I have come across 5 photos of B17G 42-30266 among photos in an album I am cataloging.  The photos show a tragic scene, the airplane crashed into a neighborhood of buildings and burned.  The markings on the photo indicate it occurred at Felixstowe.  I hope someone can provide more details as to the event, crew, mission, etc.  Here is the database entry I made.

Date: 11/8/1944
Crash Debris - among brick buildings - burned remains - building demolished by crash - men holding sheet metal for photographer to record aicraft s.n.
Aircraft model: B17G
s.n. 42-30266
Other photo markings: I.S.A.D. 3014 - WPU

I will try to attach photos soon when I can get to a scanner.

One internet snippet I found indicated that the airplane was on fire in the air.  Another internet snippet shows a photo of this airplane obviously at an earlier time after a belly landing.

Can anyone help to piece together the history of this airplane?

B-17F 42-30266 was Boeing built and delivered to the 390th BG/569th BS at Framlingham on 1 Aug 43.  It appears to have carried two different names -- in August 1943 was named "WILD CHILDREN" and in February 1944 was named "LUCKY STRIKE".  In two different references, it shows that 266 received battle damage on a mission to Zeitz, Germany and it crashed returning to its base.  The date of the crash is listed as 16 Aug 44.
 
That is all I could find.  Hope this helps.
 
 

David Schmitt
d.schmitt@prodigy.net
son of 1st LT Donald J. Schmitt, USAAF, co-pilot
assigned to 493rd BG/863rd BS at Debach, England
from Nov 1944 thru May 1945

Contact 390th BG Museum Research Dept.
Carolyn Beubian res390th@aol.com
Mike