ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 51203
Last updated: 20 May 2013
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| Date: | 29-NOV-1943 |
| Time: | 16.07 |
| Type: | Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress |
| Operator: | United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) |
| Registration: | 42-29787 |
| C/n / msn: | 4901 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 9 / Occupants: 10 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Noordzee, off Petten -
 Netherlands
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Kimbolton, England |
Sgt. Edgar A. Schooley Jr. (tail gunner on the Wilder Nell II, ANC 42-29787), the lone survivor, states that the plane was not hit over Germany while on their bombing mission to Bremen but was but shot down over the Netherlands by ground fire. In accordance with an eye witness, the plane was followed by two German fighters and the bomber crew threw some thing out. The bomber made a crash-landing at sea with the nose to the south. The German fighters circled above the bomber but didn't fire. At least 4 crew members climbed into a dinghy and a few others were floating with their life jackets on in the sea. It was tidal and the sea was rough. Suddenly, a machine gun opened fire. TSgt Schooley reached a pier and was picked up by the Germans after a German officer stopped the shooting. The other crew members were killed by the fire or drowned. The time was 16.07 hrs. The Wilder Nell II was “shot down” by Oblt. Erich Bucholz in a Bf (ME) 109, type G-6 who claimed the victory.
Sources:
http://www.nimh.nl/nl/images/1943%20sec_tcm5-7284.pdf
Information from Dutch book, "Traces of Heaven" and telephone interview with Edgar A Schooley Jr. in MArch of 2010
The photo was taken in Kimbolton England on November 11, 1943 and is in the US Military archivesRevision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 17-Dec-2008 11:45 | ASN archive | Added |
| 11-Nov-2010 13:31 | nephew | Updated [Time, Total occupants, Total fatalities, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 02-Sep-2011 08:42 | Uli Elch | Updated [Aircraft type, Cn, Source, Narrative] |
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