43-37797 AMERICAN BEAUTY

B-17G-70-BO 43-37797

708th SQ — Q

 

 

No. 43-37756, “American Beauty,” a B-17G-70-BO, was built by Boeing in Seattle and delivered to the Army Air Force on May 23, 1944. It was assigned to the 708th Bomb Squadron, 447th Bomb Group on June 16, and flew its first combat mission on July 11.

 

Flight listings for 43-37797

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
#106 (11-Jul-44) Munich, Germany Hawkins, R. D.  
#107 (12-Jul-44) Munich, Germany Westrope, R. A.  
#108 (13-Jul-44) Munich, Germany Phillips, G. W.  
#109 (14-Jul-44) Area 10, France Thorpe, T. G.  
#110 (16-Jul-44) Stuttgart, Germany Phillips, G. W.  
#111 (18-Jul-44) Cuxhaven, Germany Thorpe, T. G.  
#112 (19-Jul-44) Ebelsbach, Germany Phillips, G. W. leaflets
#113 (20-Jul-44) Merseburg, Germany Phillips, G. W.  
#114 (21-Jul-44) Regensburg, Germany Phillips, G. W.  
#115 (24-Jul-44) St. Lo, France Phillips, G. W.  
#116 (25-Jul-44) St. Lo, France Phillips, G. W.  
#117 (27-Jul-44) Ostend, Belgium Phillips, G. W.  
#119 (02-Aug-44) St. Dennis, France Phillips, G. W.  
#120 (04-Aug-44) Arras – Ostend, Belgium Phillips, G. W.  
#123 (08-Aug-44) Bretteville sur Laise, France Weddle, J. L.  
#125 (11-Aug-44) Belfort, France Westrope, R. A.  
#128 (15-Aug-44) Handorf, Germany Phillips, G. W.  
#129 (16-Aug-44) Rositz, Germany Phillips, G. W. Leaflets
#130 (18-Aug-44) St. Dizier, France Phillips, G. W.  
#131 (24-Aug-44) Brux, Czechoslovakia Phillips, G. W. ABORT #3 Eng out
#134 (27-Aug-44) Berlin, Germany Zalewski, T.  
#135 (30-Aug-44) Bremen, Germany Phillips, G. W.  
#139 (08-Sep-44) Mainz, Germany Polansky, J. G.  
#140 (09-Sep-44) Besancon, France Quintin, O. J.  
#141 (10-Sep-44) Giebelstadt, Germany Weddle, J. L.  
#142 (11-Sep-44) Fulda, Germany Adams, J. M.  
#145 (17-Sep-44) Arnheim, Holland Quintin, O. J.  
#146 (19-Sep-44) Koblenz, Germany Thorpe, T. G.  
#147 (22-Sep-44) Kassel, Germany Russell, J. L. ABORT #3 Eng out
#148 (25-Sep-44) Ludwigshafen, Germany Weddle, J. L. ABORT
#152 (02-Oct-44) Kassel, Germany Moore, W. T.  
#153 (03-Oct-44) Giebelstadt, Germany Moore, W. T.  
#155 (06-Oct-44) Berlin, Germany Hawkins, R. D. #4 Eng feathered
#156 (07-Oct-44) Merseburg, Germany Hysong, J. W.  
#158 (12-Oct-44) Bremen, Germany Polansky, J. G.  
#159 (14-Oct-44) Cologne, Germany Moore, W. T. ABORT man sick
#160 (15-Oct-44) Cologne, Germany Moore, W. T.  
#161 (17-Oct-44) Cologne, Germany Hysong, J. W. Wounded; Leaflets
#163 (19-Oct-44) Mannheim, Germany Moore, W. T.  
#164 (22-Oct-44) Munster, Germany Tietjen, R. D. Target of Opp
#165 (25-Oct-44) Harburg, Germany Hrabovsky, S. J.  
#166 (26-Oct-44) Hanover, Germany Tietjen, R. D.  
#167 (30-Oct-44) Merseburg, Germany Russell, J. L.  
#169 (02-Nov-44) Merseburg, Germany Russell, J. L.  
