Some planes are unlucky; 42-5846 of the 535th Bomb Squadron, 381st Bomb Group at RAF Ridgewell was once such aircraft. In approximately six months of combat service, this B-17F, nicknamed “Tinker Toy“, had more than its fair share of sorrows. On one mission, the navigator was killed by flak. A later mission was even more harrowing when flak and fighters tore through the formation, resulting in the pilot killed and the copilot wounded. The flight engineer, after pulling the body of the pilot from his seat, flew the aircraft back to England, where he and the injured copilot made a successful landing.
On the 20th of December, 1943, Tinker Toy’s run of less than stellar fortune ran out: the plane was engaged by a BF-109 who, after raking the B-17 with gunfire, collided with its target, and both planes went down locked together. Seven men died in the Fortress, and the other three crewmen were taken prisoner.
Thus ended the saga of an unlucky B-17, but such tales were well-known to the bomber crews of the 8th Air Force during World War II.
The Jive Bomber 