42-31225 SCHEHERAZADE

B-17G-5-BO 42-31225

709th SQ — G

 

No. 42-31225, a B-17G-10-BO, built by Boeing at the Seattle plant and delivered to the Army Air Force on 4 October 1943, and assigned to the 709th Bomb Squadron, then at Harvard AAB. She was flown to England as part of the original assignment of the group to Rattlesden in November 1943.

The origins of the name Scheherazade are unclear, but it is believed that she carried the name throughout her service with the group.

Scheherazade/Shahrzad (Persian) is a legendary Persian queen who is the storyteller in One Thousand and One Nights (also known as The Arabian Nights). The story, which was written many hundreds of years ago, tells of a Persian king who married a young girl every night. At the end of every night he would send his new wife to have her head chopped off. The symphonic suite Scheherazade composed by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov in 1888 is based on One Thousand and One Nights and evokes an image of the young wife Scheherazade telling tales to her sultan husband to forestall his plan to kill her.

 

Flight listings for 42-31225

These lists are NOT limited to officially credited Combat missions, and may include Aborts, returns and non-takeoff occurrences as well.

447th Mission (Date) Target Pilot Notes
#2 (30-Dec-43) Ludwigshafen, Germany Lowry, F. A.  
#3 (31-Dec-43) Cognac, France MacDonald, D.  
#4 (04-Jan-44) Kiel, Germany Stenvig, J. A.  
#5 (05-Jan-44) Merignac, France MacDonald, D.  
#7 (11-Jan-44) Brunswick, Germany McKay, W. T. Ret’d
#8 (14-Jan-44) Grand Parc, France Leach, C. T.  
#11 (29-Jan-44) Frankfurt, Germany MacDonald, D.  
#12 (30-Jan-44) Brunswick, Germany MacDonald, D.  
#14 (04-Feb-44) Frankfurt, Germany MacDonald, D.  
#20 (20-Feb-44) Rostock, Germany Kreuzer, H. L.  
#22 (24-Feb-44) Rostock, Germany Kreuzer, H. L.  
#25 (29-Feb-44) Brunswick, Germany Nance, E. T.  
#26 (03-Mar-44) Berlin, Germany Goetz, W. B.  
#28 (06-Mar-44) Berlin, Germany Perkins, C. A.  
#34 (16-Mar-44) Augsburg, Germany Sizer, J. C.  
#35 (18-Mar-44) Munich, Germany Kreuzer, H. L.  
#36 (20-Mar-44) Frankfurt, Germany Kreuzer, H. L.  
#37 (22-Mar-44) Berlin, Germany Tigh, W. P. ABORT Gas leak
#38 (23-Mar-44) Brunswick, Germany Tigh, W. P.  
#40 (27-Mar-44) Merignac, Chartes, France Kreuzer, H. L.  
#41 (28-Mar-44) Chartres, France Kreuzer, H. L. from Spares
#42 (01-Apr-44) Ludwigshafen, Germany Kreuzer, H. L.  
#43 (08-Apr-44) Rheine, Germany Kreuzer, H. L.  
#48 (18-Apr-44) Oranienburg / Rathnow, Germany Tigh, W. P.  
#49 (19-Apr-44) Lippstadt / Werl, Germany Zanoya, P. C. ABORT #4 Eng out
#50 (20-Apr-44) Cherbourg / Bois de la Justice, France Zanoya, P. C.  
#51 (22-Apr-44) Hamm, Germany Hofsess, G. W.  
#57 (30-Apr-44) Clermont Ferrand, France Voorhees, W. P.  
#58 (01-May-44) Marquenville, France Moran, B.  
#60 (08-May-44) Berlin, Germany Zanoya, P. C.  
#61 (09-May-44) Laon / Athies, France Zanoya, P. C.  
#62 (11-May-44) Malines, Belgium Zanoya, P. C.  
#63 (12-May-44) Zwickau, Germany Zanoya, P. C.  
#71 (27-May-44) Karlsruhe, Germany Olds, R. W. ABORT Prop out
#72 (28-May-44) Konigsburg, Germany Kaye, H. C. Spare; Failed to T/O
#73 (29-May-44) Leipzig, Germany Farson, M. W.  
#75 (31-May-44) Hamm, Germany Larson, W. A.  
#76 (02-Jun-44) Wimereux, France Larson, W. A. spare
#77 (02-Jun-44) Conches, France Larson, W. A.  
#80 (04-Jun-44) Versailles, France Ray, J. C.  
#81 (05-Jun-44) Le Touquet, France Ray, J. C. spare, filled in
#91 (18-Jun-44) Misburg, Germany Zanoya, P. C.  
#96 (23-Jun-44) St. Quentin, France Bloecker, W. R. AB Spare
#97 (24-Jun-44) Wesermunde, Germany Miller, G. H.  
#99 (25-Jun-44) Vercors, France Area #1 Phillips, J. M.  
#106 (11-Jul-44) Munich, Germany Lazzarini, H.  
#107 (12-Jul-44) Munich, Germany Lazzarini, H.  
#110 (16-Jul-44) Stuttgart, Germany Miller, G. H. Leaflets
#111 (18-Jul-44) Cuxhaven, Germany Cook, J. D. AB Spare
#113 (20-Jul-44) Merseburg, Germany Zanoya, P. C.  
#115 (24-Jul-44) St. Lo, France Zanoya, P. C.  
#116 (25-Jul-44) St. Lo, France Cook, J. D.  
#117 (27-Jul-44) Ostend, Belgium Zanoya, P. C.  
#120 (04-Aug-44) Arras – Ostend, Belgium Zanoya, P. C.  
#121 (05-Aug-44) Magdeburg, Germany Zanoya, P. C.  
#122 (07-Aug-44) Anizy le Chateau, France Zanoya, P. C.  
#123 (08-Aug-44) Bretteville sur Laise, France Bloecker, W. R.  
