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Looking for pics and/or info for "Hell's Angel" 42-29978

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I♥B17s
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Looking for pics and/or info for "Hell's Angel" 42-29978

I recently made friends with a wonderful old gentleman.  His name is Frank Petrillo from Waterbury CT.  He was the bombardier on "Hells Angel" till she was lost over Schweinfurt 8/17/43.  I was going to walk a few miles around the park in my neighborhood when I spotted Frank's logos.  He was well dressed and wearing a AAF Association hat  and mini bombardier wings on his chest.  I cannot not stop to chat with any WWII vet I see and Frank was no different.
 
An hour later I had heard many stories about the air war over Europe, how B17s came shipped in B24s, and about his stay at the Hitler Hilton(Stalag3).  So much for walking.
 
I got to thinking that it might be really cool to build a model of Frank's B17 to present to him.  I procured a Hasegawa 1/72nd scale B17F and all the goodies to make it look real.  Sadly I haven't found any info on the web about the markings of 42-29978.  I have a picture of the port side of the nose, found on this site, but no other info so far.
 
I have composed a letter to the AirForce Museum in Dayton but while I wait for a reply I figured this might be an ideal place to do some research too. Here's the info on the plane in question:
 
B-17F-BO
"Hells Angel"
Code: GD-F
Pilot Reinhardt King
381st Bomb Group
434th Bomb Squadron
Base: Ridgewell
Lost: "Black Thursday" 8/17/43
 
If anyone can supply any pics of the plane and/or descriptions of the rudder/tail painting, code letter colors, upper wing marking, etc., etc. I would be indebted to them forever! 
 
Thanks for reading,
 
Ed I♥B17s Zutant
 
 
 
 
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    hkellerjr
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    Re:Looking for pics and/or info for "Hell's Angel" 42-29978 (permalink)
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    381st BG website is located at:  http://www.381stbg.org/cd.php  There is a CD of photos that is avaible to purchase.  You would need to contact Dr. Kevin Wilson, wilsonkvn@aol.com, for additonal information concerning a photo of the nose art for A/C 42-29978.
    Good luck. 

    Howard W. Keller, Jr. (LTC, US Army, Ret)
    Historian,
    452nd Bomb Group Association
    Quote  #2
    Anthony J. Mireles
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    Black Tuesday? (permalink)
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    I♥B17s 
     
    B-17F-BO
    "Hells Angel"
     
    Lost: "Black Thursday" 8/17/43 
     
    Thanks for reading,
     
    Ed I♥B17s Zutant
     
     
     
     

     
    Ed,
     
    Sorry, August 17, 1943 was not "Black Thursday".  August 17, 1943 was a Tuesday. 
     
    The Second Schweinfurt mission, which was flown on October 14, 1943, is known to some as "Black Thursday." 
     
    Good Luck with your research. 
     
    TonyM.


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    Anthony J. Mireles
    FATAL ARMY AIR FORCES AVIATION ACCIDENTS
    IN THE UNITED STATES, 1941-1945
    www.warbirdcrash.com
    Quote  #3
    xdod
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    Re:Black Tuesday? (permalink)
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    Info I found list the pilot on record as Lt Reinhart M King. MACR 382.  Shot down over Bad Schawalbach by Oblt Franz Strobl in a BF 109G-6 of JG 11/9.  10 POWS.    Also the information listed  42-29978 (Hell's Angel) with the 534th Bomb Squadron not the 434th Squadron.

    Berk 
     
    Other info for 381st BG:
    Activated 3  June 1943
    AF Station Ridgewell 13 June 1943
    Consist of four Squadrons:
    532nd VE
    533rd OQ replaced by VP
    524th JZ replaced by GD
    535th PL replaced by MS
    post edited by xdod -
    Quote  #4
    P40 Petey
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    Re:Looking for pics and/or info for "Hell's Angel" 42-29978 (permalink)
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    I♥B17s

    I recently made friends with a wonderful old gentleman.  His name is Frank Petrillo from Waterbury CT.  He was the bombardier on "Hells Angel" till she was lost over Schweinfurt 8/17/43.  I was going to walk a few miles around the park in my neighborhood when I spotted Frank's logos.  He was well dressed and wearing a AAF Association hat  and mini bombardier wings on his chest.  I cannot not stop to chat with any WWII vet I see and Frank was no different.
     
    An hour later I had heard many stories about the air war over Europe, how B17s came shipped in B24s, and about his stay at the Hitler Hilton(Stalag3).  So much for walking.
     
    I got to thinking that it might be really cool to build a model of Frank's B17 to present to him.  I procured a Hasegawa 1/72nd scale B17F and all the goodies to make it look real.  Sadly I haven't found any info on the web about the markings of 42-29978.  I have a picture of the port side of the nose, found on this site, but no other info so far.
     
    I have composed a letter to the AirForce Museum in Dayton but while I wait for a reply I figured this might be an ideal place to do some research too. Here's the info on the plane in question:
     
    B-17F-BO
    "Hells Angel"
    Code: GD-F
    Pilot Reinhardt King
    381st Bomb Group
    434th Bomb Squadron
    Base: Ridgewell
    Lost: "Black Thursday" 8/17/43
     
    If anyone can supply any pics of the plane and/or descriptions of the rudder/tail painting, code letter colors, upper wing marking, etc., etc. I would be indebted to them forever! 
     
