Us Official Photographs

There was no blizzard at this 8th AAF when the B-17 Flying ofrtress

There was no blizzard at this 8th AAF base when the B-17 Flying Fortress "Merry On" landed on a Spring day, after taking part in an 8th AAF bombing attack on a German fighter airdrome at Achmer. The "snow" is in reality "Foamite", a chemical sprayed by the fire-fighting crash crew to put out a blazing fire in the Fort's wing. A flak hit over the target set an engine and part of the wing on fire, filling the ship with gas fumes that made it so dark that the pilot 1st Lt. Bernard T. Kuhlmeier, of 2703 One A, Fort Madison, Iowa, Said "I couldn't even see the instruments on the panel in front of me.