Description
B-17 Equipose leads Fortresses of the 92nd Bomb Group during the second mission to destroy the vital ball-bearing factories at Schweinfurt, Thursday 14 October 1943. High over Germany, beyond the range of Allied fighter cover, the unprotected B17s come under relentless attack from enemy fighters. Losses are high. Undeterred, the valiant crews press on to the target, their relentless determination and courage on “Black Thursday” forever etched into aviation folk lore.
Briefing at 0500 hours on the morning of 14 October 1943 brought the crews of the 92nd Bomb Group news they didn’t want to hear: “It’s Schweinfurt again!” The same message was being repeated in USAAF bomb group briefing rooms all over eastern England in the early hours of what was to become forever known as “Black Thursday”.
This superb piece depicts Colonel Budd Peaslee’s B-17 Equipose, flown by lead pilot Kemp Maclaughlin, leading the Fortresses of the 92nd Bomb Group en-route to the vital ball-bearing factories at Schweinfurt on 14 October 1943.
High over Germany, beyond the range of Allied fighter cover, the unprotected B-17s come under relentless attack from enemy fighters. Losses are high. Undeterred, the valiant crews press on to the target, their relentless determination and courage on that “Black Thursday” forever etched into aviation folklore.
THE SIGNATURES
This print has been signed by TEN pilots, all veterans of the second Schweinfurt mission on 14 October 1943, including the mission command pilot Kemp Maclaughlin:
General J. KEMP MACLAUGHLIN
First Lieutenant WILBUR “BUD” KLINT
First Lieutenant JOHN P. NOACK
First Lieutenant FREDERICK J. BIRD
Technical Sergeant JACK R. GOETZ
Captain MALCOM H. HIGGINS
Technical Sergeant BILL MARTIN
Technical Sergeant ROY C. MCGINNIS
Captain JAMES A. “PETE” MULLINAX
Staff Sergeant BEN ROBERTS
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