1st Lt. Philip Tapply Served RAF Rattlesden 447BG Jan-Apr 1945

UPDATED.... Thanks to LuckyPartners for the research my he did to help me locate information on my father's time at Rattlesden. Originally I thought he had arrived in the UK in December, when in fact he had gotten there in November.  I did not know he was a co-pilot on the Malone Crew and that he was assigned his own crew in April of 1945.  I am very grateful to Lucky Partners for the effort he made to research this and help us learn more.  Lucky Partners whomever you are.. many thanks from the Tapply family in Arvada Colorado...  
I have updated my original post with the information that LuckyPartners found for us.
 
Our father, Philip C. Tapply served as a pilot with the 447th from November 1944 - April 1945. He arrived at Rattlesden in November 1944 and was the co-pilot of the Malone Crew. He was assigned his own crew and flew his first mission as pilot on April 11, 1945. Many of his service records have been lost, but we have a few pictures that might be of interest to folks here. 
 
The first is a picture that was published in an aviation magazine (unknown) during the war titled Fortresses Return in Formation After Strike in Germany. The tail numbers that I can make out are: (From Left to Right) 231225 G, 338239 E, 297876 D, 337873 N. The story that my dad told was that he was piloting tail number 873 (lower right) in this photo. and in fact you can see the pilot in the picture although its impossible to make out who it actually is.  
 
The second is a picture of what is believed to be the Malone Crew which my father was the co-pilot. the picture is titled on the back in his handwriting is "England 1945 Jan". The names are written on the back as follows (from Left - Right) Nelson, Cullen, Malone, Tapply, Spears.  

Thank you......
 

LUCKY PARTNERS

Your father was originally assigned to the 447th as the co-pilot of the Malone crew on November 24, 1944 per the attached copy of a page from Special Orders #281 of that date.  The Malone crew flew their first mission on December 11, 1944.  Your father flew his first mission as pilot of his own crew on April 11, 1945.  Best guess is that your crew photo is of the original Malone crew as opposed to the crew that was assigned to your father in April.

After reexamining the photograph with a better magnifying glass... it would appear that the tail number ends in 873 which would likely make it this aircraft.... it also had a N radio designator....
 
B-17G-70-BO 43 37873  NAZDROWIE 709  N  5/31/1944 8/44/44 SQ N/A; RetUS 7/7/45; RFC Kingman 12/19/45 12/19/45
RFC  

Attached are the crew 'loading lists' for three missions your father flew with his own crew.  The numbers above his name indicate the aircraft tail number (the last three digits of the serial number) and the number of the hardstand where the aircraft was parked.  Interestingly on April 11 he was scheduled to fly 42-37392 Mona's Mauraders but ended up flying 43-39194 (no name).  On the other two dates he flew 44-83279 also no name.  Also interestingly all three of these aircraft survived the war and were scrapped at Kingman Arizona.
Left click on the thumbnail to enlarge the image, right click on the enlarged image to download.