I was able to get a DVD of the Battle of Midway. It is the actual footage of the battle.

What I hoped to find out was the 11 BG H fought at the Battle of Midway. This DVD has several moments of B-17s taking off from Midway.

They had just arrived the night before from Hickman. I stopped the DVD.
and I was able to freeze the tail numbers of the following planes

12437
12524
12411 could have been 12511
12532 could have been 12632
12648

These are the actual numbers of the 11 BG H B-17s on Midway, there were more, but these are the only ones I could freeze and see the number. 

Can we learn anything about these planes from these tail numbers?  I have several friends whose families's members later died on missions with the 11 BG H 42 Sq as they continued from Midway to Guadalcanal and the Solomon Islands.. If any of these planes could be their family members plane it would be a blessing to them.

Please let me know if these numbers are of any use in tracing the planes. 

Sincerely yours,
PA.Dutchman

Son of T/Sgt. Ray A. Heilman, JR.
11 TH Field Artillery 1937-1940
Schofield Barracks
7 TH AAC 11 BGH 42 Sq.1940-45
Hickam Survivor 12/7/1941
AAC Armorer (P) 911
P.U.Citation1942

You can check out the serial numbers on Joe Baugher's site at http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/usafserials.html
This site doesn't have all the answers but often can give a pretty good account of what became of an aircraft.

Vic

Vic Walzel, brother of 1st Lt Leland H. Walzel, bombardier with the 93rd Bomb Group, 330th Squadron. KIA 6 March 1944 on his 25th mission.
www.lelandwalzel.150m.com

http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/usafserials.html  has search engine however serial number must be entered as 41-2524

also the book "Fortress against the Sun" has some references to the serial numbers you mentioned as well. 

http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/world_war2/world_war2.html - this link is an air force historial research agency - it has history from early 1900's to present.

THANKS A MILLION!!!

Sincerely yours,
PA.Dutchman

Son of T/Sgt. Ray A. Heilman, JR.
11 TH Field Artillery 1937-1940
Schofield Barracks
7 TH AAC 11 BGH 42 Sq.1940-45
Hickam Survivor 12/7/1941
AAC Armorer (P) 911
P.U.Citation1942

THANK YOU TOO LINDA!!

I have that book and will check both sources. It is a GREAT DVD, it interviews some of the pilots who just came back from fighting the Zeros over Midway.

It gives their name and number of planes shot down, it has a Flying-boat unloading pilots who went down over the ocean. They give their names and how many days they were a drift. 

Unlike many of these old films this is in color. It has actual bombing during the filming at Midway. 

Some of it was classified but it is now able to be put on a DVD and it was worth every cent.     

Sincerely yours,
PA.Dutchman

Son of T/Sgt. Ray A. Heilman, JR.
11 TH Field Artillery 1937-1940
Schofield Barracks
7 TH AAC 11 BGH 42 Sq.1940-45
Hickam Survivor 12/7/1941
AAC Armorer (P) 911
P.U.Citation1942

I found them thank you. A couple were damaged at Hendricks Field. That is one of the places the 42 Sq. the 11 BG H fought. That was my fathers' unit.  

This is a photo from the 42 Sq. 11 BG H from Grey Geese Calling. My father has the same photo, it is mine now he passed away, he has the names written on the back.

My father is in the center front row with the helmet at his feet. His "Bud" and was "Bud" until the day we sent him home. He was a JR and hated it.

Attached Image(s)

Sincerely yours,
PA.Dutchman

Son of T/Sgt. Ray A. Heilman, JR.
11 TH Field Artillery 1937-1940
Schofield Barracks
7 TH AAC 11 BGH 42 Sq.1940-45
Hickam Survivor 12/7/1941
AAC Armorer (P) 911
P.U.Citation1942