First B-17 Emergency Landings in Switzerland, Utzenstorf, August 17th, 1943

First B-17 Emergency Landings in Switzerland, Utzenstorf,  August 17th, 1943 B-17 F-95-BO, Serial No. 42-30315, Marking: S, Nickname: "Battle Queen” 8th Air Force, 390th Bomb Group, 569th Squadron, Base: Framlingham, England,  Mission: Regensburg (D)

Crew

Pilot: 1st Lt Stephen P. Report, Jr.

Copilot: 2nd Lt Elmer R. Holloway

Navigator: 2nd Lt Grover D. Boyd, Jr.

Bombardier: 2nd Lt Charles O. Ryan

Engineer: S/Sgt John Scott

Radio: S/SgtWilliam R. Carter

Ball Turret: S/Sgt Theodore P. Obsharsky

Right Waist: Sgt Joseph W. Russell

Left Waist: S/Sgt Blair C. Neal

Tail Gunner: Sgt Ricardo Robledo

The Boeing B-17, better known during the War years as the "Flying Fortress", caused an international sensation even before the War with numerous record flights. It was also well known in Switzerland through literature. On August 17, 1943, 127 bombers of the 8th Air Force 4th Bomb Wing which were stationed in England attacked the Messerschmitt-Werke in Regensburg. In order to surprise the enemy German Air Force tactically, the attack plan was not to return to the original bases. Instead, after bombing the Bavarian industrial metropolis, the plan was to cross the Alps and land on makeshift airfields in North Africa. The heavily damaged "Flying Fortress Battle Queen" sought refuge in neutral Switzerland during this attack. The emergency landing of the B-17F-95-BO in Utzenstorf, Bern, was a real sensation for both the air force and the population. The following report describes the landing of the first B-17 on August 17, 1943 in Utzenstorf. Regensburg, the name of this German industrial city will probably always be associated with one of the 8th US Air Force’s bloodiest chapters. The industrial enterprises in the Reich area were consistently the main targets of the Americans,  besides the submarine bunkers and hydrogenation plants. But these factories were a hard nut to crack for the bombers, because most of them were located in the heart of Germany, well defended by countless anti-aircraft batteries and an air force which at that time was still an equal and feared opponent of the bombers. In the summer of 1943, the bombing terror was experienced mainly in the cities in the north and northwest, but the German industry was not weakened by these attacks. Just as before, vast numbers of planes and tanks rolled off the assembly lines, planes that were later able to madden the bomber crews. General Henry "Hap" Arnold, commander-in-chief of the 8th Air Fleet, was also confronted with this problem. Once these key aspects of the aircraft industry were eliminated, he thought, the bombers would be able to carry out devastating attacks deep in the Reich's territory without obstruction. 48% of all Messerschmitt Bf 109s were manufactured in Regensburg and Wiener-Neustadt. Of course, these cities were also at the top of "Hap" Arnold's list. Regensburg was about 850 km away from the bases of the 4th Bomb Wing. It was obvious that only very careful preparation could bring success. The bombers of the 4th Combat Wing, later the 3rd Air Division, all equipped with the range-enlarging "Tokyo-Tanks", were supposed to attack Regensburg, but then, to confuse the enemy, turn south and, after crossing the Alps, land on the American bases in North Africa. To add to the confusion, 1st Combat Wing bombers were to attack the ball bearing factories in Schweinfurt and then return to their bases in England. The attack was scheduled for August 17, 1943. One year before,  twelve 97th Bomb Group B-17s had flown the first attack of the 8th Air Force on "Fortress Europe". Since then, 404 Flying Fortresses and Liberators had been lost over Europe. At 8.35 a.m. the 4th Bomb Wing’s 127 bombers took off with Regensburg as their destination. The formation was accompanied by 240 Republic P-47 Thunderbolts, but only as far as the German border. At 9.00, the B-17s passed the Dutch coast. Naturally, the Germans were not unaware of what was on the approach. Shortly after Brussels, several Focke Wulf Fw 190s attacked, and the first four B-17s were shot out of the formation. A ruthless air battle broke out, and the B-17s were at the mercy of the Luftwaffe and the Flab until just before they reached the Alps. The attacks were unable to divert the bombers from their course. At 10:37, Regensburg was in sight; due to the excellent weather, the planes had no problems getting the bombs to hit their target as accurately as possible. P-38 reconnaissance photos showed that two thirds of the factory area had been destroyed, as well as important parts of the Messerschmitt Me-262 prototype, which considerably delayed the development of this top-secret super fighter. To the Germans’ great surprise, the bombers turned south after the attack. The Luftwaffe had gotten all the units in the northwest alert and prepared in vain, in order to get the bombers to clear out with a return flight, the B-17 had had enough problems already. Many were carrying dead and wounded on board, shot engines and leaking fuel tanks nourished the uncertainty of ever reaching salvation in North Africa. A crew tried to get their battered B-17 through to Spain, but they had to bail out over Toulouse. Neutral Switzerland was the perfect landing place for stricken bombers. Second Lt Stephen Paul Rapport of the 390th Bomb Group took advantage of this opportunity. This being the youngest group in the 4th Bomb Wing , having achieved the best hit rate in three missions, but also having lost six aircraft. The "Battle Queen- Peg of my Heart" separated from its unit shortly after Regensburg. Rapport managed to finagle his rather battered B-17 past all German fighters and into Switzerland. At 13.45, he rested his tired Queen with retracted landing gear on a meadow near Utzenstorf, in the canton of Bern.  After the War, the B-17F-95-BO, serial number 42-30315, was  dismantled and scrapped by the Swiss, after a thorough investigation.   During the bomber’s emergency landing, a woman had just been picking beans; she put the basket over her head and didn’t come back out from under the wing until a while later.