How many B-17s had nicknames that were inspired by their serial numbers? The 91st Bomb Group had 42-40000 Just Nothing and of course the famous Nine-O-Nine.
Others related the military’s numbers to playing cards: There was the 96th Bomb Group’s Full House, Radio Call 23322, and the 384th’s 23222 Deuces Wild. The 447th Bomb Group’s Dead Man’s Hand was 42-31188, the last five numbers matching the poker hand held by Wild Bill Hickok when he was shot in a saloon in Deadwood.
And of course the only one still with us today, Ken McCullar’s 43rd Bomb Group B-17, 41-24521 Black Jack, lying in the deep waters off Papua New Guinea.
I’m sure there are more.
By: GrahamSimons - 16th January 2009 at 20:09
‘Project Bits and Pieces’ is a good source for name/serial data
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January 16, 2009 at 5:17 pm