The Story of the Last Flight of B-17G ‘Wicked Witch’ Engulfed in Flames

February 1945 and the Allied Push

In February 1945, fierce fighting had already reached German soil. Allied ground forces were positioned between Aachen and Cologne, facing difficult battles and enduring many losses as they advanced toward key German positions. Every village and town captured along the way was won at a high price. In the skies, the air war continued with the same intensity, as bomber crews and their escorts worked tirelessly to support the offensive and weaken the remaining German forces.

On February 20, 1945, the Eighth Air Force flew mission number 836. Their objective was to bomb the main station and marshalling yard at Nürnberg. The 91st Bomb Group joined the strike force, carrying out what would be its 296th mission. One of the aircraft assigned to that day’s target was a B-17G called “Wicked Witch,” carrying the serial number 42-102490. This bomber belonged to the 323rd Bomb Squadron and was piloted by First Lieutenant Eddie R. McKnight. Serving with him were Second Lieutenant Milton C. Rohr as co-pilot, Second Lieutenant Peter M. Chamberlain as navigator, Second Lieutenant Bruce W. Becker as bombardier, Staff Sergeant William L. Hudson as top turret gunner, Staff Sergeant Esequiel A. Guajardo as radio operator, Sergeant Joseph A. Montpetit as ball turret gunner, Sergeant Morley J. Colvin as waist gunner, and Sergeant Elmer B. Russell as tail gunner.

The B-17 “Wicked Witch” and the Mission Setup

During this mission, the formation was guarded by P-51 Mustangs. No hostile fighters appeared, but the German anti-aircraft defenses still posed a serious threat to bombers, especially during the final bombing run when aircraft were locked on course and could not maneuver freely. The B-17 known as “Wicked Witch” was placed as the lead plane of the low group in the low squadron. Although flak over Nürnberg was described as meager, a single direct hit could still prove deadly.

At some point during the approach to the target, “Wicked Witch” was struck by flak under the pilot’s compartment. Despite the general level of anti-aircraft fire being less intense than on other missions, the bombers still faced dangers from well-aimed bursts. Soon after the flak impact, the aircraft began to lose altitude. Two separate accounts of this event were recorded in Missing Air Crew Report number 12556, and they shed light on what happened during those critical moments.

Eyewitness Reports over Nürnberg

First Lieutenant John M. Diracles served as a navigator on a different B-17, “Ramblin’ Rebel,” flown by First Lieutenant Robert J. Lawson. Diracles wrote that about thirty seconds before the bombs were released, he saw “Wicked Witch” shudder and release its bombs prematurely. He noticed a large hole in the fuselage beneath the top turret and watched as the plane slowly descended. The bomber vanished into lower cloud layers, estimated to be between 5,000 and 7,000 feet below the formation. He stated that the aircraft did not explode and seemed under control. One crew member appeared to exit without opening a parachute.

A second statement came from Flight Officer Meyer Feinberg, the bombardier on “Peace or Bust,” another B-17 in the low group. He described seeing an explosion on “Wicked Witch,” followed by flames and black smoke coming from the bomb bay and top turret area. According to his account, the plane turned dark from around the radio room to the nose escape hatch, though it still looked like the pilot retained control. Feinberg believed the damage might have involved an oxygen explosion. Neither he nor his tail gunner saw anyone bail out or a chute deploy.

The Crash and the Surviving Crew

Witnesses last spotted “Wicked Witch” at around 10,000 feet over the Nürnberg area, with coordinates listed as 49°27″N – 11°03″E. German records identified the crash site as Wöhrderwiese, northeast of Nürnberg’s main train station. Only three of the nine crew members survived. Co-pilot Milton Rohr later said he was thrown clear when the plane exploded and claimed that no one managed to bail out. Two others were also ejected and captured, Navigator Peter Chamberlain and Tail Gunner Elmer Russell.

The B-17 “Wicked Witch” was the only loss suffered by the 91st Bomb Group on that day’s operation against Nürnberg. The flak hit, the sudden flames, and the final descent brought an end to its final flight, leaving behind accounts from fellow airmen who witnessed its fall and later tried to piece together the bomber’s last moments in the sky.