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: | 42-3441 |
| Name: | PATCHES II / SPOTTED COW |
| Manufacturer: | Built by the Douglas Aircraft Company, B-17F-60-DL, Camouflage |
| Squadron: | 547th Bombardment Squadron (H) |
| Squadron ID Code: | 547th‑SO*E |
| Start Date: | 9 August 1943. New Replacement AC. |
| Missions: | This aircraft was credited with 39 combat missions with the 384th. |
| End Date: | 24 September 1945. RETUS: Returned to the USA. |
| Comments: | Longest-serving B-17F in the Group, and last B-17F in Group to fly a combat mission (7 June 1944). Retired to non-combat duties as assembly and weather ship after its last combat mission. |
| Photo Album: | Aircraft 42-3441 Photo Album⇗ |
| History: | Delivered to Denver, Colorado [for modification] on 14 June 1943. Moved to Kearney Army Airfield, Nebraska on 19 July 1943. Assigned to the 547th Bombardment Squadron, squadron code SO-E, 384th Bombardment Group, Grafton Underwood, Station 106, UK on 9 August 1943. When the ship became war weary, it was used as the 384th assembly ship. Returned to the US at Grenier Field, New Hampshire on 24 September 1945. Transferred to the Reclamation Finance Center (RFC) at Walnut Ridge Army Airfield, Arkansas on 12 December 1945 and sold for scrap. Aircraft Name: THE SPOTTED COW aka PATCHES II. |
| Research Notes: | Called 'SPOTTED CALF' on 1944-07-28 544th BS Loading List (called to our attention by Tony Plowright). |
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| Number | Date | Target | Results | Mission/Sortie Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15⇗ | 15 August 1943 | Target: Poix-en-Picardie and Amiens-Glisy Airfields Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Poix-de-Picardie & Amiens, France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 16⇗ | 16 August 1943 | Target: Le Bourget Airport & Air Depot Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Paris, France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 18⇗ | 27 August 1943 | Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Watten, France | Completed Mission | Low Squadron lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 30 August 1943 | Achiet-le-Grand, France, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | LdSqLd Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 19⇗ | 31 August 1943 | Target: Fighter Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Romilly-sur-Seine, France | Completed Mission | Wing Deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 2 September 1943 | Vannes, France, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 22⇗ | 7 September 1943 | Target: Bruxelles-Evere Airfield/Repair Depot Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Brussels / Bruxelles, Belgium | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 23⇗ | 9 September 1943 | Target: Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Lille-Vendeville, France | Completed Mission | High Squadron Lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 21 September 1943 | Riems, France, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 25⇗ | 23 September 1943 | Target: Submarine Repair Ship Type: Submarine Facility Location: Nantes, France | Completed Mission | Group Deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 26 September 1943 | Nantes, France, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Deputy Flt Leader; Kaczaraba (CP) Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 26⇗ | 27 September 1943 | Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Emden, Germany | Completed Mission | Group Deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 27⇗ | 2 October 1943 | Target: Port Facilities Type: Transportation Location: Emden, Germany | Completed Mission | Low Squadron Lead.. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 28⇗ | 4 October 1943 | Type: Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany | Completed Mission | Group deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 30⇗ | 9 October 1943 | Target: Aircraft Factories Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Anklam, Germany | Completed Mission | Group lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 31⇗ | 10 October 1943 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Münster, Germany | Completed Mission | Group lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| --⇗ | 30 October 1943 | Gelsenkirchen, Germany, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 34⇗ | 3 November 1943 | Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Wilhelmshafen, Germany | Completed Mission | Squadron of composite group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 36⇗ | 16 November 1943 | Target: Knaben II Molybdenum Mine Type: Industry Location: Knaben, Norway | Completed Mission | Group deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 38⇗ | 29 November 1943 | Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Bremen, Germany | Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off | Replaced by Ground Spare Aircraft 42‑3259. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 30 November 1943 | Solingen, Germany, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Failed to contact wing Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 40⇗ | 5 December 1943 | Target: Fighter Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Saint-Jean-d'Angély, France | Returned To Base | Wing lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 41⇗ | 11 December 1943 | Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Emden, Germany | Spare, Completed Mission | Flying spare; joined formation. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 42⇗ | 13 December 1943 | Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Bremen, Germany | Completed Mission | Lead group, high Squadron lead. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 44⇗ | 20 December 1943 | Target: Port Area/Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Bremen, Germany | Completed Mission | Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑5444. Took off late, probably due to transferring from original aircraft. Unable to locate the 384th formation, joined the 379th BG and bombed Bremen with them. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 54⇗ | 21 January 1944 | Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Preuseville, France | Completed Mission | 41B Group, Low Squadron Deputy. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 24 January 1944 | Frankfurt am Main, Germany, RECALLED | Mission Recalled | Grp Y Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 55⇗ | 29 January 1944 | Target: Aircraft Parts Plants Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany | Completed Mission | Group deputy, low group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 56⇗ | 30 January 1944 | Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany | Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off | Lead group high Squadron lead. Did not take off. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 57⇗ | 3 February 1944 | Target: Submarines (under construction) Type: Submarine Facility Location: Wilhelmshaven, Germany | Completed Mission | Lead Group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 60⇗ | 6 February 1944 | Target: Nancy/Essey Aerodrome Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Nancy, France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 63⇗ | 20 February 1944 | Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany | Completed Mission | 41A Group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 67⇗ | 25 February 1944 | Target: Aircraft Assembly & Ball Bearings Plants Type: Industry Location: Augsburg & Stuttgart, Germany | Completed Mission | 41A Group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 69⇗ | 2 March 1944 | Target: Alfred Teves Main Works: Aircraft Parts Plant and Machine Shop Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Turned back at 1046 hrs because #1 prop ran away (prop governor sheared). Landed away at RAF Gatwick, West Sussex. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 70⇗ | 3 March 1944 | Target: Roller-Bearing Factory Type: Bearings Industry Location: Berlin, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Turned back because #2 engine supercharger ran away. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 71⇗ | 4 March 1944 | Type: Military Location: Berlin, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 75⇗ | 16 March 1944 | Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany | Spare, Completed Mission | Flying spare; joined formation. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 76⇗ | 18 March 1944 | Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 78⇗ | 20 March 1944 | Type: Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany | Mission Recalled | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 79⇗ | 22 March 1944 | Target: Heinkel Aircraft Assembly Plant at Annahof Airfield Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oranienburg, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 80⇗ | 23 March 1944 | Target: Airdrome and Airpark Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Gütersloh, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 86⇗ | 9 April 1944 | Target: FW-190 Fighter Aircraft Assembly Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Marienburg, Germany | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 87⇗ | 10 April 1944 | Target: Evere Airfield (50°54'3"N 4°20'9"E) Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Brussels / Bruxelles, Belgium | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 88⇗ | 11 April 1944 | Target: FW Aircraft Parts Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Sorau, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 89⇗ | 13 April 1944 | Target: Ball-Bearing Plant Type: Bearings Industry Location: Schweinfurt, Germany | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 90⇗ | 18 April 1944 | Target: Aircraft Parts Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oranienburg, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 91⇗ | 19 April 1944 | Target: Fieseler Aircraft Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Kassel (Waldau), Germany | Spare, Completed Mission | Flying spare; joined formation. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 94⇗ | 24 April 1944 | Target: Dornier-Werke GMBH Aircraft Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany | Completed Mission | Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑39888. Sustained 20mm cannon damage. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 101⇗ | 7 May 1944 | Target: Friedrichstrasse Railroad Station Type: Transportation Location: Berlin, Germany | Scrubbed: Did Not Take Off | Hale returned this aircraft to base with a runaway prop. Replaced by Ground Spare Aircraft 42‑37792. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 10 May 1944 | Ehrang, Germany, RECALLED | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 105⇗ | 11 May 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Saarbrücken and Ehrang, Germany | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 106⇗ | 12 May 1944 | Target: Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Merseburg, Germany | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 107⇗ | 13 May 1944 | Target: Aircraft Assembly Components Factory. Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Poznań, Poland | Spare, Completed Mission | Flying spare; joined formation. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 109⇗ | 19 May 1944 | Target: Unidentified Industrial Area Type: Industry 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 | Flying Spare, Returned As Briefed | 41B Group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 116⇗ | 27 May 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Mannheim, Germany | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Lead Group, Flying Spare aircraft. Turned back at 1053 hrs because Tokyo tank would not feed. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 118⇗ | 28 May 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany | Spare, Completed Mission | Flying Spare Aircraft. Joined formation. Ground Spare Aircraft. Replaced 42‑107064. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 119⇗ | 29 May 1944 | Target: Focke-Wulf Aircraft Parts Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Krzesiny District, Poznań, Poland | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | Low Group, Low Squadron Deputy. Turned back at 0944 hrs because an oil pressure line broke; the engine caught fire and had to be feathered. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 120⇗ | 30 May 1944 | Target: Aircraft Hangars and Repair Sheds Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Halberstadt, Germany | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 122⇗ | 2 June 1944 | Target: Gun Battery with six 155mm guns, Tactical Support Type: Military Location: Hardelot (5 miles S of Boulogne), France | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 124⇗ | 3 June 1944 | Target: Coastal Artillery Battery Type: Military Location: Le Touquet, France | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 125⇗ | 4 June 1944 | Target: Artillery Battery Type: Military Location: Hardelot (Boulogne area), France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 126⇗ | 5 June 1944 | Target: Field Artillery Battery Type: Military Location: La Fosse, France | Completed Mission | Lead Group. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 130⇗ | 7 June 1944 | Target: Transportation Hub Type: Military Location: Condé-sur-Noireau, France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 131⇗ | 8 June 1944 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (41C) & Loire River Railroad Bridge (41D) Type: Transportation Location: Orleans, France | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 134⇗ | 13 June 1944 | Target: Dreux Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Dreux, France | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 137⇗ | 16 June 1944 | Target: Athies Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Laon, France | Aborted Mission After Taking Off. | High Group. Turned back over England with a mechanical failure. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 139⇗ | 19 June 1944 | Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Fleury & Crépy, France | Flight Completed | Weather aircraft; remainder of crew (CP, RO, Eng) not identified Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 161⇗ | 19 July 1944 | Target: Hydrogen Peroxide Plant Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Höllriegelskreuth District, Pullach, Germany | Flight Completed | Assembly ship; additional crew members (CP, N, Eng, RO) not identified in mission documents. In this first use of aircraft 42-3441, in the 'SPOTTED COW' paint scheme, as an assembly aircraft, Col. Travis provided several suggestions for improvement. Chief among those was the observation that the paint scheme did not stand out in the faint early morning light. He also noted that the lightly-loaded assembly ship should limit maneuvering to the capability of the fully-loaded bombers. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 162⇗ | 20 July 1944 | Target: Aircraft Plants Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Dessau, Germany | Flight Completed | Assembly Ship; remainder of crew not listed on mission documents. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 163⇗ | 21 July 1944 | Target: Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Schwäbisch Hall, Germany | Returned To Base | Assembly ship; remainder of crew not listed on mission documents. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 166⇗ | 28 July 1944 | Target: Synthetic Oil & Chemical Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Merseburg, Germany | Returned To Base | Assembly aircraft. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 167⇗ | 29 July 1944 | Target: Synthetic Oil & Chemical Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Merseburg, Germany | Returned To Base | Assembly A/C Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 168⇗ | 31 July 1944 | Target: Aero Engine Factory Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Munich / München, Germany | Flight Completed | Assembly Aircraft; remainder of crew (CP, N, RO, Eng) not identified. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 194⇗ | 13 September 1944 | Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Refinery Type: Oil Industry Location: Merseburg, Germany | Flight Completed | Weather aircraft; remainder of crew - CP, N, Eng, R - not identified in mission documents. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 243⇗ | 24 December 1944 | Target: Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Kirch Göns, Germany | Flight Completed | Weather aircraft. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 264⇗ | 3 February 1945 | Target: Tempelhof Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Berlin, Germany | Flight Completed | Weather aircraft; remainder of crew (CP, N Eng, RO) not identified in mission documents. Sortie Report ⇗ |