#124 (09-Aug-44) Aachen, Germany Hrabovsky, S. J. ABORT #4 Oil leak
#126 (13-Aug-44) Seine river area, France Schimandle, F. J.  
#127 (14-Aug-44) Mannheim, Germany Skalitsky, S. B.  
#129 (16-Aug-44) Rositz, Germany Skalitsky, S. B.  
#132 (25-Aug-44) Rechlin, Germany Martenson, J. A. slated #029, Bombed secondary
#133 (26-Aug-44) Brest, France Hrabovsky, S. J.  
#134 (27-Aug-44) Berlin, Germany Hrabovsky, S. J.  
#135 (30-Aug-44) Bremen, Germany Hrabovsky, S. J.  
#136 (01-Sep-44) Mainz, Germany Thorpe, T. G.  
#138 (05-Sep-44) Brest, France Hrabovsky, S. J.  
#144 (13-Sep-44) Stuttgart, Germany Hrabovsky, S. J.  
#145 (17-Sep-44) Arnheim, Holland Dingivan, E. A.  
#146 (19-Sep-44) Koblenz, Germany Hrabovsky, S. J.  
#147 (22-Sep-44) Kassel, Germany Hrabovsky, S. J.  
#148 (25-Sep-44) Ludwigshafen, Germany Hrabovsky, S. J. ABORT on T/O #1 Feathered prop
#152 (02-Oct-44) Kassel, Germany Wessling, J. V.  
#158 (12-Oct-44) Bremen, Germany Cooke, J. F.  
#159 (14-Oct-44) Cologne, Germany Lubinsky, M. ABORT could not catch formation
#160 (15-Oct-44) Cologne, Germany Johnson, R. E. slated 450
#161 (17-Oct-44) Cologne, Germany Polansky, J. G.  
#164 (22-Oct-44) Munster, Germany Hrabovsky, S. J. Target of Opp
#165 (25-Oct-44) Harburg, Germany Cooke, J. F.  
#166 (26-Oct-44) Hanover, Germany Cooke, J. F.  
#167 (30-Oct-44) Merseburg, Germany Cooke, J. F.  
#170 (04-Nov-44) Hamburg, Germany Clawson, O. R.  
#171 (05-Nov-44) Ludwigshafen, Germany Cooke, J. F.  
#173 (09-Nov-44) Saarbrucken, Germany Horton, J. S.  
#175 (16-Nov-44) Duren, Germany Cooke, J. F. Landed at Rattlesden
#176 (21-Nov-44) Koblenz, Germany Middeleer, W. R.  
#178 (26-Nov-44) Hamm, Germany Cooke, J. F.  
#179 (27-Nov-44) Bingen, Germany Bounds, M. S.  
#180 (30-Nov-44) Lutzkendorf, Germany Horton, J. S.  
#181 (04-Dec-44) Mainz, Germany Cooke, J. F.  
#182 (06-Dec-44) Merseburg, Germany Cooke, J. F.  
#183 (10-Dec-44) Koblenz, Germany Cooke, J. F.  
#184 (11-Dec-44) Koblenz, Germany Schwab, S. G. ABORT Eng out
#188 (24-Dec-44) Babenhausen, Germany Beighley, W. L. Camera
#189 (28-Dec-44) Koblenz, Germany Cooke, J. F.  
#190 (30-Dec-44) Mannheim, Germany Cooke, J. F. Cooke J L?
#191 (31-Dec-44) Wenzendorf, Germany Cooke, J. F.  
#192 (01-Jan-45) Dollberg, Germany Cooke, J. F.  
#193 (02-Jan-45) Nalbach, Germany Cooke, J. F.  
#198 (08-Jan-45) Frankfurt, Germany Graves, P. A.  
#199 (10-Jan-45) Karlsruhe, Germany Dewey, R. J. Leaflets
#201 (14-Jan-45) Magdeburg, Germany Summers, C. D. Leaflets
#202 (15-Jan-45) Augsburg, Germany Bates, W. F.  
#203 (16-Jan-45) Dessau, Germany Cooke, J. F. Landed at Sandtoft
#204 (20-Jan-45) Heilbronn, Germany Kearney, H. C.  
#206 (29-Jan-45) Kassel, Germany Shepard, C. R. slated #804 ABORT Failed to catch formation
#207 (01-Feb-45) Wesel, Germany Cooke, J. F.  
#208 (03-Feb-45) Berlin, Germany Thompson, R. H.  
#209 (06-Feb-45) Chemnitz, Germany Horton, J. S. landed late
#211 (14-Feb-45) Wesel, Germany Cooke, J. F.  
#214 (19-Feb-45) Wesel, Germany Cooke, J. F.  
#215 (20-Feb-45) Nurnberg, Germany Cooke, J. F.  
#216 (22-Feb-45) Aalen, Germany Dewey, R. J.  
#217 (23-Feb-45) Crailsheim, Germany Dewey, R. J.  
#218 (24-Feb-45) Bremen, Germany Dewey, R. J.  
#219 (25-Feb-45) Neuberg, Germany Dewey, R. J.  
#220 (26-Feb-45) Berlin, Germany Dewey, R. J.  
#221 (27-Feb-45) Leipzig, Germany Stanley, F. N.  
#222 (01-Mar-45) Ulm, Germany Glazener, R. F.  
#223 (02-Mar-45) Dresden, Germany Dewey, R. J.  
#224 (03-Mar-45) Brunswick, Germany Dewey, R. J.  
#225 (07-Mar-45) Datteln-Emscher Lippe, Germany Bland, A. I.  
#227 (09-Mar-45) Frankfurt, Germany Dewey, R. J.  
#228 (10-Mar-45) Dortmund, Germany Dewey, R. J. ABORT #4 Eng out
#232 (15-Mar-45) Oranienburg, Germany Bland, A. I. replaced #797
#243 (31-Mar-45) Salzwedel, Germany Beckwith, L. R. slated #605
#244 (03-Apr-45) Kiel, Germany Glazener, R. F.  
#247 (07-Apr-45) Schwerin, Germany Glazener, R. F.  
#248 (08-Apr-45) Plauen, Germany Lehner, F. E.  
#249 (09-Apr-45) Neuburg, Germany Glazener, R. F.  
#250 (10-Apr-45) Brandenburg, Germany Glazener, R. F.  
#251 (11-Apr-45) Ingolstadt, Germany VanEtten, H. J. (LL handwritten ABORT?)
#252 (14-Apr-45) Royan, France Coleman, R.  
#254 (16-Apr-45) Royan, France Boroughs, S. L.  
#256 (19-Apr-45) Dresden, Germany VanEtten, H. J.  
#257 (20-Apr-45) Neuruppin, Germany Broughton, J. E.  
#258 (21-Apr-45) Inglostadt, [Germany] VanEtten, H. J.  

