The 306th Bombardment Group was the first operational bombardment group in VIII Bomber Command. It was stationed at RAF Thurleigh, UK, from 6 September 1942 until 25 December 1945, the longest tenure at one station for any one Eighth Air Force group.
Boeing B-17G-5-BO Flying Fortress, 42-31143, 306th BG, 369th BS, RAF Thurleigh, Bedfordshire Dec 1944. Named "Satan's Lady", nose artwork consisted of a reclining naked lady wearing devil’s horns. The name lettering appeared to be burning. Her first combat mission was on 3 Nov 43, and she flew a total of 112 missions. Battle damaged many times but none of the many crewmen who flew in the bomber were wounded.
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Some of her battle damage incidents:
- Battle damaged on a mission to the shipyard and industrial area at Kiel, Germany 5Jan44. Attacked by enemy fighters, a 20mm cannon shell struck the right wing blowing a hole and peeling back a section of the outer wing skin. Exploding fragments entered the radio compartment.
- Battle damaged on a mission to railway marshalling yards at Frankfurt am Main, Germany 4Feb44. As the planes were passing over the Netherlands en route to Germany, local cross winds carried the bombers straight into enemy flak. Damaged by flak over the target, No.1 engine failed after the bomb drop. The plane returned home alone, escorted by P-47 Thunderbolt fighters. All four engines required replacement.
- Battle damaged on a mission to aircraft factories at Bernberg, Germany 22Feb44. Repairs required a new wing panel, then a Jeep ran into the tail and tore up the left horizontal stabiliser.
- Battle damaged on a mission to the Messerschmitt aircraft factory at Augsburg, Germany 25Feb44. Repairs required a new wing panel and Plexiglass nose.
- Damaged when it was struck by an ordinance truck, damaging the left horizontal stabiliser while being towed from hangar #2 to dispersal #34 at Thurleigh 21Nov44.
Besides the new wing and stabilizer, she appears to have a new tail turret fitted, that was left bare metal. I had no left side reference views, but I added bomb mission markers in the style that were painted on some of the other 306th's bombers.
It was a long War for this combat aircraft, and to think none of her crew members were wounded. Incredible.
