Shoo Shoo Baby (aircraft)
Encyclopedia
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, preserved and on public display. A B-17G-35-BO, serial number 42-32076, and manufactured by Boeing, it was named by her crew for a song of the same name
Shoo Shoo Baby (song)
Shoo Shoo Baby is a popular song made famous by The Andrews Sisters. They sang it in the 1943 film Three Cheers for the Boys and it became a big hit for them in 1944, reaching No. 6 in the chart. Their version features a jazzy vocal pop arrangement typical of the time, with a key hook provided by...
made popular by The Andrews Sisters
The Andrews Sisters
The Andrews Sisters were a highly successful close harmony singing group of the swing and boogie-woogie eras. The group consisted of three sisters: contralto LaVerne Sophia Andrews , soprano Maxene Angelyn Andrews , and mezzo-soprano Patricia Marie "Patty" Andrews...
, the favorite song of its crew chief T/Sgt. Hank Cordes. Photographs of the bomber indicate that a third "Shoo" was added to the name at some point in May 1944 when the original aircraft commander completed his tour of duty and was replaced by another pilot.
Service history
The aircraft that would become Shoo Shoo Baby was accepted into the U.S. Army Air Forces inventory on January 19, 1944, and arrived in Great Britain on March 2. After depot modifications, it was flown to the 91st Bomb Group91st Bomb Group
The 91st Bomb Group was an air combat unit of the United States Army Air Forces during the Second World War. Classified as a heavy bombardment group, the 91st operated B-17 Flying Fortress aircraft and was known unofficially as "The Ragged Irregulars" or as "Wray's Ragged Irregulars", after the...
at RAF Bassingbourn
RAF Bassingbourn
RAF Bassingbourn is a former military airbase located in Cambridgeshire approximately north of Royston, Hertfordshire and south west of Cambridge. During World War II it served first as an RAF station and then as a bomber base of the U.S. Eighth Air Force...
on March 23 and began flying missions the next day. 2nd Lt. Paul C. McDuffee was the first pilot assigned to the aircraft and flew 14 of his 25 missions in it, but nine different crews flew Shoo Shoo Baby on missions.
The B-17 flew 24 combat missions from England with the 91st BG, with three other missions aborted for mechanical problems, before being listed as missing in action
Missing in action
Missing in action is a casualty Category assigned under the Status of Missing to armed services personnel who are reported missing during active service. They may have been killed, wounded, become a prisoner of war, or deserted. If deceased, neither their remains nor grave can be positively...
on May 29, 1944. On its final mission, to the Focke Wulf aircraft component factory at Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, it crash-landed at Malmö
Malmö
Malmö , in the southernmost province of Scania, is the third most populous city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg.Malmö is the seat of Malmö Municipality and the capital of Skåne County...
Airport, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
Final mission
The crew of Shoo Shoo Baby on the Poznań mission consisted of:- 2nd Lt. Robert J. Gunther, pilot
- 2nd Lt. George Havrisik, co-pilot
- 2nd Lt. John M. Lowdermilk, navigator
- 2nd Lt. Leonard V. Peterson, bombardier
- T/Sgt. James Shoesmith, top turret gunner
- T/Sgt. John H. Bigham, radio operator/waist gunner
- S/Sgt. Nick Premenko, ball turret gunner
- S/Sgt. Harry J. Teems, tail gunner
- S/Sgt. Harold F. Nicely, waist gunner
This crew had been formed April 26, 1944, from replacements and had flown five previous missions together, all in aircraft other than Shoo Shoo Baby. The crew's navigator
Navigator
A navigator is the person on board a ship or aircraft responsible for its navigation. The navigator's primary responsibility is to be aware of ship or aircraft position at all times. Responsibilities include planning the journey, advising the Captain or aircraft Commander of estimated timing to...
