41-2557 and a couple sharkfins (Update)

[Chris Brame]

I very rarely bid on B-17 photos on eBay, but in this case I made an exception:

I'm hoping a high-res scan on this image will reveal at least one of the serials on the B/C/D models behind B-17E 41-2557. Watch this space...

[Chris Brame]

Got the photo this afternoon:


Zooming in, 41-2557:


Zooming right along with a 600 dpi scan, B-17B 39-6:


And finally, hmmm...


Enhance:

I'm pretty sure this is B-17B 38-258.

Osborne records:

41-2557
Del Pendleton 5/2/42; Geiger 30/4/42; Tucson 26/5/42; Ephrata 4/6/42; Muroc 5/7/42; Geiger 1/9/42; Boise 8/10/42; Pueblo 11/1/43. RFC Altus 14/9/45.

38-258
Del Langley 23/11/39; Sebring 22/6/42; wrecked in base taxi accident at Hendricks+ w/Clyde Rogers 25/1/43; WO 9/2/43.

39-6
Del March 23/2/40; Amarillo 15/7/42; f/l Hendricks Fd w/C.B. Hackett 10/9/42; WO 4/10/42.

So, any ideas when and where?

[terveurn]

38-258 - crew GAMMILL, GERALD, ROGERS, C. B.; RIDLEHUBER, J. D.; RICHARDS, J. M.; SIMPSON, W. B.; GETTMAN, R.; CHEVRONT, R. W. (43-1-25-10)

39-6 - crew HACKETT, C. B.; GRACE, J. T. GAULT, THOMAS C.; SLED, PAUL A.; COX, R. S.; DAILEY, H. C.; ERICKSON, D. V.; HANEY, W. A.; HARDACRE, C. F. (43-9-10-22)

[Chris Brame]

So 1943 not 1942 on 39-6? There's a reference to it being w/o on the Mary Ann thread. That puts both at Hendricks, although neither has the big two-digit numbers usually seen there. Did Hendricks have the scrub grass and wooden fencing we see in the photo?

[terveurn]

So 1943 not 1942 on 39-6? There's a reference to it being w/o on the Mary Ann thread. That puts both at Hendricks, although neither has the big two-digit numbers usually seen there. Did Hendricks have the scrub grass and wooden fencing we see in the photo?

Accident reports are like AAF serial numbers -- based on fiscal year. So 1942 would be correct (fiscal year beings in July)