 

 

Scheherazade, probably in early April, 1944, after 19 missions

 

Distinctive Scheherazade is seen behind the pathfinder 44-8393 in this original color photograph by John Kirkwood over Plauen on 8 April 1945.

Photographed in May, 1945 by Charles Brown, still carrying her original, but heavily faded OD green paint. Cheyenne tail turret has been added and tail painted yellow (Feb ’45)

 

Scheherazade was one of only three original aircraft of the 447th to survive the war and return to the US. The plane and her crew chief M/Sgt Kenneth Johnson were featured as one of the 3rd Air Division’s Century Ships in the 29 April 1945 issue of Strikes. In July 1945, she was flown back to the US, and sold to the Reclamation Finance Corporation for scrap.

M/Sgt Kenneth J Johnson; Crew Chief

 

 

Crew Chief M/Sgt Kenneth Johnson and Pilot Philip Zanoya, in front of Scheherazade.

 

Following the 100th mission for Scheherazade, crew chief Kenneth J Johnson celebrates with what must be the Dewey crew.

 

Scheherazade painted on Philip Zanoya‘s A2 flight jacket

 

 

Other images of Scheherazade

 

 

 

 

42-31225 G Scheherazade in her final resting place at Kingman, Arizona

 

 

 

Combat Missions (previously compiled)

Scheherazade is credited with flying 126 missions without a single mechanical abort, second highest in the 447th, after Milk Wagon. To date, we have been able to identify the 122 missions shown below (compilation by Mr. Steven Borcherding).

