43-39029 LINDA SUE

B-17G-105-BO 43-39029

710 th SQ —  N

 

Photo taken between February and May, 1945

 

A B-17G-105-BO from Seattle, delivered to the USAAF on 11 November 1944, the record of this aircraft is incomplete and confused. Apparently she was assigned to the 388th Bomb Group, and later transferred to the 447th at an unknown date. She was given the call sign “N” with the 708th Squadron, but may have also carried the call sign “E” with the 710th. There are no photographs showing this later configuration.

Her disposition is also in question — Freeman states in B-17 Flying Fortress Story that she was returned to the U.S. and scrapped at Kingman, while Paul Andrews’ Mighty Eighth Bits & Pieces Project lists her as being designated for salvage in August 1945, but not as part of the Reclamation Finance Corporation inventory.

 

Flight listings for 43-39029

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
#190 (30-Dec-44) Mannheim, Germany Folts, R. W.  
#191 (31-Dec-44) Wenzendorf, Germany Baker, J. G. Leaflets
#192 (01-Jan-45) Dollberg, Germany Stanley, F. N.  
#193 (02-Jan-45) Nalbach, Germany Tetreault, E. E. J.  
#194 (03-Jan-45) Koblenz, Germany White, W. A.  
#195 (05-Jan-45) Waxweiler, Germany Huber, W. C. ABORT #3 Eng out
#196 (06-Jan-45) Worms, Germany McClanahan, M. R.  
#197 (07-Jan-45) Paderborn, Germany Summers, C. D.  
#198 (08-Jan-45) Frankfurt, Germany Shepard, C. R.  
#199 (10-Jan-45) Karlsruhe, Germany Clawson, O. R. Failed to T/O
#201 (14-Jan-45) Magdeburg, Germany Bowling, G. W.  
#202 (15-Jan-45) Augsburg, Germany Badzik, J. R.  
#203 (16-Jan-45) Dessau, Germany Jacques, A. N. Landed at Sandoft
#205 (21-Jan-45) Mannheim, Germany Summers, C. D. Leaflets
#206 (29-Jan-45) Kassel, Germany Jessen, H. F. (based on other #029 being thru by then)
#208 (03-Feb-45) Berlin, Germany Kubik, K. C.  
#209 (06-Feb-45) Chemnitz, Germany Coleman, R.  
#212 (15-Feb-45) Cottbus, Germany Gulick, E. E. Cameraman
#213 (16-Feb-45) Wesel, Germany Gulick, E. E.  
#214 (19-Feb-45) Wesel, Germany Gulick, E. E. Leaflets
#216 (22-Feb-45) Aalen, Germany Gulick, E. E. Lost Formation
#220 (26-Feb-45) Berlin, Germany Osborne, W. W.  
#221 (27-Feb-45) Leipzig, Germany Gulick, E. E.  
#222 (01-Mar-45) Ulm, Germany Gulick, E. E.  
#223 (02-Mar-45) Dresden, Germany Kubik, K. C. ABORT (according to LL)
#223 (02-Mar-45) Dresden, Germany Gulick, E. E.  
#224 (03-Mar-45) Brunswick, Germany Roberts, L. D.  
#225 (07-Mar-45) Datteln-Emscher Lippe, Germany Gulick, E. E.  
#227 (09-Mar-45) Frankfurt, Germany Gulick, E. E. replaced Baker in #962
#228 (10-Mar-45) Dortmund, Germany Dankmyer, J. O.  
#231 (14-Mar-45) Hannover, Germany Gulick, E. E.  
#232 (15-Mar-45) Oranienburg, Germany Warren, E. H.  
#233 (17-Mar-45) Ruhland, Germany Lawrence, V. R.  
#234 (18-Mar-45) Berlin, Germany Gulick, E. E.  
#235 (19-Mar-45) Zwickau, Germany Kurtz, R. S. slated 797
#236 (20-Mar-45) Hamburg, Germany Gulick, E. E.  
#237 (21-Mar-45) Wittmundhafen, Germany Summers, C. D.  
#238 (22-Mar-45) Heibert, Germany area Gulick, E. E. Long delay
#239 (23-Mar-45) Holzwickede, Germany Gulick, E. E.  
#240 (24-Mar-45) Varrelsbusch, Germany Gulick, E. E.  
#241 (28-Mar-45) Hannover, Germany Gulick, E. E. Chaff / Camera
#242 (30-Mar-45) Hamburg, Germany Gulick, E. E.  
#243 (31-Mar-45) Salzwedel, Germany Gulick, E. E.  
#244 (03-Apr-45) Kiel, Germany Gulick, E. E. Cameraman
#246 (05-Apr-45) Nuremberg, Germany Haig, A. N. ABORT Gee Box out
#247 (07-Apr-45) Schwerin, Germany Gulick, E. E.  
#248 (08-Apr-45) Plauen, Germany Gurney, H. J.  
#249 (09-Apr-45) Neuburg, Germany Haig, A. N.  
#250 (10-Apr-45) Brandenburg, Germany Radus, S. L.  
#251 (11-Apr-45) Ingolstadt, Germany Gulick, E. E.  
#252 (14-Apr-45) Royan, France Gulick, E. E. Landed in France

 

 

In the photo above, taken sometime after February 1945, the aircraft still carries the Square-H of the 388th Bomb Group on the wing, but has the Square-K of the 447th on the tail. The name Linda Sue has not yet been painted on her nose. Mission tally is 20 or less.

 

Over target, around the same date as the photo above.

On the ground at Rattlesden, after 39 missions

 

On 14 April 1945, Lt. Ernest Gulick landed Linda Sue near Lonrai, France while returning from a mission to the Royan area. There is little mention of the event in group records. It is assumed that crew and aircraft returned to base. The two photos below were taken by the French, and only recently sent to Mr. Keller.

 

The note posted below the chin turret looks to read in French: ‘Caution! Gasoline.’

A French civilian with 43-39029

 

Handwritten caption on reverse: ‘B-17, 339029, in France. Place?’ Note that there is a man posing under the chin turret.

 

Later returned to Rattlesden and was ultimately scrapped at Kingman Arizona in 1946

 


Some photos and information courtesy:

  • Mr. Jack D. Keller
  • Mr. Rob Kirkwood

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