B-17G-45-BO 42-97400
708th SQ — E
708th Aircraft Mechanic Raymond Cobb with Fuddy Duddy in 1944
B-17G-45-BO, was built in Boeing’s Seattle plant and delivered to the USAAF on 26 February 1944, and ferried to England in early April. It was assigned to the 708th Squadron on April 7, and began flying combat missions before the month ended.
Flight listings for 42-97400
These lists are NOT limited to officially credited Combat missions, and may include Aborts, returns and non-takeoff occurrences as well.
Popular aircraft, flown by many crews in the 708th, lost in a mid-air collision over Germany on December 30, 1944.
The Leverett crew was aboard 42-97400 on the mission Dec. 30, 1944.
| Lt. Wylie Leverett | Pilot | KIA |
| Lt. Bob McHovich | Co-Pilot | KIA |
| Lt. Larry Adler | Navigator | POW |
| Sgt Harry Hunt | Bombardier | POW |
| S/Sgt Jim Tiffany | Top Turret Gunner | KIA |
| S/Sgt Bob Hildebrandt | Radio Operator | KIA |
| Sgt Roy Davis | Ball Turret Gunner | KIA |
| Sgt Edwin Haynia | Waist Gunner | KIA |
| Sgt Earl Danhour | Tail Gunner | KIA |
Fuddy Duddy in flight – undated
Unidentified ground crew with Fuddy Duddy around July 1944 (between June and December 1944, may be established by mission count.)
The Carl W. Herdic crew in front of Fuddy Duddy
| Back row L-R: | |
| Sgt. Frank Banas | Ball Turret Gunner |
| 2nd Lt. Carl Herdic | Pilot |
| S/Sgt. Raymond Kravick | Radio Operator |
| Sgt. Joseph Lomiglio | Tail Gunner |
| Front row L-R: | |
| S/Sgt. Donald Jones | Engineer |
| Sgt. George Cornell | Waist Gunner |
| 2nd Lt. Phillip Chase | Co-Pilot |
| 2nd Lt. Leonard Ericson | Navigator |
| 2nd Lt. Arthur Locker | Bombardier |
Richard Folts crew with Fuddy Duddy
Modern tribute to Fuddy Duddy
Note that the plane pictured below is not the wartime “Fuddy Duddy”. It is 44-83563 that has been reconstructed and painted in the colors of the original “Fuddy Duddy” which was missing in action December 30, 1944.
IWM, Roger Freeman Collection: A 447th Bomb Group B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-97400) in flight after the war.
The surviving B-17G, 44-83563, has been painted in the 447th BG’s colors to represent Fuddy Duddy. Although the Fortress used to tour the country, its is now kept close to home at the Lyon Air Museum (Orange County John Wayne Airport) in Santa Ana, Calif.
In January 2015, the family of 447th BG veteran Loran Heeb, met up with 447th BG veteran Murray Codman, known to most as “Big Shorty”. Here’s a link to photos of our 447th BG micro-reunion.
Combat Missions (previously compiled)
| No. | DATE | TARGET | PILOT |
| 1 | 04/30/44 | CLERMONT A/D | Eastman |
| 2 | 05/01/44 | NOBALL – RECALL | Hendel |
| 3 | 05/07/44 | BERLIN | Herdic |
| 4 | 05/08/44 | BERLIN | Herdic |
| 5 | 05/09/44 | LAON/ATHIES A/D | Herdic |
| 6 | 05/11/44 | MALINES | Socolofsky |
| 7 | 05/12/44 | ZWICKAU | Herdic |
| 8 | 05/13/44 | OSNABRUCK | Herdic |
| 9 | 05/24/44 | BERLIN | Herdic |
| 10 | 05/25/44 | BRUSSELS | Herdic |
| 11 | 05/27/44 | KARLSRUHE | Gibson |
| 12 | 05/28/44 | KONISBURG | Hanks |
| 13 | 05/29/44 | LEIPZIG | Gibson |
| 14 | 05/30/44 | ST. POL SIRACOURT | Cleveland |
| 15 | 05/31/44 | HAMM M/Y | Chase |
| 16 | 06/03/44 | AUDRESSELLES | Leitch |