No Date Mission/Target Pilot
1 12/30/43 2/Ludwigshafen, Germany: chemical plant Lowry
2 12/31/43 3/Cognac, France: airfield MacDonald
3 01/04/44 4/Kiel,Germany: port Stenvig
4 01/05/44 5/Bordeaux,France: Merignac Airfield MacDonald
5 01/29/44 11/Frankfurt,Germany: marshalling yards MacDonald
6 01/30/44 12/Brunswick,Germany: aircraft plants MacDonald
7 02/04/44 14/Frankfurt, Germany MacDonald
8 02/20/44 20/Rostock, Germany: airfield Kreuzer
9 02/24/44 22/Rostock, Germany Kreuzer
10 02/29/44 25/Brunswick, Germany: airfield Nance
11 03/03/44 26/Berlin Germany Goetz
12 03/06/44 28/Berlin Germany Perkins
13 03/16/44 34/Augsberg,Germany: airfield Sizer
14 03/18/44 35/Munich, Germany Kreuzer
15 03/20/44 36/Frankfurt, Germany:propeller plant Kreuzer
16 03/22/44 37/Oranieburg(Berlin)Germany: aircraft plant Tigh
17 03/27/44 40/Merignac, France: airfield Kreuzer
18 03/28/44 41/Chartres, France: airfield Kreuzer
19 04/01/44 42/Ludwigshafen, Germany Kreuzer
20 04/08/44 43/Rheine, Germany: airfield Kreuzer
21 04/18/44 48/Berlin, Germany: electric works Tigh
22 04/19/44 49/Bremen, Germany: airfields Zanoya
23 04/20/44 50/Cherbourg, France:Noball target Zanoya
24 04/22/44 51/Hamm, Germany: marshalling yards Hofsess
25 04/30/44 57/Clarmont Ferrand, France: air depot Voorhees
26 05/01/44 58/France: Noball target Moran
27 05/07/44 59/Berlin, Germany: Moran
28 05/08/44 60/Berlin, Germany Zanoya
29 05/09/44 61/Laon/Athies, France:air depot Zanoya
30 05/11/44 62/Rail yards: Belgium, Lux., France Zanoya
31 05/12/44 63/Zwickau, Germany: air depot Zanoya
32 05/29/44 73/Liepzig/Germany: Bf109 plant Farson
33 05/31/44 75/Germany: marshalling yards Larson
34 06/02/44 77/Paris: rail bridges Larson
35 06/04/44 80/Versailles: bridge Ray
36 06/05/44 81/France: military target Ray
37 06/18/44 91/Misburg: oil refinery Zanoya
38 06/25/44 99/France: munitions to French underground J.M. Philips
39 07/11/44 106/Munich: BMW plant Lazzarini
40 07/12/44 107/Munich Lazzarini
41 07/16/44 110/Munich G. Miller
42 07/20/44 113/Leuna synthetic oil refinery: Mersberg Zanoya
43 07/24/44 115/Petiers/St.Lo area Zanoya
44 07/25/44 116/Petiers/St. Lo area Cook???????
45 07/27/44 117/Ostend, Belgium: coastal batteries Zanoya
46 08/04/44 120/Ostend, Belgium: coastal defenses Zanoya
47 08/05/44 121/Magdeburg Fagg
48 08/07/44 122/Anizy le Chateau, France Zanoya
49 08/08/44 123/Bretteville sur Laise, France: Caen Bloecker
50 08/11/44 125/Belfort, France: marshalling yards Skalitsky
51 08/13/44 126/Seine River Schimandle
52 08/14/44 127/Manheim: aircraft plant Skalitsky
53 08/16/44 129/Rositz, Germany: oil installation Skalitsky
54 08/25/44 132/Rachlin, Germany: rocket exp. Station Martenson
55 08/26/44 133/Brest Hrabovsky
56 08/27/44 134/Berlin Hrabovsky
57 08/30/44 135/Bremen Hrabovsky
58 09/05/44 138/Brest: harbor Hrabovsky
59 09/13/44 144/Stuttgart: oil refinery Hrabovsky
60 09/17/44 145/Arnheim: flak towers Dingivan
61 09/19/44 146/West Germany: marshalling yards Hrabovsky
62 09/22/44 147/Kassel, Germany: vehicle factory Hrabovsky
63 10/02/44 152/Kassel: truck factory Wessling
64 10/12/44 158/Bremen: aircraft plant Cooke
65 10/15/44 160/Cologne, Germany D.G. Johnson
