42-3557

Crashes > of the USAAF

At around 11:55 the B-17F 425-3557 reached its target in Solingen, its bomb bay doors opened and it released its bomb load. Ten minutes earlier, members of other aircraft had already observed that the propeller of the second engine was in the gliding position, but the aircraft continued its flight towards the target area.

After dropping the bombs, the B-17 flew with the bomber stream in a southerly direction, but slowed down due to the stationary engine and fell back.

This proved to be her undoing as she was again fired on by anti-aircraft fire and attacked by German fighters. Another engine caught fire and the pilot ordered the crew to abandon the aircraft. With the exception of the co-pilot and the gunner Leonard, everyone left the aircraft by parachute and reached the ground, where they were captured and taken prisoner by the Germans.

The co-pilot probably wanted to attempt a crash landing, but he and the gunner tried to parachute out shortly before the crash. According to eyewitnesses on the ground, however, the B-17 was already flying so low that its parachutes no longer opened and they hit the ground unbraked and died in the process.

The aircraft reached the ground on the outskirts of Golzheim, skidded a few hundred metres further, turned and came to a halt near the water tower.

2nd Lt Frank Draggoo and Sgt Edwin Leonard were recovered dead and taken to hospital in Cologne-Nippes and later buried in Cologne's West Cemetery.

Additional source:

Jörg Dietsche, "Emergency landing of a B-17F "Flying Fortress" without crew" in: FLIEGER-BLATT 1/2025

Above:

The crash site of the B-17 G, 42-3557 near the water tower of Golzheim

left:

The water tower of Golzheim, to the right of it the shooting hall

bottom left:

Sgt. Edwin H. Leonard

bottom right:

2nd Lt. Frank H. Droggoo

Top left:

Information on firing by anti-aircraft guns and German fighters

Source: BA RL5/1452

bottom left:

German report on the crash of the B-17G and indication of the first burial site

Source: National Archives Washington, AV-Forgings Box 13/Folder