Mar 16th, 2017: Lane Tech of Chicago

[xoxoxoBruce]

Lane Tech of Chicago is a strange name for an airplane, Especially a B-17 in WW II, when they were usually had names like
Memphis Belle, Shoo Shoo Baby, Hells Angel, or Our Gal Sal. But there was a very good reason, the boys (no girls allowed)
at Lane Tech Vocational School, in Chicago, over a six month window raised $300,000($4.3 million today) and bought the plane
for the USAAC.
The christening, at what later became Midway airport, was a typical military SNAFU, in that they ushered the student delegation
to a B-24 and broke the bottle of Champagne on the landing gear. The result was the papers and airport didn’t have a picture of
the B17 showing the serial number.



One of those students, Ted Szalinski wanted to know what happened to the plane. Rumored it was shot down in 1944, but without
the number, the government said, duh.
When a picture surfaced showing the number, he found a Dutchman named Teunis Schuurman, who is a volunteer World War II
researcher who has spent 10 hours a day over the last 11 years documenting 316 Allied Aircraft that crashed in a 50-by-50-mile
area around his hometown of Vollenhove, along with their histories.



Schuurman revealed the name had been changed to Wacky Woody, flew eight total missions, including in Norway, Germany
and the Netherlands. It was shot down in April of ’44, and 5 crew were captured, while 5 evaded capture, which is amazing
considering the allies lost 25% of their bombers on an average mission, with all(10) aboard.
Sounds like a crash landing rather than a crash. All ten survived the war.

link

link

[sexobon]

I had a friend who went to Lane Tech, a highly regarded high school/secondary school. He was in one of the last few graduating classes as an all male school before it went co-ed. He completed the ROTC program there and was offered a West Point scholarship. He ended up going elsewhere though.

The American Air Museum In Britain lists the crew of Wacky Woody. I would imagine Wacky Woody refers to Woody Woodpecker and is a play on the WW in WWII.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Those a 10 very lucky guys.

[xoxoxoBruce]

I read Dan Aykroyd went to Lane Tech for awhile too.

[PATS]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Lane Tech of Chicago is a strange name for an airplane, Especially a B-17 in WW II, when they were usually had names like
Memphis Belle, Shoo Shoo Baby, Hells Angel, or Our Gal Sal. But there was a very good reason, the boys (no girls allowed)
at Lane Tech Vocational School, in Chicago, over a six month window raised $300,000($4.3 million today) and bought the plane
for the USAAC.
The christening, at what later became Midway airport, was a typical military SNAFU, in that they ushered the student delegation
to a B-24 and broke the bottle of Champagne on the landing gear. The result was the papers and airport didn’t have a picture of
the B17 showing the serial number.



One of those students, Ted Szalinski wanted to know what happened to the plane. Rumored it was shot down in 1944, but without
the number, the government said, duh.
When a picture surfaced showing the number, he found a Dutchman named Teunis Schuurman, who is a volunteer World War II
researcher who has spent 10 hours a day over the last 11 years documenting 316 Allied Aircraft that crashed in a 50-by-50-mile
area around his hometown of Vollenhove, along with their histories.



Schuurman revealed the name had been changed to Wacky Woody, flew eight total missions, including in Norway, Germany
and the Netherlands. It was shot down in April of ’44, and 5 crew were captured, while 5 evaded capture, which is amazing
considering the allies lost 25% of their bombers on an average mission, with all(10) aboard.
Sounds like a crash landing rather than a crash. All ten survived the war.

link

link

@@@@@

Let you known that I did contact Mr. Ted Szalinski on Februari 15th 2016, and not the opposite way
Mr. Tom Kane who picked up this story mid 2016, did contact me January 5th 2017.

With the latest info - as for today - "Wacky Woody" was B-17G 42-39841
and Mr. Szalinski's B-17G 42-39856 ( see photo) has no name and nose art.
Check : http://www.teunispats.nl/jack-edward-gibbs-4.htm and search for GECKS .... and you are all set.

Questions ?

Send me an e-mail as on this page: http://www.teunispats.nl/ww2.htm

[xoxoxoBruce]

Thanks for the correction PATS. Looking at your link shows your attention to detail is amazing. You're doing a great job.

[PATS]

We can rule out "Wacky Woody", becasue that's 42-39841
B-17 Master Log by Dave Osborne has also some caveats.