Grafton Underwood, England (Station 106) 1943-1945
Combat History of the 384th Bombardment Group (Heavy) in WWII
384th Bombardment Group (Heavy)
"Keep The Show On The Road"
| Serial Number: | 42-107121 |
| Name: |
KENTUCKY COLONEL / HELENA II Note similarity of the script for HELENA II and the script used for HELENA on 42-107074. |
| Manufacturer: | Built by the Douglas Aircraft Company, B-17G-35-DL, Natural Metal Finish |
| Squadron: | 546th Bombardment Squadron (H) |
| Squadron ID Code: | 546th‑BK*J |
| Ground Crew Chief: | Stachon, John Joseph |
| Start Date: | 5 May 1944. Transferred: Received from the 398th BG.. |
| Missions: | This aircraft was credited with 66 combat missions with the 384th. |
| End Date: | 7 December 1944. Salvaged: Damaged in a ground accident 1944-12-05. |
| Related Documents: | Accident Report # 44-12-05-513⇓ (3.015 MB) |
| Photo Album: | Aircraft 42-107121 Photo Album⇗ |
| History: | 42-107121 Del Tulsa 1//3/44; Gr Island 21/3/44; Dow Fd 14/4/44; Ass 398BG Nuthampstead 24/4/44; no ops, tran 546BS/384BG [BK-J] Grafton Underwood 5/5/44; ground loop accident w/Tom Daniel 7/12/44, Sal AFSC. KENTUCKY COLONEL. |
| Bits & Pieces: |
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| Research Notes: | Photos show that this aircraft bore the name of KENTUCKY COLONEL through mid-1944, at least; when it had its final crash in December the name on the nose - the right side, at least - was HELENA II. |
| (more...) | |
| Number | Date | Target | Results | Mission/Sortie Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 102⇗ | 8 May 1944 | Target: Friedrichstrasse Railroad Station Type: Transportation Location: Berlin, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Turned back at 1000 hrs because #4 prop ran away, #2 engine became rough, & #1 engine had high fuel pressure. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 10 May 1944 | Ehrang, Germany, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | High Grp A Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 105⇗ | 11 May 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Saarbrücken and Ehrang, Germany | Completed Mission | 41B Group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 106⇗ | 12 May 1944 | Target: Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Merseburg, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 107⇗ | 13 May 1944 | Target: Aircraft Assembly Components Factory. Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Poznań, Poland | Completed Mission | High Squadron, high composite group, 41st CBW. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 109⇗ | 19 May 1944 | Target: Unidentified Industrial Area Type: Industry Location: Berlin, Germany | Completed Mission | Low Group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 111⇗ | 21 May 1944 | Target: NOBALL (Supergun Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Mimoyecques, France | Completed Mission | Group A Low Squadron Deputy. Landed away at RAF Wratting Common, Cambridgeshire, on return. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 112⇗ | 22 May 1944 | Target: Warehouse District in the Dock Area Type: Transportation Location: Kiel, Germany | Completed Mission | High Squadron Deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 113⇗ | 23 May 1944 | Target: Nancy/Essey Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Nancy, France | Completed Mission | 41B Group Low Squadron Deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 114⇗ | 24 May 1944 | Target: Unidentified Military Installations Type: Military Location: Berlin, Germany | Completed Mission | Low Group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 115⇗ | 25 May 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Sarreguemines and Blainville-sur-l'Eau, France | Completed Mission | 41B Group, Low Squadron Deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 116⇗ | 27 May 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Mannheim, Germany | Completed Mission | Lead Group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 119⇗ | 29 May 1944 | Target: Focke-Wulf Aircraft Parts Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Krzesiny District, Poznań, Poland | Completed Mission | Landed away at RAF Oulton, Norfolk, on return due to fuel leak between #1 and #2 engines after bombing target. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 122⇗ | 2 June 1944 | Target: Gun Battery with six 155mm guns, Tactical Support Type: Military Location: Hardelot (5 miles S of Boulogne), France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 124⇗ | 3 June 1944 | Target: Coastal Artillery Battery Type: Military Location: Le Touquet, France | Flight Completed | Weather aircraft; remainder of crew (CP, N, Eng, RO) not identified in Group records. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 125⇗ | 4 June 1944 | Target: Artillery Battery Type: Military Location: Hardelot (Boulogne area), France | Completed Mission | Low Group, Low Squadron Deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 128⇗ | 6 June 1944 | Target: Two Bridges Type: Transportation Location: Caen, France | Completed Mission | M Squadron Lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 130⇗ | 7 June 1944 | Target: Transportation Hub Type: Military Location: Condé-sur-Noireau, France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 134⇗ | 13 June 1944 | Target: Dreux Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Dreux, France | Completed Mission | Lead Group, High Squadron Lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 135⇗ | 14 June 1944 | Target: Coulommiers Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Coulommiers, France | Completed Mission | 41B Wing, Low Group, Group Deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 137⇗ | 16 June 1944 | Target: Athies Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Laon, France | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Low Group. Turned back over England because they could not find the formation. