|
MISS
OUACHITA
42-3040 B-17F
91 /323 OR-Q
 The
303rd Bomb
Group was
the original
recipient
of this plane
after its
arrival in
the UK via
the south
ferry route.
But eight
days later
on 17th April
1943 it was
transferred
into the 306th
and served
for about
one month
before suffering
severe damage.
Repairs were
undertaken
by Air Force
Service Command
and were not
fully completed
until late
August when
the plane
was sent to
join the 91st
Bomb Group.
The fuselage
code, OR-Q
had not been
painted on
when the aircraft
was shot down
but the call
sign 'Q' was
in position
on the fin
below the
serial. The
white star
in the national
insignia was
crudely overpainted
in grey on
the fuselage
side to deaden
its bright
white. Below
the navigator's
enlarged side
window on
the port side
the name “Carol”
was scripted
in white and
on the starboard
side “Dorothy”
was painted
just below
the cockpit
window. Another,
as yet undeciphered
name was painted
in a similar
position on
the port side.
Warrington
Dalton was
the first
pilot to sortie
in the plane
on 3rd September
but the mission
had be aborted
and the plane
returned without
credit. Dalton
had more success
three days
later when
he took the
ship to Stuttgart.
He would complete
four more
missions in
the plane
before passing
it on to other
crews. In
all, eleven
different
pilots would
fly Miss Ouachita
through its
l8 missions
with the 91st
Bomb Group,
which eluded
four strikes
at Frankfurt,
each with
a different
crew.
Spencer Osterberg's
crew were
flying the
ship for the
first time
on their 5th
mission when
it was lost
on 21st February
1944. Miss
Ouachita flew
alongside
her partner
Miss Minooki
as they headed
for the Luftwaffe
airfields
around Achmer.
When the element
leader made
an incorrect
turn and exposed
them, the
Luftwaffe
did not need
a second bidding.
Fwl9Os from
II Jagdgeswader
I, led by
Major Heinz
Baer, were
quick to exploit
the opportunity.
By the time
Osterberg
had managed
to get Miss
Ouachita back
to the main
formation
it had been
hit badly.
The top turret
gunner, Sergeant
Bostrom, was
dead and the
tail guns
out of action,
one engine
was blazing
and the radio
room was on
fire. The
oxygen system
had also been
badly damaged
forcing the
pilots to
lose altitude
and head for
the clouds
at a lower
level. As
they descended
the German
fighters came
in again and
again.
Eventually
the airplane
leveled out
and emerged
from the cloud
just off the
deck and headed
back towards
safety. Unfortunately,
in an attempt
to avoid a
town in their
flight path,
the plane
flew directly
over a Luftwaffe
fighter base
that responded
by sending
up a swarm
of fighters.
More attack
passes were
made against
Miss Ouachita,
which was
now defended
only by the
left waist
gunner. The
copilot John
Beran was
killed and
Osterberg
wounded. With
little alternative
available,
the pilot
bellied the
plane in on,
pastureland
at Bexten,
near Salzberg.
According
to some German
reports the
surviving
crew members
attempted
to burn the
plane by using
powder trails
to the wing
tanks but
locals intervened
to prevent
its destruction.
Luftwaffe
salvage experts
soon began
removing equipment
and considered
the plane
repairable.
It could be
used to study
the flight
characteristics
and defensive
weaknesses
of the Fortress
as well as
to infiltrate
the bomber
formations
to gain vital
information
about the
height and
flight path
of the attackers.
Such details
would be invaluable
to the fighter
controllers
on the ground
who directed
the Luftwaffe's
response to
the American
attacks. More
than one flyer
noted during
debriefing
that on occasions
an unidentified
B-17 had shadowed
their formation
and then flown
away - possibly
a captured
aircraft flown
by a Luftwaffe
crew. The
following
day, the German
pilot who
had claimed
the victory
visited the
site of the
crash landing
to view his
prize. Major
Heinz Baer
was a Luftwaffe
'ace' who
was credited
with 220 victories
and shot down
18 times before
the war was
over. However,
as the Germans
gloated over
their prize,
Allied fighter
aircraft spotted
Miss Ouachita
on the ground
and strafed
it until fire
took a hold
and damaged
the plane
beyond repair,
leaving it
fit only for
scrap.
"Story
taken from
Plane Names
& Fancy
Noses, by
Ray Bowden"
|
