B-17F-30-VE 'Elusive Elcy', 42-5888
B-17F-30-VE 'Elusive Elcy', 42-5888
Lost on September 27, 1943
Boeing B-17F-30-VE "Elusive Elcy" #42-5888 94th BS 331th BG
with number three engine feathered after leaving the target at Le Bourget (East from Paris) on July 14, 1943.
(The pilot was not 1Lt. Harley G. Roberts on that mission as the crews did not always fly the same aircraft)
The crew of "Elusive Elcy". 1Lt. Harley G. Roberts is the first on the left, standing.
This photo was made after ten missions (for the plane). On the photo below only seven missions marks could be seen.
The nose art of "Elusive Elcy" : at the moment seven missions and three (or four) and a half victories have been chalked.
Taken from the left waist gunner position of an unknown B-17 an amazing document :
the final moments of "Elusive Elcy". The two blue squares are enlarged for better detail below :
1
"Elusive Elcy" swerving on left out of control. Its left wing 2 having just broken, probably between number one and number two engines.
3, 4, 5 One can notice three little points, probably german fighters chasing after the moribund B-17. Maybe Lt. Heinz Knoke and Uffz. Peter Reinhardt !
? It will be intersting to identify this B-17.
6An important detail show the bomb traps opened : the bombers are on the bombing alley. The exact schedule of this phase is well known : "246 B-17's hit the Emden industrial area and targets of opportunity at 09.58-10.08 hours". 94th BG bomb Norden as target of opportunity.
In the background, one discerns another scene of fight.
In 1 is a bomber.
?Two trails of smoke are visible: is it about German rockets, about trails of fighters' condensation (in that case why the other planes do not make it?) or still simple climatic phenomena?
In 2 a line of 4 points plunging corresponds to fighters: Americans or Germans ?
The target, EMDEN, of the mission 104, situated in 50kms of JEVER corresponds well to the geographic description which gives KNOKE.
The quoted schedules are:
USAAF: Emden's bombardment between 09.08 and 10.08
KNOKE: takeoff at 10.55 touched with the ground having jumped parachutes 11.26 less than 31'.
Jet lag is of one hour between the two camps...
The plane having exploded its load of bombs on the impact of 2 rockets fired by KNOKE, all the crew probably died at the time. The square AP-5/8 indicated by KNOKE for his victory is situated over the sea, North of the island Norderney.
The wreck of bombers shot down from high altitude very often crashed some 30kms far from the point were German pilots claimed the victory (it's a fact I've noticed all along my researchs).
The fragments of the B-17 having exploded may have fallen inland near sea and there should be no survivors.
Here is an excerpt from
"Lingering Contrails of the Big Square A", Harry E. Slater, pages 92-93 :On September 27th, VIII Bomber Command launched 305 bombers to Emden with H2S aircraft in the lead...
...Approaching Germany there was 9/10 cloud cover with tops at varying heights. It was decided to bomb on the Pathfinder equipped aircraft, but by the time the 94th reached the area the smoke marker had dissipated, making instant decisions and calculations necessary. The bomb run was a series of turns, (= Knoke's Description of the fight) avoiding weather and fighting the poor visibility. Two 94th aircraft bombed through a visual hole and the rest dropped on Norden, a target of opportunity... (Looking at Detail 6 of Knoke account, note that Esens, situated near the coast in the same area, was also a potential target of opportunity or might have been confused with Norden.)
...Another aircraft (The author is speaking about "Elusive Elcy") in the formation was observed being hit by FW-190's (The witnesses were far from the action and identification was difficult) diving out of the clouds from above. Its wing was quickly enveloped in flame and burned off as if it were made of paper. The aircraft then exploded, and there was no sign of parachutes as it plunged into the ground. "What a pitiful sight to see metal and men flying through the air," said Vance Van Hosser... (= Knoke's Description of the fight)The very precious photo showing the last moments of the B-17F #42-5888 "Elusive Elcy" is sitting quite well with Knoke account.
What's of a real interest is that the bomb bay are opened. As the major part of 94th bombed Norden, this photo show the bombing alley. Having exploded, the wreck of the B-17F #42-5888 "Elusive Elcy" crashed, near Norden, just on the stream of the bombers.
Special Thanks to John Sletten for 1lt Harley G. Roberts and "Elusive Elcy" informations
serial number
plane type / name
squadron
code
reason
mission lost on
pilot / crew
42-5888
B-17F-30-VE
"Elusive Elcy"94 BG
331 BSQE-X
fighter
Emden
Crash Location
near
Norden1Lt. Harley G. Roberts, P, KIA,
Lt. E. F. Nelson, CP, KIA,
Lt. S. I. Posner, N, KIA,
Lt. W. C. Peterson, B, KIA,
T/Sgt W. S. Brearton, RO, KIA,
S/Sgt P. Muha, BT, KIA,
T/Sgt C. J. Roberts, TT, KIA,
S/Sgt Richard Scott, TG, POW,
S/Sgt Patrick J. Bolgar, RW, KIA,
T/Sgt J. J. O'Brien, LW, KIA,
Lt. J. F. Digman, OBS, KIA,
10KIA, 1POW,
MACR 732
