Big Red B-17

'Big Red' was a B-17F-90 Flying Fortress, serial number 42-30207. which flew during World War II from 1943 to 1944.
The Plane
"Big Red" was manufactured by Boeing Aircraft in Seattle WA, USAAF order number ac-20292 and cost $316,426.00. Received by the USAAF on 23rd April 1943.
'Big Red' then went to the Cheyenne Modification Centre, WY on 29th April 1943, project number 92111.
This project upgraded "Big Red" to B-17F-90 status.
B-17 Flying Fortress serial numbers 42-30132 to 42-30231 became B-17F-90 standard, this entailed all other previous upgrades that B-17's had,
plus newly improved Automatic Flight Control equipment and elevator fabric attachment added.
After Cheyenne, it went to Sioux City, IA on 11th May 1943, then flown to Smoky Hill, KS on 9th June 1943.
From there to Dow Field AAF, ME on 12th June 1943.
It departed the US from Dow Field AAF on 14th June 1943 via Salinas AAF, KS (picked up by Lt. Richard Bailey crew)
Assigned to -- 561 Bomb Squadron, Eighth Air Force, European Theatre of Operations.
Then onward to England via, Maine, Labrador, Iceland and Prestwick, Scotland. 'Big Red' finally arrived at RAF Knettishall in England June 1943
"Big Red" was nicknamed by Pilot Richard Bailey, after his then fiancé,
and future wife, Ms Bette Rathburn, a tall red headed lady.
B-17 #42-30207 'Big Red' completed a total of 35 missions.
During it's 36th mission it crashed in Vendee region of France due to electrical malfunction and fire in oxygen system on Mar 27, 1944.
The Crew
Back - left to right :
George Bartuska--Bombardier,
Richard Bailey - Pilot,
Bill Tobin - Co-pilot,
Larry Bairstow - Navigator
Front - left to right :
Ned Transou - Radio
John Thompson - Top Turret Gunner,
Don Marble -Right Waist Gunner,
Ralph Higgins -Tail Gunner,
Ed Gwinnell - Left Waist Gunner
Roy Graziani - Ball Turret Gunner.
==Mission #1 - Amsterdam, Holland - 17th July 1943==

This was the 388th Heavy Bombardment Group's first mission since it's formation.
For the first mission, "Big Red" was piloted by Lt. Richard Bailey together with 388th Group Commander Col. William B. David.
It was one of 20 aircraft from 388th Bomb Group. Two groups were involved, the 388th and the 385th, 388th as lead.
"Big Red" was the lead ship for the group and the mission...the leader of all the B-17's that day.
All aircraft were airborne by 0626 hours, and Col. David was the Group Leader. Three aircraft aborted, and the rest continued on.
The group and wing formation was accomplished and the briefed route was followed with only a slight deviation at the Initial Point, the last turn before the bomb run.
The assigned target--an aircraft factory in Amsterdam was 7/10th badly covered in cloud
and bombing results were poor because it was difficult to pick out the target area. No fighter presence and only light flak.
Lt. Bailey could not identify the target area, and so returned to Knettishall with all 10 of his bombs. "Big Red", did however, have 2 holes as a result of flak in it's right wing.

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