Page 73
A series of photographs documenting the
crash of Nine Little Yanks and a Jerk on 24
January 1944, and the subsequent cannibal-
ization of the damaged B-17F.
B-17F 42-3271 EP
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N „Nine Little Yanks and a Jerk“, Capt. Robert L. Hughes crew,
351st Bomb Squadron, 100th Bomb Group, Thorpe Abbotts, January 1944
The US Army Air Force’s major plans and oper-
ations in Europe involving heavy bombers usually
resulted in heavy losses for Allied air assets and
men in addition to the successes they achieved.
Operation Argument, more commonly referred to
as ‘Big Week’, between the 20th and 25th of Febru-
ary, 1944, was supposed to be the first important
step in the quest for definitive air supremacy over
Europe. The strikes by the Allied air forces, both
the USAAF and the RAF, were therefore aimed
mainly at the aviation industry and its associated
infrastructure - logistical targets, air bases and
many smaller targets of opportunity.
The Allies lost 357 bombers during the six days
of ‘Big Week’. One of them, on the last day of the
operation, was B-17F 42-30788 named Mismalovin’
of the 350th BS, 100th Bomb Group. Losses of the
Hundred during these six days, during the attacks
on Posen, Stettin, Brunswick, Alhorn, Vorden, Ros-
tock and Regensburg, amounted unusually to ‘just’
four aircraft.
Mismalovin’ was assigned to the 100th Bomb
Group at the beginning of September, 1943.
The crew commanded by Lt. Stewart A. McClain
arrived at Thorpe Abbotts a month later. Most of
their missions, the first of which was completed
Text: Jan Zdiarský
Color profiles: Michal Fárek
Photos: 100th Bomb Group Archives
Title photo: Stewart A. McClain with B-17F Mismalovin’.
Detail of the Mismalovin’ nose art from the starboard
side of the nose. The dark background behind the
painted lady likely remains from a previous attempt at
nose art that was painted over.
MISMALOVIN’
B-17F-120-BO 42-30788 LN
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R
Speciál B-17F / The Bloody Hundredth 1943 INFO Eduard
73
June 2024