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 138⇗ | 18 June 1944 | Target: Ölwerke Julius Humbles Type: Oil Industry Location: Hamburg, Germany | Completed Mission | 41B Group Deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 142⇗ | 21 June 1944 | Target: Friedrichstrasse Industrial Area Type: Industry Location: Berlin, Germany | Completed Mission | Lead Group, Low Squadron Deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 144⇗ | 22 June 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Lille (Fives district), France | Completed Mission | Wing deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 146⇗ | 25 June 1944 | Target: Railroad Bridge & Embankment Type: Transportation Location: Sens, France | Completed Mission | High group deputy, 41st A wing. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 153⇗ | 7 July 1944 | Target: Me-109 Aircraft Factory Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Leipzig, Germany | Completed Mission | High group, 41st A wing. Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑107064. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 154⇗ | 8 July 1944 | Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Renescure, France | Completed Mission | Low Squadron lead, high group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 161⇗ | 19 July 1944 | Target: Hydrogen Peroxide Plant Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Höllriegelskreuth District, Pullach, Germany | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 163⇗ | 21 July 1944 | Target: Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Schwäbisch Hall, Germany | Completed Mission | Low group deputy and hot camera ship. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 165⇗ | 25 July 1944 | Target: Tactical - Enemy Strong Points Type: Military Location: Montreuil-sur-Lozon, Le Châtel, & La Chapelle en Juger, France | Completed Mission | Low Group Deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 167⇗ | 29 July 1944 | Target: Synthetic Oil & Chemical Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Merseburg, Germany | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 168⇗ | 31 July 1944 | Target: Aero Engine Factory Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Munich / München, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 169⇗ | 1 August 1944 | Target: Railroad Bridge Type: Transportation Location: Chartres, France | Completed Mission | Low Group Deputy, Hot Camera Ship. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 170⇗ | 3 August 1944 | Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Fleury, Flers, Fiefs, France | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 171⇗ | 4 August 1944 | Target: Rocket Research & Development Complex Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Peenemünde, Germany | Completed Mission | Low Group, Low Squadron Lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 173⇗ | 5 August 1944 | Target: Luftwaffe Controlling Station Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Langenhagen, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 174⇗ | 7 August 1944 | Target: Aircraft Fuel Depot Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Dugny (Paris), France | Completed Mission | High group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 176⇗ | 9 August 1944 | Target: Erding Airdrome & Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Erding, Germany | Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off | Lead group. Did not take off. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 177⇗ | 11 August 1944 | Target: Tactical: Coastal Artillery Emplacements Type: Military Location: Brest, France | Completed Mission | High group deputy and hot camera ship. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 180⇗ | 14 August 1944 | Target: Echterdingen Airdrome Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Stuttgart, Germany | Completed Mission | Wing deputy and hot camera ship. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 181⇗ | 16 August 1944 | Target: Delitzsch Air Field and Air Equipment Depot Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Delitzsch, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 182⇗ | 18 August 1944 | Target: Tactical: Bridge Type: Transportation Location: Vise, Belgium | Completed Mission | High group deputy and hot camera ship. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 183⇗ | 24 August 1944 | Target: Synthetic Oil & Chemical Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Merseburg, Germany | Completed Mission | Low group lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 184⇗ | 25 August 1944 | Target: Airfield & Airpark Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Anklam, Germany | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 185⇗ | 26 August 1944 | Target: Buer Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany | Completed Mission | Low group deputy and hot camera ship. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 186⇗ | 30 August 1944 | Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Crepieul, France | Completed Mission | Hot camera ship. High Squadron Deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 1 September 1944 | Ludwigshaven, Germany, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 188⇗ | 5 September 1944 | Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works Type: Industry Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany | Completed Mission | Hot camera ship. Low group deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 189⇗ | 8 September 1944 | Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works Type: Industry Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany | Completed Mission | Low group deputy. Hot camera ship. