Here, eventually, I hope to be able to post photos of all the PFF "Mickey" equipped B-17s assigned to the 401st Bomb Group.

Current known allocated aircraft: 17
Current photographed aircraft: 12
Last updated: 4th July 2010

B-17G-20-VE 42-97600
Ex-94CBW PFF aircraft.
Allocated 401BG 614BS IW-Y 20th August 1944.
Lost in Action 21st November 1944.



B-17G-25-VE 42-97636
Ex-94CBW PFF aircraft.
Suffered Category 3 damage as a result of a landing accident 8th August 1944, Lt. William C. Mannix (613th Squadron) flying.
Aircraft repaired and brought back into service.
Allocated 401BG 615BS IY-H 26th August 1944.
Suffered Category 3 damage as a result of a landing accident 18th February 1945, Capt. Paul E. Campbell (615th Squadron Operations Officer) flying.
Aircraft repaired and brought back into service.
Transferred to 305BG in May 1945 for Project Casey Jones.
(Seen at the far end of the dispersal)



Aftermath of the 18th Feb 45 accident


B-17G-40-VE 42-97947
Ex-94CBW PFF aircraft.
Allocated 401BG 612BS SC-U 7th August 1944.
Suffered unspecified damage in a ground accident whilst parked 5th February 1945.
Presumably transferred to 615BS IY-? Spring 1945.
Transferred to 305BG in August (May?) 1945 for Project Casey Jones.
Possibly the identity of "Snooper" seen downthread.





Note the ILS repeater and associated equipment installed top right.


B-17G-45-VE 44-8033
Allocated 401BG 614BS IW-C 17th August 1944.
Transferred to 615BS IY-C Spring 1945.
Transferred to 305BG in May 1945 for Project Casey Jones.

(Trailing IY-J 44-8825 in this bomb run photo)




B-17G-50-VE 44-8153
Allocated 401BG 612BS SC-Q 18th August 1944.
Transferred to 615BS IY-O Spring 1945.
Transferred to 305BG in May 1945 for Project Casey Jones.





B-17G-55-VE 44-8258
Allocated 401BG 615BS IY-A 4th October 1944.
Force-landed Melsbroek, Belgium on December 11th 1944.
Destroyed on the ground by German fighters, 1st January 1945.



B-17G-55-VE 44-8259
Allocated 401BG 614BS IW-G 17th November 1944.
Transferred to 615BS IY-K Spring 1945.
Transferred to 305BG in May 1945 for Project Casey Jones.



And in her post-war 305BG service, with the ghost of the 401st stripe still visible on her fin:



B-17G-60-VE 44-8371 "Badland Bat II / Freckles"
Allocated 401BG 615BS IY-M 30th November 1944.
Suffered unspecified damage in a ground accident whilst parked 8th February 1945.
Lost in Action, 16th February 1945.
(Second aircraft from front)



B-17G-65-VE 44-8449
Allocated 401BG 613BS IN-P 9th November 1944.
Suffered Category 3 damage as a result of a take-off accident 20th November 1944, Lt. K.A. Baker flying.
Aircraft repaired and brought back into service.
Transferred to 615BS IY-F Spring 1945.
Transferred to 305BG in April 1945 for Project Casey Jones

No photos yet.

B-17G-65-VE 44-8454
Allocated 401BG 613BS IN-C 19th November 1944.
Transferred to 615BS IY-T Spring 1945.
Transferred to 305BG in May 1945 for Project Casey Jones



B-17G-70-VE 44-8550
Allocated 401BG 613BS IN-Q 1st January 1945.
Transferred to 615BS IY-D Spring 1945.
Transferred to 305BG in May 1945 for Project Casey Jones

No photos yet.

B-17G-75-VE 44-8648
Allocated 401BG 613BS IN-M January 1945.
Transferred to 615BS IY-N Spring 1945.
Transferred to 305BG in May 1945 for Project Casey Jones

No photos yet.

B-17G-75-VE 44-8653
Allocated 401BG 615BS IY-S 20th January 1945.
Transferred to 305BG in May 1945 for Project Casey Jones

No photos yet.

B-17G-80-VE 44-8707
Allocated 401BG 615BS IY-M 17th February 1945.
Transferred to 305BG in May 1945 for Project Casey Jones

No photos yet.

B-17G-80-VE 44-8708
Allocated 401BG 615BS IY-G 17th February 1945.
Transferred to 305BG in May 1945 for Project Casey Jones
(As she's flying alongside IW-N 43-38738 "Be Comin' Back" this is either the 10th March 1945 mission #225 to Hagen marshalling yards, or the 10th April 1945 mission #246 to Oranienburg ordnance depot)



B-17G-85-VE 44-8812
Allocated 401BG 615BS IY-A 19th February 1945.
Transferred to 305BG in May 1945 for Project Casey Jones
(This is believed to be '812 in April 1945, but not yet confirmed)



B-17G-85-VE 44-8825
Allocated 401BG 615BS IY-J 19th February 1945.
Transferred to 305BG in May 1945 for Project Casey Jones.

Seen here on the bomb run with radome extended.
44-8033 IY-C is on her starboard wing as reserve PFF ship, with 44-8767 IN-W on the port wing.



'825 after transfer to the 305BG, during removal of the armament and 401st markings.



"Snooper"
I've not yet confirmed this as one of the "Mickey Ships", but from the photos so far examined it seems only the 401st's PFF aircraft had the cheek guns removed and plated over. The name and nose art are rather apt for a BTO ship too.
Furthermore, there appears to be additional equipment installed above the front cheek window (note the non-standard bolts/rivets) in a similar position to the ILS repeater seen in 42-97947 upthread.



Unknown aircraft, showing the plates over the cheek gun ports.




"Little Larry"
Not a "Mickey Ship", but I'll post this photo here for now as it shows another of the electronic warfare devices used by the 401st.
In this case, the distinctive "fish hook" AS-69 Antenna of the AN/APT-2 "Carpet" Radio Countermeasures Set can be seen in front of the open nose hatch.
This device was designed to jam the German Wurtzburg and Flak gunlaying radar equipment.





All the best,
PB

Paul,

Regarding the repeater bracket fasteners you noted on 42-97947 and Snooper, I took these photos of the same four screws on Chuckie this afternoon. More evidence of similar modifications!





Scott

Thanks Scott,

I have a nagging worry about what fits on those four fasteners, on some B-17Gs the bombardier's heated suit rheostat is fitted there, mounted either vertically or horizontally. I wonder if the spacings match the boltholes on a rheostat box.

The ILS repeater bracket has two rows of three fasteners and is mounted above the forward corner of the window, no sign of those on Chuckie that I can see I'm afraid.
Then again, it could have been a unit- or division-level modification.

All the best,
PB

In-flight photo of 42-97947 added.

More additions:
Post-accident photo of 42-97636 added.
In-flight photo of 44-8708 added.

12 down, 5 to go.

Bomb run photo showing both 44-8825 and 44-8033 added.