, 2nd Lt. John M. Lowdermilk, described the circumstances of Shoo Shoo Babys final mission:
“Soon after we crossed the German border, we lost number three engine, I believe because of losing oil pressure. Bob could not get the propPropeller (aircraft)Aircraft propellers or airscrews convert rotary motion from piston engines or turboprops to provide propulsive force. They may be fixed or variable pitch. Early aircraft propellers were carved by hand from solid or laminated wood with later propellers being constructed from metal...
feathered (rotated 90° to put the blade edge perpendicular to the airflow). It continued to windmillWindmillA windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
(turn without power in the airflow) the entire trip with no vibration. We attempted to stay in formation with three engines but found this impossible and had to drop out. We continued on course to the best of my ability. We were losing altitude but continued to the target and dropped our bombs. Flying alone toward the Baltic SeaBaltic SeaThe Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
, we saw many German fightersLuftwaffeLuftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
attacking formationsCombat boxThe Combat box was a tactical formation used by heavy bombers of the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. The combat box was also referred to as a "staggered formation"...
of B-17s and could not understand why they didn’t pick us out as a straggler. Before we reached the Baltic Sea, we lost the second engine, and the decision had to be made to go to Sweden because we could not make it back to England. Bob asked for a course to Sweden, and I charted one to a little town called YstadYstadYstad is a "locality", or town, and the seat of Ystad Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden, with 17,286 inhabitants .Settlement dates back to the 11th century and the town has become a busy ferryport, local administrative centre and tourist attraction...
in the very southernmost part of Sweden.
All loose equipment, including machine guns, radio equipment, and clothing, was thrown overboard in order to lighten the ship. An attempt was made to drop the ball turretGun turretA gun turret is a weapon mount that protects the crew or mechanism of a projectile-firing weapon and at the same time lets the weapon be aimed and fired in many directions.The turret is also a rotating weapon platform...
, but it wouldn’t move.
As we approached the coastline, Bob was interested in knowing whether or not it was Sweden. I confidently stated that it was, but after the flak started coming up as we got over land, I wasn’t so sure. All of it was low, and I believe the Swedes were just telling us ‘Don’t try anything.’ Just before we reached land we lost the third engine, and we were losing altitude fast. A Swedish (J 9) fighter came up and led us to Malmö, Sweden, where a B-24, also in trouble, landed just ahead of us. Actually, we had to swing wide to keep from colliding."
European service
Sweden, a neutral countryNeutral country
A neutral power in a particular war is a sovereign state which declares itself to be neutral towards the belligerents. A non-belligerent state does not need to be neutral. The rights and duties of a neutral power are defined in Sections 5 and 13 of the Hague Convention of 1907...
, interned the crew and aircraft, one of eight U.S. heavy bombers that diverted to Sweden that day. A deal was made between the Swedish and U.S. governments to permit around 300 American crewmen to be repatriated in exchange for a promise not to use the crewmen in combat again and to formally turn over to Sweden nine B-17s that had landed intact. Seven of these were converted by Saab
Saab
Saab AB is a Swedish aerospace and defence company, founded in 1937. From 1947 to 1990 it was the parent company of automobile manufacturer Saab Automobile, and between 1968 and 1995 the company was in a merger with commercial vehicle manufacturer Scania, known as Saab-Scania.-History:"Svenska...
Aircraft into airliners that could carry 14 passengers, and Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby flew for SILA (now Scandinavian Airlines).
In December 1945 it was one of two B-17s sold to Danish carrier Det Danske Luftfartselskab A/S, later a part of SAS, and remained in civilian service until June 1947 as the Stig Viking (civilian registry OY-DFA). The B-17 was subsequently transferred in March 1948 to the Danish Army Air Corps, flying as Store Bjørn 672, and in December 1949, to the Danish Naval Air Service. From October 1952 the Danish Air Force 721 Squadron
Eskadrille 721
Eskadrille 721 of the Royal Danish Air Force is the sole squadron in 'Air Transport Wing Aalborg' of the Danish Defence. It provides tactical transport for all parts of the Danish state.-History:...
used the transport for Greenland; finally retiring it a year later. After two years in storage, she was sold to the Institut Géographique National, a French aerial mapping company based in Creil
Creil
Creil is a large town in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune within the département of Oise.-History:Archaeological remains in the area include a Neolithic site, as well as a late Iron Age necropolis, perhaps belonging to a Gaulish fortress or protected camp.The city itself...
outside Paris, and flew under the civilian registry F-BGSP.
