Posted:
By: Paul Bellamy
On: 05/23/2008
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Hi Bill,
The DY tail code indicates a 2nd Air Force B-17 from the training unit at Dyersburg Army Air Base, TN, where B-17 crews underwent the final stages of their training before being posted overseas.
As to the 899, that may be the shortened form of the aircraft's serial number. There is a photo of another DY-marked B-17 here: http://www.dyaab.us/images/dyaab-b17.gif.
The 420 can be seen to be a repeat of the last three digits on the serial number above it.
If this was the usual practice, then the identity of the aircraft can be narrowed down slightly.
There were only twelve B-17s with numbers ending in 899:
Camouflage painted;
B-17F (VE) 42-5899
B-17F (BO) 42-29899
B-17F (BO) 42-30899
B-17G (BO) 42-31899
Natural Metal finish;
B-17G (DL) 42-37899
B-17G (VE) 42-39899
B-17G (VE) 42-97899
B-17G (BO) 42-102899
B-17G (BO) 43-37899
B-17G (BO) 43-38899
B-17G (DL) 44-6899
B-17G (VE) 44-8899
Of these, histories can be traced for some of them:
42-5899:
8th Air Force, 388th Bomb Group, 560 Bomb Squadrom, Knettishall, England. Lost over Brest, France, 5 January 1944.
42-29899:
Converted to an F-9B/FB-17F/RB-17F Photo Reconnaissance aircraft.
42-31899:
8th Air Force, 351st Bomb Group, 510th Bomb Squadron, Polebrook, England. Interned in Switzerland 27th May 1944.
42-97899:
8th Air Force, 457th Bomb Group, Glatton, England. Lost to Flak over Hamburg 25th October 1944.
42-102899:
460th AAF Base Unit (Gunnery Training), Kingman AAF, AZ. Crashed near Flagstaff, AZ, 18th September 1944.
43-37899:
8th Air Force, 398th Bomb Group, 601st Bomb Squadron, Nuthampstead, England. Lost in action 20th January 1945.
43-38899:
8th Air Force, 95th Bomb Group, 336th Bomb Squadron, Horham, England. Lost in action 3rd February 1945.
This leaves the following:
42-30899
42-37899
42-39899
44-6899
44-8899
I would suggest the one in your photo is one of the first three, or possibly 42-29899, rather than the last two.
Hope that helps,
Paul Bellamy
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