Aircraft History
Built by Boeing, constructors number 2694. Assigned to the 13th Air Force, 11th Bombardment Group, 26th Bombardment Squadron. Later, 431st Bombardment Squadron. Nicknamed "Knuckle Head".

Later, this B-17 was assigned to the 5th Bombardment Group, 23rd Bombardment Squadron. Assigned to Captain Anthony Dean Lucas who renamed it "Li'l Nell" in honor of his wife, Nellie "Nell" Lucas who he married in May 1942. The bomber had no nose art associated with the name.

Wartime History
On July 19, 1943, one of nine B-17s that took off from Carney Field piloted by Captain Anthony Dean Lucas around midnight on a bombing mission against Kahili Airfield (Buin) at 2:15am. Over the target, this B-17 took the second position, and was targeted by search lights from the ground.

Diary of Captain Anthony Dean Lucas (piloting this B-17):
"July 19, 1943: Nine ships of our squadron took off around midnight to bomb Kahili airfield. All my bombs hit on the target from 14,000 feet. While on the beginning of my bombing run I saw one of my best friends go down in flames [B-17E "Tokyo Taxi" 41-9153]. Shot down by Jap night fighters. He was Lt., soon to be Capt., Eckles, of Santa Barbara. We had been together for the past year in the 23rd. We were both [flight school class] 42E men. His was a real crew, with some swell men, co-pilot, Lt. Jones, a classmate of my co-pilot, Bomb. Lt. Knop, Nav. Lt. Fox, Enj., Sgt. Kelly, Ass. Enj., Sgt. Greene, Radio, Sgt. Davis, Hill and a couple of other men. I'm going to ask if I can take Rex's personal things home to his folks, and one day wife in Santa Barbara. During this same mission I was held in the search lights for six or seven minutes and I imagine the night fighters were getting pretty close."

In fact, this B-17 was shot down by Japanese J1N1 Irving night fighter. Justin Taylan adds:
"I researched the Japanese side of this mission in Japan at the Tokyo Defense Archives. According to Japanese records, a single J1N1 Irving night fighter was airborne and sighted a B-24 and made three attacks, claiming it shot down. Next, at 0015 [2:15 local time] sighted a B-17 and made three attacks, claiming it shot down. Damaged in both engines, the J1N1 ditched into the sea and sank, killing the observer in the crash. Confirmed by Lucas' diary entry, the claim for the B-17 at 2:15 is most certainly this bomber, B-17E 41-9153."

Later, during October 21, 1943 this B-17 was flown back to the United States by Lucas. Scrapped in the United States, exact date unknown.

References
Quest for Rex Eckles and B-17E Tokyo Taxi by Gwendolyn Waters
Thanks to Gwendolyn Waters for her father, Captain Anthony Dean Lucas' diary entry.
Fortress Against The Sun page 390
Kodochosho, 251st Kokutai, July 19, 1943 thanks to Minoru Kamada for additional information
A History of IJN's Night-Fighters page 78

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Last Updated
November 8, 2009

B-17


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