#170 (04-Nov-44) Hamburg, Germany Russell, J. L.  
#171 (05-Nov-44) Ludwigshafen, Germany Zalewski, T. ABORT Eng hot
#176 (21-Nov-44) Koblenz, Germany Weeks, R. N. slated #854
#180 (30-Nov-44) Lutzkendorf, Germany Brill, R. D.  
#181 (04-Dec-44) Mainz, Germany Scanlon, T. H. Delayed action
#182 (06-Dec-44) Merseburg, Germany Bates, B. E.  
#183 (10-Dec-44) Koblenz, Germany Bates, B. E.  
#184 (11-Dec-44) Koblenz, Germany Scanlon, T. H.  
#185 (12-Dec-44) Darmstadt, Germany Scanlon, T. H.  
#186 (15-Dec-44) Hannover, Germany Pearsall, E. M.  
#187 (18-Dec-44) Mainz, Germany Scanlon, T. H.  
#188 (24-Dec-44) Babenhausen, Germany Lund, L. F.  
#190 (30-Dec-44) Mannheim, Germany Russell, J. L.  
#191 (31-Dec-44) Wenzendorf, Germany Russell, J. L.  
#192 (01-Jan-45) Dollberg, Germany Russell, J. L.  
#193 (02-Jan-45) Nalbach, Germany Russell, J. L. ABORT
#194 (03-Jan-45) Koblenz, Germany Russell, J. L.  
#195 (05-Jan-45) Waxweiler, Germany Bates, W. F.  
#196 (06-Jan-45) Worms, Germany Russell, J. L.  
#197 (07-Jan-45) Paderborn, Germany Russell, J. L.  
#198 (08-Jan-45) Frankfurt, Germany Rosenblum, J. M. ABORT Gas leak
#199 (10-Jan-45) Karlsruhe, Germany Summers, C. D.  
#220 (26-Feb-45) Berlin, Germany Phaneuf, R. K.  
#221 (27-Feb-45) Leipzig, Germany Osborne, W. W.  
#222 (01-Mar-45) Ulm, Germany Russell, J. L.  
#225 (07-Mar-45) Datteln-Emscher Lippe, Germany Russell, J. L.  
#226 (08-Mar-45) Frankfurt, Germany Bland, A. I. slated #6003
#228 (10-Mar-45) Dortmund, Germany Osborne, W. W.  
#229 (11-Mar-45) Hamburg, Germany Gurney, H. J.  
#230 (12-Mar-45) Marburg, Germany Gurney, H. J.  
#231 (14-Mar-45) Hannover, Germany Gurney, H. J.  
#232 (15-Mar-45) Oranienburg, Germany Maxwell, T. D. ABORT
#234 (18-Mar-45) Berlin, Germany Eakes, L. G. Long delay
#235 (19-Mar-45) Zwickau, Germany Gulick, E. E. FTO Gas leak, Flat tire
#236 (20-Mar-45) Hamburg, Germany Gurney, H. J.  
#237 (21-Mar-45) Wittmundhafen, Germany Phaneuf, R. K.  
#238 (22-Mar-45) Heibert, Germany area Gurney, H. J.  
#239 (23-Mar-45) Holzwickede, Germany Thompson, R. H.  
#240 (24-Mar-45) Varrelsbusch, Germany Gurney, H. J. Cameraman
#243 (31-Mar-45) Salzwedel, Germany Glazener, R. F.  
#244 (03-Apr-45) Kiel, Germany Gurney, H. J.  
#245 (04-Apr-45) Kiel, Germany Glazener, R. F.  
#246 (05-Apr-45) Nuremberg, Germany Gurney, H. J.  
#249 (09-Apr-45) Neuburg, Germany Gibson, E. F.  
#251 (11-Apr-45) Ingolstadt, Germany Haig, A. N.  
#252 (14-Apr-45) Royan, France Gurney, H. J.  
#254 (16-Apr-45) Royan, France Gurney, H. J. Leaflets
#255 (17-Apr-45) Dresden, Germany Gurney, H. J.  
#256 (19-Apr-45) Dresden, Germany Gurney, H. J.  
#257 (20-Apr-45) Neuruppin, Germany Scanlon, T. H.  
#258 (21-Apr-45) Inglostadt, [Germany] Gurney, H. J.  