    Thanks for reading,
     
    Ed I♥B17s Zutant
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Black Tuesday = October 29, 1929
     
    Black Thursday = October 14, 1943
     
    Black Friday = Steely Dan Song
     
    P-40 Pete
    Quote  #5
    jtennet
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    Re:Looking for pics and/or info for "Hell's Angel" 42-29978 (permalink)
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    Here ya go, Low res image of the nose art. I'll see if I can find a better picture.

    http://i172.photobucket.c.../jtennet/NA_HellsA.jpg


    Jim Tennet (Curator and Chairman)
    Ridgewell Airfield Commemorative Association
    381st Bomb Group Memorial Association. Life Time Member
    http://www.381st.com/
    Quote  #6
    KevinWilson
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    Re:Looking for pics and/or info for "Hell's Angel" 42-29978 (permalink)
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    Ed:
     
    Send an email directly to me off-forum and I can send the noseart for this aircraft and examples of the other plane markings for this era aircraft. 
     
    Regards,
     
     
    Kevin Wilson
    Secretary-Treasurer/Past President/Group Historian
    381st Bomb Group Memorial Association
     
    Email: Wilsonkvn@aol.com
     
     
    Quote  #7
    Lucky Partners
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    Re:Looking for pics and/or info for "Hell's Angel" 42-29978 (permalink)
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    Attached photo dated July 16, 1943

    Hal




    Attached Image(s)

    Quote  #8
    jtennet
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    Re:Looking for pics and/or info for "Hell's Angel" 42-29978 (permalink)
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    Hi Kevin,

    See you in August.

    Jim


    Jim Tennet (Curator and Chairman)
    Ridgewell Airfield Commemorative Association
    381st Bomb Group Memorial Association. Life Time Member
    http://www.381st.com/
    Quote  #9
    Guest
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    Re:Looking for pics and/or info for "Hell's Angel" 42-29978 (permalink)
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    Wow what a GREAT forum this is!  I appreciate each and every reply and there's lots of really useful info that's been posted so far.  You guys are the best and I'm glad I found this friendly place!  Hopefully within a month there'll be a very happy bomb aimer in Waterbury.
     
    Thanks to all of you once again,
     
    Ed
     
     
    Quote  #10
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    Re:Looking for pics and/or info for "Hell's Angel" 42-29978 (permalink)
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    Good luck with your research. 

    TonyM.
    Quote  #11
    jwcon18
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    Re:Looking for pics and/or info for "Hell's Angel" 42-29978 (permalink)
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    Check out this site.  It might help you out with some of the markings.  I didn't see Hell's Angel though. 

    http://www.markstyling.com/1ad_b17s2.htm

    My dad's plane was The Lucky Strike.  I bought a print a few years back.

    Hope this helps.

    Cheers,
    John Connors


    Quote  #12
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    Re:Looking for pics and/or info for "Hell's Angel" 42-29978 (permalink)
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    wow! The things that come up on google..Frank Petrillo is my Great Uncle and I know for a fact he would love the model. After i stumbled across the post, I had Frank read it for himself. It really made his day..thank you. If you need to get into contact with him, you can e-mail me and I can relay the message. r.edwards217@gmail.com
    Quote  #13
    Heuser
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    Re:Looking for pics and/or info for "Hell's Angel" 42-29978 (permalink)
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    Gentlemen,
    an interesting subject, and I am glad to hear that Frank Petrillo is still alive and well.
     
    My father was an eyewitness of these combats on the ground and saw the crews of several B-17 bailing out.
     
    I was able to identify most of the crashplaces of this day in this area (42-5069, 42-5139 of 91.BG, 42-5112 of 351.BG, 42-29830 of 379.BG, 42-29956 and 42-3230 of 384.BG). Only the crash location of 42-29978 is not traceable; this a/c is believed to have crashed in the outskirts of Bad Schwalbach, but unfortunatley there is not a single German document available about this crash.
     
    So an account of Frank Petrillio would be very interesting  for me - is there any possibility to ask him about his experiences on this day?
     
    @ xdod: It is more or less impossible to match the claimants. JG 1, 3 11 and I./JG Süd claimed several a/c in this area, and the location of Strobls claim is exactly where 42-29956 (Hausenfluck) crashed; it sounds to me as  he finally "finished off" this badly crippled a/c...
     
    Best regards from Germany
     
    Heuser
    Quote  #14
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    Re:Looking for pics and/or info for "Hell's Angel" 42-29978 (permalink)
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    I am the daughter of the pilot, Reinhardt King, and may be able to help you as I have many old photos.  Let me know what I might do.
     
    Jeanine King
     
    Quote  #15
    Heuser
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    Re:Looking for pics and/or info for "Hell's Angel" 42-29978 (permalink)
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    Dear Mrs. King,
    very interesting - did your after ever speak about his experiences on this day?
     
    Wit best regards from Germany
     
    A. Heuser
    Quote  #16
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