3/14.
MACR 11552. Among those killed was Brigadier General Frederick Walker Castle.
General Castle was the Commander of the 4th Combat Bomb Wing of the 3rd Air Division,
8th US Army Air Force in England. On 24Dec44 he commanded the 487th Bomb Group and
led the Air Task Force in the largest Eighth Air Force action of the war which involved more than
2,000 B-17s and B-24s, including formation assembly ships, war wearies, and almost anything
else that could fly and carry a bomb load. The mission was to bomb German airfields and
supply lines to stem the German offensive in the Ardennes known as the Battle of the Bulge.
The 487th Bomb Group's target was the airfield at Babenhausen, Darmstadt, Germany.
As Air Leader, General Castle flew in the co-pilot's position with the lead crew. ‘Treble Four’
flew in the number one position of the lead element. En route to the target, the failure of one
engine forced him to relinquish his place at the head of the formation. In order not to endanger
friendly troops on the ground below, he refused to jettison his bombs to gain speed maneuverability.
His lagging, unescorted aircraft became the target of numerous enemy fighters which ripped the
left wing with cannon shells, set the oxygen system afire, and wounded two members of the crew.
Repeated attacks started fires in two engines, leaving the Flying Fortress in imminent danger of
exploding. Realizing the hopelessness of the situation, the bail out order was given.
Without regard for his personal safety he remained alone at the controls to afford the other
crewmembers an opportunity to escape. Another attack exploded fuel tanks in the right wing and
the plane was guided toward an open field away from American infantrymen. The right outer
wing was lost and the plane entered a violent right spin at 12,000ft. The waist and tail sections
separated from the aircraft during the spin. Treble Four crashed in an inverted position
and the bomb load detonated. General Castle was killed in the crash. Five men survived.
General Castle is buried at the American Cemetery at Henri-Chapelle, Belgium. He was
posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. His portrait hangs in the Swan
Hotel at Lavenham, and in the Mayor’s Parlour of St. Edmundsbury Borough Council at Angel Corner,
Bury St. Edmunds. Merced Army Air Field, California, was renamed Castle Field on 17 January 1946
for Brigadier General Frederick W. Castle
VIRGINS DELIGHT
Douglas-Long Beach B-17F-50-DL Fortress
3352 (MSN 8288) Continental Airlines, Modification Center #13, Denver Municipal
Airport, CO 15May43. North Atlantic Wing, Air Transport Command, Dow Field,
Bangor, ME 7Jul43. 410th Bomb Squadron [GL*V], 94th Bomb Group, Rougham
(Station 468), Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk Jul43, Named "Virgin's Delight")
Battle damaged during a mission to an oil refinery and railway marshalling yards at
Gelsenkirchen, Germany 5Nov43. The left wing trailing edge was struck by bombs
dropped from a higher plane. Failed to return from a mission to Solingen, Germany 29Nov43
(1POW:9KIA). Damaged by flak and shot down by enemy fighters. Crashed into North Sea,
southwest of Borkum, Germany MACR 1186.