Heavy Bomber “Firsts”

The Memphis Belle was not the first USAAF heavy bomber to finish 25 missions—it was the first to complete 25 missions over Europe and return to the US. A small number of heavy bombers finished their 25th missions before the Memphis Belle, including:

B-17E Suzy-Q

The Suzy-Q, a 19^th BG B-17E, was the first USAAF heavy bomber to complete 25 missions and return to the US. It flew combat missions early in the war in the Pacific from February-October 1942, when it returned to the US for a war bond tour.

Suzy-Q nose art—the circled areas highlight combat damage repair.

B-24D Hot Stuff

In February 1943, the 93^rd BG B-24 Hot Stuff became the first Eighth Air Force heavy bomber to complete 25 combat missions. It flew about half of its approximately 30 combat missions over Europe, with the remainder being strikes in Africa and patrol missions over the Mediterranean.

Hot Stuff crew: (standing, l to r) Lt Robert Jacobson, Capt Robert Shannon, Lt James Gott, Lt John Lentz; (kneeling, l to r) Sgt Grant Rondeau, Sgt Joseph Craighead, Sgt L.F. Durham, Sgt Paul McQueen, Sgt Kenneth Jeffers, Sgt George Farley.

On May 3, while en route to the US for a war bond tour, Hot Stuff crashed in Iceland in bad weather. The impact killed 13 of the 14 onboard, including Lt Gen Frank Andrews, a senior USAAF general and important US military leader.

Lt Gen Frank Andrews, head of all US forces in Europe, bidding farewell to Prime Minister Winston Churchill before leaving on the fateful trip back to the US.

B-17F Hell's Angel