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: | 43-39236 |
| Name: | BLINKIN' BETSY |
| Manufacturer: | Built by the Boeing Airplane Company, B-17G-105-BO, Natural Metal Finish |
| Squadron: | 547th Bombardment Squadron (H) |
| Squadron ID Code: | 547th‑SO*A |
| Start Date: | 20 February 1945. New Replacement AC. |
| Missions: | This aircraft was credited with 36 combat missions with the 384th. |
| End Date: | 10 December 1945. Crashed: Moved with the Group to Istres/Le Tube, France. |
| Related Documents: | Accident Report # 45-12-10-503⇓ (15.444 MB) |
| Photo Album: | Aircraft 43-39236 Photo Album⇗ |
| History: | 43-39236 Del Hunter 13/1/45; Dow Fd 1/2/45; Ass 547BS/384BG [SO-A] Grafton Underwood 20/2/45; trans with group to Istres on mapping duties; w/Lewis Ahner c/l St Andre Le Cote, France 10/12/45; Sal 9AF Germany 4/3/46. |
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| Number | Date | Target | Results | Mission/Sortie Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 273⇗ | 24 February 1945 | Target: Submarine Construction Shipyard Type: Shipyards Location: Hamburg, Germany | Completed Mission | High Squadron hot camera ship. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 274⇗ | 25 February 1945 | Target: Tank & Submarine Engine Factory Type: Industry Location: Friedrichshafen, Germany | Completed Mission | Low Squadron hot camera ship. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 275⇗ | 26 February 1945 | Target: Schlesicher Railroad Station (Bahnhof) Type: Transportation Location: Berlin, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 276⇗ | 27 February 1945 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Wahren (Leipzig area), Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 277⇗ | 28 February 1945 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Hagen, Germany | Spare, Completed Mission | High Squadron flying spare; joined formation. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 278⇗ | 1 March 1945 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Bruchsal, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 279⇗ | 2 March 1945 | Target: Low Temperature Carbonization Plant and Refinery of Deutsche Petroleum A.G. Type: Oil Industry Location: Rositz, Germany | Spare, Completed Mission | Low Squadron flying spare; joined formation. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 280⇗ | 3 March 1945 | Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery Type: Oil Industry Location: Misburg, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 281⇗ | 4 March 1945 | Target: Ordnance Depot Type: Military Location: Ulm, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 282⇗ | 7 March 1945 | Target: Oil Refinery Type: Oil Industry Location: Bochum, Germany | Completed Mission | Low Squadron. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 283⇗ | 8 March 1945 | Target: Oil Refinery - 'Benzol Plant' Type: Oil Industry Location: Essen, Germany | Completed Mission | Lead Squadron hot camera ship. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 285⇗ | 10 March 1945 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Schwerte, Germany | Completed Mission | Low Squadron spare; joined formation. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 286⇗ | 11 March 1945 | Target: Vacuum Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Bremen, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 288⇗ | 14 March 1945 | Target: Railroad Bridge, Weser River Type: Transportation Location: Bad Oeynhausen, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 289⇗ | 15 March 1945 | Target: Army HQ Type: Military Location: Zossen, Germany | Completed Mission | Low Squadron. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 290⇗ | 17 March 1945 | Target: Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Bohlen (Leipzig), Germany | Spare, Completed Mission | High Squadron flying spare; joined formation. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 292⇗ | 19 March 1945 | Target: Braunkohle-Benzin Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Bohlen, Germany | Completed Mission | 41C Group, Lead Squadron Hot Camera ship. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 293⇗ | 20 March 1945 | Target: Deutsche Werft Submarine Shipyard Type: Submarine Facility Location: Hamburg, Germany | Completed Mission | Pilot reported seeing 10 Me-262 jet aircraft. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 294⇗ | 22 March 1945 | Target: German Hutted Camps (Barracks) at 51°36'N,7°06'E Type: Military Location: Westerholt, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 295⇗ | 23 March 1945 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Gladbeck, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 296⇗ | 24 March 1945 | Target: Vechta Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Vechta, Germany | Completed Mission | Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 44‑6514. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 25 March 1945 | Lutzkendorf, Germany, RECALLED | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 298⇗ | 26 March 1945 | Target: Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Zeitz, Germany | Ground Spare Aircraft, Unused | |
| 299⇗ | 28 March 1945 | Target: Berlin/Spandau Motor Transport Works Type: Industry Location: Spandau (Berlin), Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 300⇗ | 30 March 1945 | Target: Deutsche Schiff- u. Maschinenbau A.G. (DESCHIMAG)
Submarine and Warship Yard Machine Shop Type: Submarine Facility Location: Bremen, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 301⇗ | 31 March 1945 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Lützkendorf, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 302⇗ | 3 April 1945 | Target: Underground Oil Storage Depot Type: Oil Industry Location: Kiel, Germany | Completed Mission | Lead Squadron hot camera ship. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 303⇗ | 4 April 1945 | Target: Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Fassberg, Germany | Completed Mission | Low Squadron. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 304⇗ | 5 April 1945 | Target: Ordnance Depot Type: Military Location: Ingolstadt, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 305⇗ | 6 April 1945 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (Visual Primary) Type: Transportation Location: Leipzig, Germany | Completed Mission | Landed away at A-84, Chievres, Belgium, due to low fuel. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 307⇗ | 9 April 1945 | Target: Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 308⇗ | 10 April 1945 | Target: Ordnance Depot Workshop Area Type: Military Location: Oranienburg, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 309⇗ | 11 April 1945 | Target: Underground Oil Storage Depot Type: Oil Industry Location: Freiham, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 311⇗ | 15 April 1945 | Target: Flak guns at Pointe de Suzac Type: Military Location: Royan, France | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 312⇗ | 16 April 1945 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Regensburg, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 313⇗ | 17 April 1945 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Dresden, Germany | Completed Mission | Major flak damage: hole in nose, #2 fuel tank, right and left wing spars; carpet inverter smoked when turned on; flight gyro out. Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 315⇗ | 20 April 1945 | Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Seddin, Germany | Completed Mission | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 23 April 1945 | Training (Non-Combat) | Flight Completed | Sortie Report ⇗ |
| 316⇗ | 25 April 1945 | Target: Skoda Armament Works Type: Industry Location: Pilsen / Plzeň, Czechoslovakia | Completed Mission | High Squadron. 'Made 3 runs on target - feathered #4 engine, #3 prop-control cable shot away - left main wing spar shot through - all gas tanks shot through.' (pilot comments) Sortie Report ⇗ |
| -- | 10 December 1945 | Non-Combat (Non-Combat) | Crashed In Allied Territory | Crashed in bad weather while attempting a landing. Two crew and 3 passengers were killed, while three crew suffered major injuries. Sortie Report ⇗ |