| 17 | 06/04/44 | WISSANT | Leitch |
| 18 | 06/06/44 | D-DAY TARGETS NORTH FRANCE | Thorpe |
| 19 | 06/07/44 | NANTES | Larson |
| 20 | 06/12/44 | CONCHES A/F | Golden |
| 21 | 06/14/44 | FLORENNES/JUZAINE A/F | Herdic |
| 22 | 06/15/44 | MISBURG | Weigerink |
| 23 | 06/18/44 | MISBURG | Weigerink |
| 24 | 06/20/44 | FALLERSLABEN KONINGSBORN | Weigerink |
| 25 | 06/21/44 | BERLIN | Thorpe |
| 26 | 06/22/44 | NUCOURT | Gibson |
| 27 | 06/23/44 | ST. QUENTIN | Douglas |
| 28 | 06/25/44 | AREA #1 “ZEBRA” | Thomas |
| 29 | 06/28/44 | DENIAN-PROUVY | Thorpe |
| 30 | 07/06/44 | BERCK A/F | Bowers |
| 31 | 07/07/44 | MERSEBURG | Hawkins |
| 32 | 07/11/44 | MUNICH | Noonan |
| 33 | 07/12/44 | MUNICH | Noonan |
| 34 | 07/13/44 | MUNICH | Lakeman |
| 35 | 07/14/44 | AREA 10, CADILLAC | Hawkins |
| 36 | 07/16/44 | STUTTGART | Quintin |
| 37 | 07/18/44 | CUXHAVEN | Hawkins |
| 38 | 07/19/44 | EBELSBACH | Westrope |
| 39 | 07/20/44 | MERSEBURG | Thorpe |
| 40 | 07/21/44 | REGENSBURG | Quintin |
| 41 | 07/24/44 | ST. LO AREA | Quintin |
| 42 | 07/25/44 | ST. LO AREA | Young |
| 43 | 08/01/44 | AREAS 10 & 14 | Thorpe |
| 44 | 08/07/44 | ANIZY LE CHATEAU | Douglas |
| 45 | 08/08/44 | BRETTEVILLE | Hawkins |
| 46 | 08/11/44 | BELFORT M/V | Hawkins |
| 47 | 08/13/44 | SEINE R. AREA | James |
| 48 | 08/14/44 | MANNHEIM | Noonan |
| 49 | 08/15/44 | HANDORF A/F | Carter |
| 50 | 08/16/44 | ROSITZ | Hawkins |
| 51 | 08/18/44 | ST. DIZIER A/F | Hysong |
| 52 | 08/24/44 | BRUX | Hawkins |
| 53 | 08/28/44 | BERLIN | Hawkins |
| 54 | 08/31/44 | BREMEN | Thorpe |
| 55 | 09/01/44 | MAINZ | Zammett |
| 56 | 09/03/44 | BREST | Adam |
| 57 | 09/05/44 | BREST | Noonan |
| 58 | 09/08/44 | MAINZ | Hawkins |
| 59 | 09/09/44 | GRASSY | Hawkins |
| 60 | 09/10/44 | GIEBELSTADT | Hawkins |
| 61 | 09/11/44 | FULDA | Hawkins |
| 62 | 09/12/44 | BOHLEN | Wilder |
| 63 | 09/13/44 | STUTTGART | Thomas |
| 64 | 09/17/44 | ARNHEIM | Thorpe |
| 65 | 09/19/44 | KOBLENZ | Hawkins |
| 66 | 09/25/44 | LUDWIGSHAFEN | Wilder |
| 67 | 09/28/44 | MERSEBURG | Hawkins |
| 68 | 10/02/44 | KASSEL | Polansky |
| 69 | 10/03/44 | GILBERSTADT | Polansky |
| 70 | 10/05/44 | MUNSTER A/F | Moore |
| 71 | 10/06/44 | BERLIN | Moore |
| 72 | 10/09/44 | GUSTAVSBURG | Hawkins |
| 73 | 10/12/44 | BREMEN | Hawkins |
| 74 | 10/14/44 | COLOGNE | Hawkins |
| 75 | 10/15/44 | COLOGNE | Hawkins |
| 76 | 10/17/44 | COLOGNE | Zalewski |
| 77 | 10/18/44 | KASSELL | Hawkins |
| 78 | 10/22/44 | MUNSTER | Hawkins |
| 79 | 10/25/44 | HARBURG | Hawkins |
| 80 | 10/26/44 | HANOVER | Wing |
| 81 | 10/30/44 | MERSEBURG | Lubinsky |
| 82 | 11/01/44 | RUDESHEIM | Hendel |
| 83 | 11/04/44 | HAMBURG | Myers |
| 84 | 11/05/44 | LUDWIGSHAFEN | Folts |
| 85 | 11/21/44 | KOBLENZ | Briggs |
| 86 | 11/26/44 | HAMM | Buthe |
| 87 | 11/27/44 | BINGEN | Rosenblum |
| 88 | 12/10/44 | KOBLENZ | Scanlon |
| 89 | 12/11/44 | KOBLENZ GIESSEN | Leverett |
| 90 | 12/12/44 | DORMSTADT | Stanley |
| 91 | 12/15/44 | HANOVER | Reck |
| 92 | 12/18/44 | MAINZ | Leverett |
| 93 | 12/28/44 | KOBLENZ | Shepard |
| 94 | 12/30/44 | MANNHEIM | Leverett |
Some photos/information provided by:
- Mr. Rob Kirkwood
- Mr. Lars Schjøring Knudsen
- Mr. Garrett Hillery
- Steve Heeb