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B‑17F 42‑3524
Built at Boeing’s Denver plant as a B‑17F, 42‑3524 was one of the few F‑models fitted with a Bendix chin turret as seen on all B‑17Gs. The aircraft did, however, retain the F‑model’s original Sperry dorsal turret, open waist gun positions and the radio operator’s gun, although the cheek guns synonymous with the B‑17G were absent. Christened Vonnie Gal, 42‑3524 was the oldest operational Flying Fortress assigned to the 379th BG,
based at Kimbolton, Cambridgeshire, by the time fate and flak finally caught up with it during a raid on Leipzig on 20 July 1944. Whilst being flown by 527th BS pilot 2Lt William F. Moore, Vonnie Gal was struck by flak over the target seconds after releasing its bombs. With his bomber badly damaged and leaking fuel, Moore pointed its nose in the direction of neutral Switzerland and landed at Payerne airfield shortly thereafter - both the aircraft and its crew were immediately interned. Vonnie Gal was eventually patched up and flown back to Burtonwood, in Lancashire, on 25 September 1945, only to be
scrapped a few weeks later.