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 190⇗ | 9 September 1944 | Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works Type: Industry Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany | Spare, Completed Mission | Ground Spare Aircraft, replaced 42‑39888 which was apparently given up to the Plowman Crew. High group flying spare; joined formation. One bomb returned. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 191⇗ | 10 September 1944 | Target: BMW Motor Component Parts Plant Type: Industry Location: Sindelfingen, Germany | Completed Mission | Hot camera ship. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 193⇗ | 12 September 1944 | Target: Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Brüx, Czechoslovakia | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 194⇗ | 13 September 1944 | Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Refinery Type: Oil Industry Location: Merseburg, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 195⇗ | 17 September 1944 | Target: Tank and Gun Concentrations, Tactical Type: Military Location: Eindhoven & 's‑Hertogenbosch (den Bosch), The Netherlands | Completed Mission | D Squadron lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 196⇗ | 19 September 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Hamm, Germany | Completed Mission | Low Squadron. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 197⇗ | 21 September 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Mainz, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 198⇗ | 25 September 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Turned back due to mechanical failure. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 199⇗ | 26 September 1944 | Target: Steelworks Type: Industry Location: Osnabrück, Germany | Completed Mission | Low group deputy. Hot camera ship. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 200⇗ | 27 September 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (PFF Aiming Points) Type: Transportation Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 201⇗ | 28 September 1944 | Target: Steelworks Type: Industry Location: Magdeburg, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 202⇗ | 30 September 1944 | Target: Handorf Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Münster, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 203⇗ | 2 October 1944 | Target: Ford Motor Works Type: Industry Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 205⇗ | 5 October 1944 | Type: Industry Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany | Spare, Completed Mission | Lead Squadron flying spare; joined formation and bombed target; dropped bombs late. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 206⇗ | 6 October 1944 | Target: M/T Factory Type: Industry Location: Stettin / Szczecin, Poland | Completed Mission | A group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 207⇗ | 7 October 1944 | Target: Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Leipzig, Germany | Completed Mission | Low Squadron. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 208⇗ | 9 October 1944 | Target: Ball-Bearing Plant Type: Bearings Industry Location: Schweinfurt, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 209⇗ | 11 October 1944 | Target: Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Wesseling, Germany | Completed Mission | Fourth Squadron.
Togglier Dale Dean Peloke killed by Flak. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 212⇗ | 17 October 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 213⇗ | 18 October 1944 | Target: Ford Motor Works Type: Industry Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Turned back with #3 engine out. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 215⇗ | 25 October 1944 | Target: Nordstern Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany | Completed Mission | Lead Squadron hot camera ship. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 216⇗ | 30 October 1944 | Target: Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany | Completed Mission | High Squadron hot camera ship. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 217⇗ | 1 November 1944 | Target: Nordstern Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 218⇗ | 2 November 1944 | Target: Ruhr-Chemie A.G. Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Sterkrade (Holten), Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 225⇗ | 11 November 1944 | Target: Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 226⇗ | 16 November 1944 | Target: Tactical - Artillery Positions Type: Military Location: Eschweiler, Germany | Completed Mission | Hot camera ship. Landed away at Stratford, due to weather. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 228⇗ | 23 November 1944 | Target: Nordstern Coking Plant at Gelsenkirchener Bergwerks-A.G. Type: Oil Industry Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany | Completed Mission | Ground Spare Aircraft, replaced 43‑38766. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 229⇗ | 25 November 1944 | Target: Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Lützkendorf, Germany | Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off | Replaced by Ground Spare Aircraft 43‑37713. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 230⇗ | 26 November 1944 | Target: Railroad Viaduct Type: Transportation Location: Altenbeken, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 233⇗ | 30 November 1944 | Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery Type: Oil Industry Location: Zeitz, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 234⇗ | 2 December 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Oberlahnstein, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 235⇗ | 4 December 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Soest, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 5 December 1944 | Training (Non-Combat) | Crashed In Allied Territory | Right landing gear collapsed, damaging aircraft. There were no injuries to personnel. Sortie Report ⇗ |