At about 15 minutes into the famous 1944 William Wyler’s Memphis Belle documentary film there are some close-ups of the nose art of other B-17s. One of these is B-17F 42-29727 "In Der Fuehrer's Face". At around the time that the Memphis Belle was completing its 25th and final mission, "In Der Fuehrer's Face" was about to take off on its third. Its comical nose art, undoubtedly derived from this Disney cartoon is in stark contrast with the fate of its crew.
Above left and middle: film and music info relating to the Disney movie 'Der Fuehrer's Face'. Source: Disney Fandom website.
Above right: the nose art of B-17F / #42-29727. This is a 'still' from William Wyler's documentary 'Memphis Belle'.
The movie poster of William Wyler's documentary' The Memphis Belle'. Source: Cinema Essentials.
On the 21st of May 1943, B-17F #42-29727 of the 94th Bomb Group / 331st Bomb Squadron (fuselage code QE-'M') took off from Bassingbourn as part of a formation of American bombers assigned to bomb the port city of Emden, in the north-west of Germany.
The crew consisted of:
Pilot: 1st Lieutenant Lowell L. Wetzel
Copilot: Flight Officer Earl Sutton
Navigator: 2nd Lieutenant Clifford H. Hopewell
Bombardier: 2nd Lieutenant Carl R. Pearson
Engineer: Tech/Sergeant Henry C. Kurn
Radio Operator: Staff Sergeant Stacy L. Hendrix
Ball Turret Gunner: Staff Sergeant Carl Rendler Jr
Left Waist Gunner: Staff Sergeant Bryant M. Loftis
Right Waist Gunner: Tech/Sergeant Russell E. Crisp
Tail Gunner: Staff Sergeant Glenn Harding
The above map, from Ab Jansen's book "Sporen aan de Hemel" illustrates the route the formation flew.
Above the North Sea, the formation turned south east towards Terschelling, but then (presumably in an effort to confuse German defenders) turn north again, only to turn around north of Schiermonnikoog.
The Dutch coast was passed, and the formation flew south between Leeuwarden and Groningen. West of Assen, the formation turned east.
In the meantime, the American formation had been discovered by German ground radar. Helmut Beckmann, a pilot of JG 27, was sent up with his unit to intercept the bombers. Above the province of Groningen, the flight of US bombers was intercepted by the German fighters from JagdGeschwader 27.
Above left: Unteroffizier Helmut Beckmann, pilot with 2./JG27 (the second Group of JagdGeschwader (Fighter Group) 27.
Above right: German fighter pilots at Leeuwarden airfield, the Netherlands. From left to right: Oberleutnant Josef Jansen, Unteroffizier Gustav Sturm, Unteroffizier Helmut Beckman, Leutnant Karl Wünsch.
Source: Nederlands Instituut Militaire Historie (NIMH) / collectie Ab Jansen via Helmut Beckmann.
Note: all photographs from the above mentioned collection have the logo of the USAAF Class Book Project added in order to protect the copyright and to discourage the illegal copying of these photographs without prior permission of the NIMH.
The so-called 'Gefechtsbericht' (Battle Report) made by Unteroffizier Helmut Beckmann after flying his sortie of 21st May 1942.
Helmut Beckmann had his sight set on "In Der Fuehrer's Face". The 20mm ammunition from his Messerschmitt 109 hit the bomber: the aircraft was heavily damaged and 2nd Lieutenant Pearson, the bomb aimer in the nose of the aircraft was wounded.
1st Lieutenant Wetzel, the pilot, called 2nd Lieutenant Hopewell, the navigator who was also in the nose of the aircraft, to take Pearson's place so that the bombs could be dropped. A second later, Hopewell noticed someone climbing down from the cockpit, although he couldn't see who it was. Hopewell started to make his way to Pearson to see if there was anything that he could do. As he began to move forward, there was a thud and the aircraft suddenly rolled sideways. The jolt made Hopewell lose his balance, and as he was falling over, he realized he probably only had seconds to reach the escape hatch. However, before he even hit the wall from falling over, there was suddenly simply no aircraft anymore. As Hopewell fell, the aircraft blew up, launching him out falling towards the earth. He wore a parachute, and made it to the ground. Two other members of the crew escaped the aircraft: Technical Sergeant Henry Kurn (the engineer) and Staff Sergeant Stacy Hendrix (the Radio Operator), but Hendrix died of his injuries a week later. Hopewell and Kurn were made prisoner, and survived the war.
Above left: a part of the fuselage with the ball turret visible in the middle. Note the white parachutes to the left. They very possibly covered the bodies of the unfortunate air men killed in the crash. Above right: parts of the wing and undercarriage. Notice the white American star on the wheel. These photographs were taken by Unteroffizier Helmut Beckmann who visited the site of his 'kill'.
Source: Nederlands Instituut Militaire Historie (NIMH) / collectie Ab Jansen via Helmut Beckmann.
Above left: parts of the fuselage and tail. Notice the Aircraft Serial Number on the tail ..29727 (42-29727).
Above right: a part of the nose section with a .50 calibre gun sticking out.
Source: Nederlands Instituut Militaire Historie (NIMH) / collectie Ab Jansen via Helmut Beckmann.
Above left: the crumbled remains of the nose section of #42-29727 in a field at Stobben, Province of Groningen, the Netherlands.
Source: Nederlands Instituut Militaire Historie (NIMH) / collectie Ab Jansen via Helmut Beckmann.
Above right: The same 'nose art' filmed by William Wyler's crew, prior to take-off for the Emden mission.
Of the ten crew members only two survived: the navigator 2nd Lieutenant Clifford Hopewell (see photograph / source find a Grave) and the Engineer Technical Sergeant Henry C. Kurn. so far we have not yet been able to trace his photograph.
Eight crew members were killed. Three of them (P / B / BTG) are buried at the Netherlands American Cemetery & Memorial at Margraten. One of them (the Left Waist Gunner) is buried at Ardennes Cemetery.
The other four CP / RO / RWG / TG) are buried in the USA.
Above left: Pilot, 1st Lieutenant Lowell L. Wetzel. (Source: Ancestry.com). Buried Margraten L-13-11.
Above middle: Bombardier, 2nd Lieutenant Carl L. Pearson. (Source: Fields of Honor Database). Buried Margraten B-2-29.
Ball Turret Gunner, Staff Sergeant Carl Rendler Jr. Photograph missing. Who can help? Buried Margraten Cemetery B-4-28.
Above right: Left Waist Gunner, Staff sergeant Bryant M. Loftis. (Source: Fields of Honor Database). buried Ardennes C-36-21)
Buried in the USA: from left to right: Copilot Flight Officer Earl Sutton, Radio Operator S/Sgt Stacy L. Hendrix, Tail Gunner S/Sgt Glenn Harding and Right Waist Gunner Russell E. Crisp. (Sources: Newspapers.com and Find a Grave).
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