Restoration and display
Steve Birdsall
Steve Birdsall of Sydney, Australia, is an aviation writer who has authored many articles and books since the 1960s. He has been published by Air Classics, Flying Review International, Airpower Historian, and the American Aviation Historical Society Journal...
, a noted military aviation historian from Australia.
Last flown in July 1961, the remains of the plane were donated to the U.S. Air Force in 1972 when French officials presented the B-17 to Secretary of the Air Force Robert C. Seamans, Jr. for preservation. The journey from France required the assistance of the United States Air Forces in Europe to disassemble and crate the plane for truck shipment to Rhein-Main Air Base
Rhein-Main Air Base
Rhein-Main Air Base was a U.S. Air Force / NATO military airbase near the city of Frankfurt am Main, Germany. It occupied the south side of Frankfurt International Airport. Its airport codes are discontinued....
in Germany and then eventual airlift to the United States by C-5A transport.
Among those greeting the aircraft on its return were its wartime pilot Paul McDuffee, who had become an insurance salesman in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
, and retired USAF Major General Stanley T. Wray, the first commander of the 91st Bomb Group.
A restoration was undertaken between 1978–1988 at Dover Air Force Base
Dover Air Force Base
Dover Air Force Base or Dover AFB is a United States Air Force base located two miles southeast of the city of Dover, Delaware.-Units:...
, Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
by the 512th Military Airlift Wing in an effort that tallied some 60,000 man hours, and the aircraft was flown to Dayton on October 13, 1988, restored as Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby.
Put on display in place of long-time exhibit DB-17P 44-83624 (a converted B-17G that did not see combat), which was subsequently sent to the Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
Museum at Dover Air Force Base
Dover Air Force Base
Dover Air Force Base or Dover AFB is a United States Air Force base located two miles southeast of the city of Dover, Delaware.-Units:...
(sans its top turret, which it gave up for the restoration of Shoo Shoo Baby) the reborn veteran can be seen today at the National Museum of the United States Air Force
National Museum of the United States Air Force
The National Museum of the United States Air Force is the official museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base northeast of Dayton, Ohio. The NMUSAF is the world's largest and oldest military aviation museum with more than 360 aircraft and missiles on display...
near Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
. The name has been restored to the original Shoo Shoo Baby and due to the amount of skin work required to restore its wartime appearance, it is finished in olive drab and grey instead of bare-metal as it was in operations.
Upcoming move
When restoration is completed of the National Museum of the United States Air Force's B-17D, The SwooseThe Swoose
The Swoose is a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress D-BO, USAAF 40-3097, that saw extensive use in the Southwest Pacific theatre of World War II and survived to become the oldest B-17 still intact. It is the only early "shark fin" B-17 known to exist...
, it will replace Shoo Shoo Baby as the museum's B-17 exhibit. At that time Shoo Shoo Baby will be transferred to the National Air & Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum 's annex at Washington Dulles International Airport in the Chantilly area of Fairfax County, Virginia, United States....
outside Washington D.C. for permanent display. The Swoose will eventually be joined on display in Dayton by the B-17F Memphis Belle once restoration of that aircraft is completed. The decision to transfer Shoo Shoo Baby raised some concerns among the staff and patrons of the Dayton museum, as Shoo Shoo Baby is one of the world's finest restored examples of a B-17G, and has been a popular exhibit at the museum for many years. It was eventually pointed out that with the display of the Swoose and eventual display of the Memphis Belle the National Museum of the United States Air Force will possess the world's two most historically significant B-17s, and another B-17G model can easily be obtained when funds and space become available.
Sources
- Holder, William G. "The Return of Shoo-Shoo Baby" Air University Review
- Freeman, Roger A. with Osborne, David, The B-17 Flying Fortress Story, Arms & Armour Press, an imprint of the Cassell Group, London, WC2R 0BB, 1998, ISBN 1-85409-301-0.
- Thompson, Scott A., Final Cut - The Post-War B-17 Flying Fortress: The Survivors, Revised Edition, Pictorial Histories Publishing Company, Missoula, Montana, 2000, ISBN 1-57510-077-0.