 

 

American Beauty in formation, fairly early in her tour (photo between July and September, 1944) but after the rose nose art had been added below navigator’s window.

 

 

Returning from the mission to Karlsruhe, Lt. Summers made an emergency landing at Rattlesden

After repairs, noseart lost

 

 

Home Again

American Beauty was sent to Kingman in late 1945 to be scrapped. Her tail appears in this 1946 photo.

Unpainted rudder and sheet metal patch on side of tail gunner’s compartment indicate probable battle damage sometime during March or April, 1945

 

 

 

 

Combat Missions (previously compiled)

Combat Missions (tentative compilation by Steve Borcherding)

American Beauty appears to have flown 87 combat missions.

No. Date Target Pilot
1 7/11/1944 106/ Munich, BMW plant Hawkins
2 7/12/1944 107/ Munich Westrope
3 7/13/1944 108/ Munich G. Phillips
4 7/14/1944 109/ Operation “Cadillac”, Southern France Thorpe
5 7/16/1944 110/ Munich G. Phillips
6 7/18/1944 111/ Kiel, Oil targets Thorpe
7 7/19/1944 112/ Eberbach, industrial target G. Phillips
8 7/20/1944 113/ Merseberg, synthetic oil refinery G. Phillips
9 7/21/1944 114/ Regensburg, Messerschmitt plant G. Phillips
10 7/24/1944 115/ Petiers/St. Lo area, COBRA G. Phillips
11 7/25/1944 116/ Petiers/St. Lo area G. Phillips
12 7/27/1944 117/ Ostend, Belgium- coastal batteries G. Phillips
13 8/2/1944 119/ Paris, oil and supply dumps G. Phillips
14 8/8/1944 123/ Bretteville sur Laise, troop strong point Weddle
15 8/11/1944 125/ Belfort, France- marshalling yards Westrope
16 8/15/1944 128/ Handorf, Germany- airfield G. Phillips
17 8/16/1944 129/ Rositz, Germany- oil installation G. Phillips
18 8/18/1944 130/ St. Dizier, France- airfield G. Phillips
19 8/24/1944 131/ Bruz, Czechoslovakia- oil plant G. Phillips
20 8/27/1944 134/ Berlin Zalewski
21 8/30/1944 135/ Bremen, Germany G. Phillips
22 9/8/1944 139/ Mainz, Germany- industrial plants Polansky
23 9/9/1944 140/ France- Operation Grassy(French Resist.) Quintin
24 9/10/1944 141/ Giebelstadt, Germany- airfield Weddle
25 9/11/1944 142/ Leipzig, Dresden, Chemnitz- oil plant R. Adam
26 9/17/1944 145/ Arnhem- flak towers Quintin
27 9/19/1944 146/ Western Germany- marshalling yards Thorpe
28 9/22/1944 147/ Kassel, Germany- vehicle factory Russel
29 10/2/1944 152/ Kassel, Germany- truck factory Moore
30 10/3/1944 153/ Giebelstadt, Germany Moore
31 10/6/1944 155/ Berlin- munitions dumps, aircraft/AFV plants Hawkins
32 10/7/1944 156/ Merseburg, Germany Hysong
33 10/12/1944 158/ Bremen, Germany- aircraft plant Polansky
34 10/15/1944 160/ Cologne, Germany Moore
35 10/17/1944 161/ Cologne, Germany Hysong
36 10/19/1944 163/ Mannheim, Germany-  Focke Wolf plant Moore
37 10/22/1944 164/ Munster, Germany- marshalling yards Tietjen
38 10/25/1944 165/ Hamburg, Germany- oil plant Wessling
39 10/26/1944 166/ Hannover, Germany- industrial plant Tietjen
40 10/30/1944 167/ Merseburg, Germany Russel
41 11/2/1944 168/ Merseburg, Germany- synthetic oil plant Russel
42 11/4/1944 170/ Hamburg/Rhenania, Germany- oil refinery Russel
43 11/5/1944 171/ Ludwigshafen, Germany- oil refinery Zalewski
44 11/21/1944 176/ Western Germany- oil refinery Weeks
45 11/30/1944 180/ Lutzkendorf, Germany- oil refinery Brill
46 12/4/1944 181/ Mainz, Germay- marshalling yards Scanlon
47 12/6/1944 182/ Merseburg, Germany B. Bates
48 12/10/1944 183/ Koblenz/Lutzel, Germany- marshalling yards B. Bates
49 12/11/1944 184/ Giessen, Germany- marshalling yards Scanlon
50 12/12/1944 185/ Darmstadt, Germay- marshalling yards Scanlon
51 12/15/1944 186/ Hannover, Germany- marshalling yards Pearsall
52 12/18/1944 187/ Mainz, Germany- marshalling yards Scanlon
53 12/24/1944 188/ Babenhausen, Germany- airfields Lund
54 12/30/1944 190/ Mannheim, Germany- marshalling yards Russel
55 12/31/1944 191/ Wenzendorf, Germany- Stade Airfield Russel
56 1/1/1945 192/ Dollbergen, Germany- oil plant Schreiner
57 1/3/1945 194/ Koblenz/Mosel, Germany- marshalling yards Russel
58 1/5/1945 195/ Waxweiler, Germay- communication center W. Bates
59 1/6/1945 196/ Worms, Germany- marshalling yards Russel
60 1/7/1945 197/ Paderborn, Germany- marshalling yards Russel
61 1/10/1945 199/ Karlsruhe, Germany- marshalling yards Summers