66 10/17/44 161/Cologne, Germany Polansky
67 10/22/44 164/Munster, Germany: Rhur valley area Hrabovsky
68 10/25/44 165/Hamburg/Harburg: oil plant Cooke
69 10/26/44 166/Hannover, Germany: Industrial plant Cooke
70 10/30/44 167/Merseburg, Germany: Cooke
71 11/04/44 170/Hamburg/Rhenania: oil refinery Clawson
72 11/05/44 171/Ludwigshafen, Germany: marshalling yards Cooke
73 11/09/44 173/French/German border:Transportation target Horton
74 11/16/44 175/Duren area: trans targets and gun empl. Cooke
75 11/21/44 176/West Germany: oil refinery Middeleer
76 11/26/44 178/Hamm, Germany: marshalling yards Cooke
77 11/27/44 179/Bingen: marshalling yards Bounds
78 11/30/44 180/Lutzkendorf, Germany: oil refinery Horton
79 12/04/44 181/Mainz, Germany: marshalling yards Cooke
80 12/06/44 182/Merseburg, Germany: Cooke
81 12/10/44 183/Koblenz/Lutzel: marshalling yards Cooke
82 12/11/44 184/ Giessen, Germany: marshalling yards Schwab
83 12/24/44 188/Babenhausen, Germany: airfield Beighley
84 12/28/44 189/Koblenz/Mosel: marshalling yards Cooke
85 12/30/44 190/Mannheim, Germany: marshalling yards Cooke
86 12/31/44 191/Wenzendorf, (Hamburg): Stade Airfield Cooke
87 01/02/45 193/Nalbach (Kaiserlautern) Cooke
88 01/08/45 198/Frankfurt: marshalling yards Graves
89 01/10/45 199/Karlsruhe, Germany: marshalling yards Dewey
90 01/14/45 201/Magdeburg, Germany: oil refinery Summers
91 01/15/45 202/Augsberg, Germany: Messerschmitt plant Bates
92 01/16/45 203/Magdeburg: oil plant Cooke
93 01/20/45 204/Heilbronn, Germany: marshalling yards Kearney
94 02/01/45 207/Rhine River rail bridge Cooke
95 02/03/45 208/Berlin: Templehof Airport Thompson
96 02/06/45 209/Bohlen (Leipzig): oil refinery Horton
97 02/14/45 211/Rhine River highway bridge, Wessel Cooke
98 02/19/45 214/Rail Bridge, Wessel Cooke
99 02/20/45 215/Nurnberg,Germany: marshalling yards Cooke
100 02/22/45 216/rail yards, road communications Dewey
101 02/23/45 217/rail yards, road communications Dewey
102 02/24/45 218/Bremen, Germany: Submarine yards Dewey
103 02/25/45 219/Neuberg and der Nonau Dewey
104 02/26/45 220/Berlin/Alexanderplatz rail station Dewey
105 02/27/45 221/Liepzig, Germany: Communications center Stanley
106 03/01/45 222/Ulm marshalling yards Glazener
107 03/02/45 223/ Dresden: oil refinery Dewey
108 03/03/45 224/Brunswick: Bussing Chemical plant Dewey
109 03/07/45 225/Datten-Emscher Lippe: Rhur Valley oil refinery Bland
110 03/09/45 227/Frankfurt: airfields Dewey
111 03/31/45 243/Brandenburg: airfield Beckwith
112 04/03/45 244/Kiel: submarine yards Glazener
113 04/07/45 247/Schwerin: marshalling yards Glazener
114 04/08/45 248/Plauen: marshalling yards Lehner
115 04/09/45 249/Neuberg: airfield Glazener
116 04/10/45 250/Brandenburg/Briest: airfield Glazener
117 04/11/45 251/Inglostadt airfield Van Etten
118 04/14/45 252/Bordeaux/Royan area, France Coleman
119 04/15/45 254/Royan area, France Boroughs
120 04/19/45 256/Dresden, Germany Van Etten
121 04/20/45 257/Neuruppin: marshalling yards Broughton
122 04/21/45 258/Inglostadt airfield Van Etten

 

 

Some photos/information provided by:

  • Mr. Rob Kirkwood

Some information and/or images sourced from the American Air Museum database