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REBELS
REVENGE
42-29750
B-17F
91/323-L
OR-L
 When
one
of
the
91st
famous
names
Fortresses,
Delta
Rebel
II,
was
lost
over
Gelsenkirchen
on
12th
August
1943,
it
was
almost
inevitable
that
there
would
be
a
replacement
plane
named
after
it.
That
replacement
arrived
at
Bassingbourn
twelve
days
later
from
the
96th
Bomb
Group
and
promptly
received
the
title
Rebel’s
Revenge.
Tony
Starcer
painted
the
Rebel
Colonel’s
torso
onto
both
sides
of
the
nose
and
his
version
showed
a
considerable
improvement
on
that
which
had
been
previously
painted
on
the
original
ship.
The
career
of
Rebel’s
Revenge
was
short
lived
and
in
stark
contrast
to
its
famous
predecessor.
Taking
off
for
the
first
sortie
on
6th
September
with
a
322nd
Squadron
crew
the
pilot
was
forced
to
abort
the
mission
to
Stuttgart.
Nine
days
later,
assigned
to
2nd
Lt.
John
Perritt’s
crew,
Rebel’s
Revenge
made
its
first
successful
foray
to
attack
the
German
airfield
at
Romilly
in
France.
The
following
day,
Lt.
Perritt
flew
to
Nantes
and
ten
days
after
that
another
crew
took
the
ship
to
Meulan.
On
the
27th
September,
John
Perritt
was
back
at
the
controls
on
the
plane’s
fourth
mission
and
heading
for
its
first
target
beyond
France
-
industrial
facilities
at
Emden.
The
mission
was
the
8th
Air
Force’s
first
operational
use
of
PFF
planes
equipped
with
H2S
airborne
radar
scanners.
Two
specially
equipped
aircraft
from
the
92nd
Bomb
Group
joined
the
91st
in
leading
the
1st
CBW.
The
Luftwaffe
was
described
as
“active
and
eager”
and
massed
attacks
battered
the
formation
over
the
target
area,
punching
three
91st
Forts
out
of
the
sky.
Up
to
65
enemy
fighters
were
involved
in
the
melee
including
Fw190s
and
Me109s
as
well
as
two
twin-engined
Ju88x.
Rebel’s
Revenge
went
down
taking
eight
of
the
crew
with
it.
Only
two
men
survived,
bombardier
Richard
Hull
and
radioman
Edgar
Fetty.
"Story
taken
from
Plane
Names
&
Fancy
Noses,
by
Ray
Bowden"
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