B-17F-20-DL 'Hitler's Gremlin', 42-3043

Lost on August 17, 1943

Crew LOCKART - 401st BS
"Hitler's Gremlin" #42-3043
The photo was taken on August 15, 1943.
(Back Left to Right ) 5 S/Sgt. Chester W. Raphoon, BT ; 4 S/Sgt. Arthur W. Burns, TG ;
2 T/Sgt. William C. Darden, R ; 3 Lt. Unknown ; 1 S/Sgt. George Serafin, WG.
(Front Left to Right) 9 Unknown ; 7Unknown ; 8 Lt. Eugène M. Lockart, P ; 6 Lt. Unknown ; 10 Lt. Unknown.

Crew LOCKART - 401st BS

This photo was taken only hours after the crew was rescued from the North Sea following the Schweinfurt-Regensburg Raid in August 17, 1943.
If you look closely in the photo, the five men in the back row appear to be holding an inflatable raft which may have aided in their successful rescue.

(Back Left to Right ) 1 S/Sgt. George Serafin, WG ; 2 T/Sgt. William C. Darden, R ; 3 Lt. Unknown ; 4 S/Sgt. Arthur W. Burns, TG ;
5 S/Sgt. Chester W. Raphoon, BT (very probably the ball turret gunner looking at his height).
(Front Left to Right) 6 Lt. Unknown ; 7 Unknown ; 8 Lt. Eugène M. Lockart, P ; 9 Unknown ; 10 Lt.Unknown.
Other crew members :
Lt. C. M. Woodbury, Co-Pilot ; Lt. G. E. Williams, Navigator ;
Lt. R. P. Sherwin, Bombardier ; 7 or 9 S/Sgt. John Husick, Waist Gunner ; 7 or 9 T/Sgt. T. A. Cetnarowski.

[photos from 91st BG Website ]

Extract from
"Forteresses sur l'Europe"
by
Roger Anthoine

...Great eater of men, the sea did not finish claiming its due. The
Captain (in fact lieutenant) Eugene Lockhart, 91BG, had problems with engines since before Schweinfurt. Short of gasoline, its 'Hitler's Gremlin' goes down slowly and Lockhart knows that it will cuts to be posed at sea for this first anniversary of the first mission of the Fortresses in which it took part on August 17, 1942, target Rouen. To 17:20 the engines return the heart successively: the 2, the 4 then the 1... all the crew is parked, sitting in the radio operator compartment. Only the two pilots are at their station, maintained by their harnesses forced tightened.

Difficult to judge the height on water... Lockhart rounds low tail, full shutters... A shock: the tail touches to 85 miles per hour... Another shock : the ball turret splits the sea. Then of a blow the cockpit darkens in large boulversement : the nose penetrates a wave... Light green-yellow... The day... The fortress emerges... It is a good sealanding. However two men are precipitated across the plywood door of radio operator, in the bomb bay which floods... The plane floats 30 secondes. It will be enough to embark in the three ejected dinghys of the fuselage.

It will have to be waited two hours so that of Spitfire the shipwrecked men in the declining day locate. With 22:17 a Walrus seaplane will join them. Too much small it will tow all the night the rubber convoy which will touch Ramsgate only at 5 o'clock in the morning.

serial number

plane type / name

squadron

code

reason

mission lost on

pilot / crew

42-3043

Boeing
B-17F-20-DL "Hitler's Gremlin"

91 BG
401 BS

LL-B
Motors problems, then short on fuel.

17:20

Schweinfurt

Crash Location

Channel

North Sea

Lt. Eugène M. Lockhart P
Lt C. M. Woodbury, CP
Lt G. E. Williams, N
Lt R. P. Sherwin, B
T/Sgt. T. A. Cetnarowski, RI
T/Sgt. William C. Darden, R
S/Sgt. C. W. Raphoon,
S/Sgt. John Husick, WG
S/Sgt. G. Serafin, WG
S/Sgt. Arthur W. Burns, TG
All rescued

serial number	plane type / name	squadron	code	reason	mission lost on	pilot / crew
42-3043	Boeing B-17F-20-DL "Hitler's Gremlin"	91 BG 401 BS	LL-B	Motors problems, then short on fuel. 17:20	Schweinfurt Crash Location Channel North Sea	Lt. Eugène M. Lockhart P Lt C. M. Woodbury, CP Lt G. E. Williams, N Lt R. P. Sherwin, B T/Sgt. T. A. Cetnarowski, RI T/Sgt. William C. Darden, R S/Sgt. C. W. Raphoon, S/Sgt. John Husick, WG S/Sgt. G. Serafin, WG S/Sgt. Arthur W. Burns, TG All rescued