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Nose art painted by Sgt Frank Stevens
100th Bomb
Group (Heavy)
Thorpe Abbotts, England
NINE LITTLE YANKS AND A JERK
B-17F 42-3271
351st Squadron
Robert Hughes' crew had named and flown another Fort across to England in June
1943 and, like so many others, were separated from the plane upon their arrival in the ETO.
At Thorpe Abbotts, they soon commissioned Frank Stevens to paint their newly assigned
ship with a similar title. Stevens added a shapely nude wearing only a top hat and
perched her on top of a huge bomb.
"Nine Little Yannks..." flew its first mission on 17th July 1943 to Hamburg
and the Hughes crew flew most of their missions in the plane until 24th
January 1944. Then, with 28 missions accrued, another crew took the ship for a
practice flight and upon
their return the main undercarriage collapsed. Although not apparently severely
damaged, the airplane's skin and frame had been buckled and inspectors declared
the Fort beyond repair.
© Ray Bowden
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