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Air Force B-17 to fly fifty. Two days later, a tragic
accident caused by a certain degree of careless-
ness ignited a spark that caused an explosion of
gasoline vapors and a subsequent fire when the
airplane was on the apron, as its chief mechanic,
Sgt. Chris Starr, conducted some cleaning proce-
dures with gasoline. A proud veteran of almost
fifty missions, she was destined to not be record-
ed into the history of the 8th Air Force. However,
during her forty-nine sorties, despite significant
damage and dead or wounded on board, Horny II
was always able to reliably bring her crew back
home.
Ground staff member S/Sgt. Ernest M. Lovato,
author of the “Horny II” nose art. In addition
to this aircraft, his talents also graced a number
of other B-17s from the 100th Bombardment
Group. Here, Ernest Lovato signs his name on
a B-17F “Squawkin’ Hawk” in the spring of 1944,
which was to return to the United States after
completing 50 missions.
The last crew to fly the “Horny II” were the men of
Lt. Ferdinand J. Herres. The aircraft “Good Pickin,”
s/n 42-6153, was used for training in the US and
never made it to the battlefield.
Removing the wreckage of “Horny II”
after the accident on May 9, 1944.
B-17F 42-5957 XR
-
D ”Horny II“, crews of Lt. Sumner Reeder,
Lt. Henry M. Henington, 349th Bomb Squadron, 100th Bomb Group,
Thorpe Abbotts, early 1944
INFO Eduard
Speciál B-17F / The Bloody Hundredth 1943
56
June 2024