B-17G " Battlin' Betty " 42-39847 614th
11 April 1944 Mission # 49 Target: Politz, Sorau , Germany
April 11, 1944 , 06:50 engines are on , 32 aircraft were airborne by 07:55
target today is a synthetic oil refinery at Politz , Sorau.
The primary target for this mission was the FW 190 assembly plant at Sorau, southeast of Berlin.
However, because the primary target was obscured by clouds, the Group bombed the secondary target,
the large synthetic oil refinery at Politz, just north of Stettin. Enroute to the target the Group encountered terrific flak,
during which three aircraft were lost..
Including the B-17's piloted by Lt. Francis L. Shaw
Missing Air Crew Report : 40161. Organization : AAF Sta 128.
|
Julius F. Ostrowski S/Sgt 31158476 615 th
- Lt Shaw's ship was last seen, under control, about 10:55 No 3 engine was hit by flak.
A/C left formation and turned back , seemed to be under control.
All the crew bailed out just before A/C was attacked by Me 109's.
Was then lost sight of , from appearances , ten chutes ultimately came out of the plane.
Mission to Politz, Poland, after being hit by flak, the plane had no 3 engine on fire.
They crashed near Blumenthal, Germany.
Will be continued soon
If you have questions, remarks or information , please feel free to Email me
or leave a message in my guestbook