(Accident Report for January 10 1945 will be added here)

 

No. Date Target Pilot
62 2/26/1945 220/ Berlin- Alexanderplatz rail station Phaneuf
63 2/27/1945 221/ Liepzig, Germany- communication center Osborne
64 3/1/1945 222/ Ulm, Germany- marshalling yards Russel
65 3/8/1945 226/ Frankfurt,Germany- marshalling yards Bland
66 3/10/1945 228/ Dortman, Germany- marshalling yards Osborne
67 3/11/1945 229/ Hamburg, Germany- shipyards & sub yards Gurney
68 3/12/1945 230/ Marburg, Germany- marshalling yards Roberts
69 3/14/1945 231/ Hannover/Gebruder, Germany- munitions plant Gurney
70 3/18/1945 234/ Berlin Eakes
71 3/20/1945 236/ Hamburg, Germany- Blohm&Voss U-Boat yards Gurney
72 3/21/1945 237/ Wilheimshaven, Germany- Wittmndhafen Airfield Phaneuf
73 3/22/1945 238/ Essen/Dusseldorf, Germany- military encamp. Gurney
74 3/23/1945 239/ Holzwickede, Germany- marshalling yards Thompson
75 3/24/1945 240/ Varrelbusch airfield (Germany)- Gurney
76 3/31/1945 243/ Bandenburg, Germany- airfield Glazener
77 4/3/1945 244/ Kiel, Germany- Sub yards Gurney
78 4/4/1945 245/ Kiel, Germany- Deutsche Ship yards Glazener
79 4/5/1945 246/ Nuremburg, Germany- mashalling yards Gurney
80 4/9/1945 249/ Neuberg, Germany- airfield Gibson
81 4/11/1945 251/ Ingolstadt, Germany- airfield Haig
82 4/14/1945 252/ Bordeauz/Royan, France Gurney
83 4/16/1945 254/ Royan area, France Gurney
84 4/17/1945 255/ Dresden, Germany- marshalling yards Gurney
85 4/19/1945 256/ Dresden, Germany- marshalling yards Gurney
86 4/20/1945 257/ Neuruppin, Germany- marshalling yards Scanlon
87 4/21/1945 258/ Ingolstadt Airfield, Germany Gurney

 

 

Some photos/information provided by:

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