Pacific Wrecks - B-17E "Ole Miss II / Guinea Pig" Serial Number 41-2472

Missing In Action (MIA)

Prisoners Of War (POW)

Unexploded Ordnance (UXO)

Chronology

B-17E "Ole Miss II / Guinea Pig" Serial Number 41-2472

USAAF
5th AF
43rd BG
63rd BS

Former Assignments
7th BG

19th BG
28th BS
435th BS
30th BS

43rd BG
65th BS

Buchanan c1943

43rd BG c1943

Aircraft History
Built by Boeing at Seattle. Constructors Number 2283. Delivered to the U. S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-17E Flying Fortress serial number 41-2472. On December 24, 1941 took off from Boeing Field on a ferry flight to McChord Airfield.

Wartime History
Assigned to the 7th Bombardment Group. Departed the United States piloted by F. M. Key and was ferried via the African route to the Netherlands East Indies arriving on Java on January 15, 1942.

At the end of the Java campaign one of sixteen B-17 evacuated to Darwin. In Australia assigned to the 19th Bombardment Group, 28th Bombardment Squadron. Next, assigned to the 435th Bombardment Squadron "Kangaroo Squadron" and nicknamed "Ole Miss II". Also assigned to the 30th Bombardment Squadron. While with the 19th Bombardment Group the lower Bendix turret was removed.

In November 1942, assigned to the 43rd Bombardment Group, 65th Bombardment Squadron and operated from 7-Mile Drome near Port Moresby. On June 20, 1943 transfered to the 63rd Bombardment Squadron, then back to the 65th Bombardment Squadron the same day.

On September 20, 1943 transfered back to the 63rd Bombardment Squadron. Assigned to pilot Barnett with crew chief Farrell. Nickanmed "Guinea Pig".

During late 1943 this B-17 had a large scoreboard painted on the left side of the nose including 212 bombs indicating missions flown plus siloetes for 22 aircraft and 3 ships claimed. In total, this B-17 flew missions between January 22, 1942 until October 5, 1943 and reportedly logged 1,500 hours.

Steve Birdsall adds:
"The aircraft was around for a long time, but certainly never flew the 200+ missions some claim."

In October 1944, scrapped at Brisbane.

References
Other sources state this B-17 returned to the United States in December 1943
USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-17E Flying Fortress 41-2472
"2472 delivered McChord Dec 24, 1941. Assigned to 7th BG Java Jan 15, 1942. Transferred to 19th BG, 28th BS Australia, transferred to 43rd BG, 30th BS, transferred to 63rd BS. Flew 212 missions between Jan 22, 1942 and Oct 5, 1943, serving with 7th, 19th and 43rd BG in Pacific. Scrapped Oct 1944."
IMDB - Stingaree (1934)
1st Lt. Walter E. Buchanan, Jr. crew photo pose notes this bomber was B-17E "Stingaree II".
Fortress Against The Sun pages 120, 132, 386, 409 (Chapter 9 footnotes 1, 4, 9, 15), 412 (Chapter 10 footnotes 8, 9, 11, 17)
Ken's Men Against The Empire Volume 1 pages 69, 307-308, 326, 328, 345, 347-348, 393 (index Guinea Pig), 400 (index Ole Miss II)
Thanks to Steve Birdsall and Edward Rogers for additional information

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Last Updated
December 13, 2018

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