Mere end 500 amerikanske bombefly var den 9. april 1944 på bombetogt til Polen og Tyskland.
Se 8 af de tabte fly: Google Map 9APR1944 og artiklen De satte livet på spil over Sjælland, trykt i en del Sjællandske Medier 9. april 2014, også om dette fly.

B17 42-39974 nødlandede på Værløse Flyveplads her den 9. april 1944. Flyvestation Værløse blev nedlagt 1. oktober 2008.

"136 B-17 skulle flyve til mål i Nord­tyskland. På grund af dårligt vejr vendte den førende Combat Wing af B-17 med flere mindre boxes om, umiddelbart efter de havde passeret den danske kyst. Kun 33 B-17 fra 45. CBW fortsatte ufortrødent mod deres mål, Focke-Wulf flyfabrikken i Poznan, hvor de foretog en præcisionsbombing på trods af kraftig flak, der beskadigede 13 af flyene. Under returflyvningen over Østersøen blev den lille formation angrebet af en flok Ju88, der affyrede raketter mod bombeflyene. To fly blev ramt, og det ene gik i vandet vest for Bøtø (her) på Falster, medens »Punch Board« gled ud af formationen.
 

Piloten, 1st Lt. Ernest Lee Racener, beretter: »Vi blev ramt i nr. 2 motor og begyndte at tabe brændstof med en alarmerende hurtighed. Navigatøren meddelte, at hvis vi fortsatte med at tabe brændstof med den hastighed, ville vi kun lige akkurat kunne nå Sverige. Jeg bad om kursen, og roligt gled vi ud af formationen og fløj mod nord. Al ammunition og alle maskinkanoner blev kastet over bord, medens vi fløj lavt over vandet. Endelig kom vi over land. Den gang kendte ingen af os farverne på det svenske flag, men fra flere flagstænger så vi et rødt flag med et hvidt kors. Da Danmark var besat og sikkert derfor ikke måtte anvende eget flag, så mente vi, at det måtte være Sverige. Efter 10-15 minutters flyvning fandt vi en dejlig åben plads, der var velegnet til landing. Jeg kredsede over pladsen for at checke for eventuelle grøfter eller hegn, og halvt over pladsen opdagede jeg pludselig de camouflerede fly med hagekors på haleroret. Jeg trak flyet op igen og begyndte at dreje bort, men i det samme rapporterede skytterne en Me210, der havde lagt sig bag os. Det lette flak var også vågnet op og gav korte varselsskud foran os. Uden ammunition og maskinkanoner havde vi ikke en chance, og jeg gik tilbage og landede på pladsen. Fra denne dag og efter 13 måneder i en tysk fangelejr, kan jeg garantere, at der var 10 amerikanere, der lærte at kende forskel på det danske og det svenske flag.” (FT 88-39-22) Mere i p276MACR.

Se tegning af besætningen på en B-17, Foto af en B-17 + B-17 i airmen.dk samt B-17 Ball Turret, Ammunition og Ball Turret Gunner.
10 flyvere.

On 9 April 1944 more than 500 American bombers were on a bombing raid on Poland and Germany. See 8 of the lost planes: Google Map 9APR1944.

B17 42-39974 made a forced landing here on Værløse Air Base on 9 April 1944. The air base was closed on 1 October 2008.
"136 B-17's were to fly towards targets in Northern Germany. Because of bad weather the leading Combat Wing of B-17's with several fairly small boxes turned around immediately after having crossed the Danish coastline. Only 33 B-17's from 45. CBW continued steadily towards their target, the Focke-Wulf aircraft factory in Poznan where they carried out a precision bombing in spite of heavy flak which damaged 13 of the airplanes. During the return flight across the Baltic the small formation was attacked by a group of Ju88's which fired rockets towards the bombers. Two aircraft were hit, and one crashed into the sea west of Bøtø (here) on Falster while "Punch Board" slid out of the formation.

The pilot, 1st Lt. Ernest Lee Racener, tells, "We were hit in motor no. 2 and began to lose fuel at an alarming rate. The navigator said that if we continued losing fuel at that rate, we would only just be able to reach Sweden. I asked for the course, and we slid calmly out of the formation and flew north. All ammunition and all machine guns were thrown overboard while we were flying low over the water. At last we came in over land. At that time none of us knew the colours of the Swedish flag, but from several flagpoles we saw a red flag with a white cross flying (See Nordic Cross flags). Since Denmark was occupied and therefore probably wasn't allowed to use its own flag, we thought that it must be Sweden. After flying for about 10-15 minutes we found a conveniently open space which was well suited for landing. I circled over the space to check for possible ditches or fences, and halfway over the space I suddenly caught sight of the camouflaged aircraft with swastikas on the the tail rudder. I flew upward again and began to turn away, but at that moment the gunners reported a Me210 which had flown in behind us. The light flak had also woken up and fired short warning shots in front of us. Without ammunition and machine guns we didn't stand a chance, so I returned and landed on the space. From this day and after 13 months in a German prison camp I can guarantee that there were 10 Americans who got to know the difference between the Danish and the Swedish flags." (FT 88-39-22  Translated by KK) More in p276MACR.

See a drawing of the crew of a B-17, Photo of  a B-17 + B-17s in airmen.dk and B-17 Ball Turret, Ammunition and the story of a Ball Turret Gunner.
This B-17 belonged to  731 BS, 452 BG, 45 CBW, 3 BD, 8 AF. See 452nd Bomb Group. It took off from Deopham Green. 10 airmen.