This B17 served with the famous "Bloody Hundredth" 100th Bomb Group prior to being transferred out of the 3rd Bomb Division in mid-July and sent to the 303rd Bomb Group at Molesworth. It completed three missions flying from Thorpe Abbotts sporting the name of "Jaybird".

After arrival at Molesworth the aircraft flew many lead roles and sustained considerable damage in the process. Of its 35 recorded missions, nineteen were flown as group lead; on eleven of them significant battle daamge was sustained from flak, fighters and friendly fire. On 4th October 1943 the crew of Captain John Casello claimed three Me110s shot down -- the same crew claimed another Me109 over Oschersleben on 11th January 1944. David Clifton's gunners had bagged an Fw190 over LeBourget in mid-August and Major Mitchell's ball gunner destroyed another over Emden in early October.

It was the icy cold waters of the English Channel that finally claimed Satan's Workshop on 22nd February 1944. George Underwood had the #2 engine shot out by flak over Achersleben and after struggling back across the enemy coast he was forced to ditch into a rough sea -- all on board were killed.