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Sunny II was in need of demanding repairs and
therefore, like Rosie’s Riveters and other aircraft
seriously damaged from the mission to Bremen,
did not take part in the even more tragic operation
two days later, when the objective was Münster.
During the period that Sunny II was under repair,
the code EP
-
K was assigned to a new aircraft,
B-17G 42-31051 Goin’ Jessies. After repairs, Sunny
II was given the available code letter, the same as
the original Sunny, forming the code EP
-
J.
Even before the mission to Bremen, the yellow
inscription ‘Sunny II’ was bordered in black, the
aircraft carried mission markers, but it did not
yet carry any swastikas denoting downed enemy
fighters.
Other known photos show the aircraft at the end
of December 1943, when it carried thirteen bombs
on both sides of the nose, every fifth one red, and
five swastikas. On December 30th, 1943, the crew
of Lt. George W. Brannan climbed aboard this air-
craft. The target was a chemical factory in Lud-
wigshafen. Assigned to the crew as a replacement
was Sgt. Henry A. Markowski. It was to be his first
and at the same time last combat mission. They
lost two engines over the target and with further
damage had to abandon formation and head for
“Sunny II” after an emergency landing at Harlseton, 30 December 1943.
The crew of Lt. George W. Brannan.
INFO Eduard
Speciál B-17F / The Bloody Hundredth 1943
42
June 2024