Staff transport B-17, 8AF 1st Air Division

ramc181 · Post by **ramc181** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 8:07 am

From NARA comes this image:

Brigadier General Robert B. Williams' plane, a Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" is parked along the taxi strip during his visit to the 91st Bomb Group base at Bassingbourn, England.

Does anyone know the serial number of the plane?

All the best,
PB

Steve Birdsall · Post by **Steve Birdsall** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 12:54 pm

This is 41-24460, originally assigned to the 306th Bomb Group. According to what I have, she was transferred to the 482nd Bomb Group at Alconbury on September 22, 1943, and finally assigned to First Bombardment Division Flight Section at Kimbolton on March 27, 1944. The B-17 was returned to the U.S. in October 1944 and ended her days at Kingman, Arizona.

This one had Roger Freeman and I stumped for years, but fortunately this same B-17F appears in the background of another photo taken that day at Bassingbourn.

ramc181 · Post by **ramc181** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 2:07 pm

Thanks Steve,

Here's what I have on 41-24460:

Originally assigned 306BG, 423BS "A", SBA trainer during 1943,
Assigned 482BG 22/9/43, training aircraft as of 14/2/44
Assigned 1st Bomb Div. Special Purpose Flight, Kimbolton.
As of 31/3/44 oldest B-17F in 8AF still on hand.

All the best,
PB