World War II prisoner of war camp - Stalag Luft I



 

World War II - Prisoners of War - Stalag Luft I 

A collection of stories, photos, art and information on Stalag Luft I



 

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THE LAST FLIGHT OF THE SILVER SLIPPER 

(BOEING B-17 FLYING FORTRESS, SER. NO. 42-32045)

BY FIRST LIEUTENANT CHARLES E. QUINBY, PILOT - 96th Bomb Group
 

July 19, 1944 - Mission: the ball bearing works at Schweinfurt, Germany. We were flying in the high squadron in the outboard position. (see the diagram of the six plane high squadron.) 

Erratic power output on the bomb run caused the aircraft to fall back. An adjustment was required to get back in position. The bomb load was dropped upon the signal from the lead bombardier of the group. During the bomb run, the tail gunner, Finnigan, was calling flak bursts at 6 o’clock at distances of 2,000 feet, 1,000 feet and 500 feet. The fourth shell went through the midsection of our plane and exploded about 50 feet above the fuselage. It was just 10 seconds after the bomb load had been dropped! Rudder and elevator control cables were severed by flak, but the autopilot proved functional. Still in formation, the fifth shell exploded under the two inboard engines (#s 2 & 3), taking them out. A large piece of shrapnel hit the armor plate that the co-pilot was sitting on and pushed him against the overhead Plexiglas. Shell shock shook him up and he wasn’t much help thereafter.

With two engines wind milling, I could not stay with the formation, so I pulled out and watched them depart. An attempt was now made to feather engines 2 and 3, but it was unsuccessful.

With the condition of the co-pilot, I got Duplechain, the engineer, to call for fighter escort. (Three P-38’s responded and covered our lonely flight).

A discussion with the navigator lead to a decision to take a westward heading towards France (and England).

The 45 minutes from the target were accomplished by losing altitude, reducing power on engines #1 and #4. Also, I used every trick to keep the cylinder head temperature down. When the temperature gauges were at the top of the red line, I rang the bell for bail out.

Duplechain handed me my parachute, told me that everyone was out, and wished me good luck. I climbed out of the left seat, went to the bomb bay and saw that Art Schwaiger, the ball turret gunner, was on the floor trying to get his parachute harness on. (the turret was too small for him to wear his harness). I climbed back into my seat until he waved and went out. In the forward catwalk, I switched off the auto-pilot and went out the forward escape hatch with my hand on the ripcord. The slipstream pushed my arm and the pilot chute deployed and caught on the ball turret guns. It slipped off and the plane went on. As Art and I were floating down, the ‘Silver Slipper’ went through some crazy gyrations before going in.

Note: Charles (Chuck) Quinby died June 21, 2000 at the age of 77. On at least two occasions, his skill as a pilot saved the lives of his grateful crew.

 

 

Crew Flying on the Silver Slipper

The first unpainted B-17 to fly in combat with the 8th Air Force

CREW NO. HH92,      339TH SQUADRON,     96TH BOMB GROUP, SNETTERTON HEATH,    NORFOLK,     GREAT BRITAIN

Pilot        1st Lt.    Charles E. Quinby
Co-Pilot   2nd Lt.   Herbert R. Jackson
Bombardier  2nd Lt.  Joseph Bernstein
Navigator     2nd Lt.   Bruce K. Bockstanz
Engineer    T/Sgt.   Joseph K. Duplechain
Radio   T/Sgt.    John L. Jones
Waist Gunner  S/Sgt.    Norman F. Christian
Waist Gunner  S/Sgt.   Paul F. Nulton
Tail Gunner  S/Sgt.   Walter J. Finnegan
Ball Gunner S/Sgt.    Arthur J. Schwaiger


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