Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses and the men who flew that aircraft
faced constant danger over targets like Schweinfurt, which had
claimed 163 bombers on missions previous to the one pictured
here.
Thankfully, neither men nor aircraft of the 303rd Bomb Group
were lost on this October 9, 1944, mission. In fact, the foreground
B-17 named Thunder Bird, pictured here on her 80th mission, would
go on to complete 116 missions before her 1945 retirement.
Signed by the artist. |