#roy claytor

[mastersoftheair]

[textmastersoftheair]

[b17project]

"Alice From Dallas" - Going Down

When continuing to investigate what happened exactly to the B-17F "Alice From Dallas" and its crew during this fateful day on August 17, 1943, I found out what is certainly the most detailed account of what happened this day.

Mr. Dirk Thielens from the Belgian association Task Force Liberty (https://www.taskforceliberty.be/) has written an exceptional account of all the events, especially unfoldind from the moment the aircraft was hit at 10.30 a.m by Flak to the aftermath of the crew landing in occupied territory.

You can find the original text written by Dirk Thielens here : https://www.taskforceliberty.be/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Alice-from-Dallas-deel-1.pdf I thank him very much for having accepted to publish the story he wrote on my blog.

I translated a part of it to English for sharing this incredible story :

"When they had reached the province of Limburg at 10:30 they were fired upon by German anti-aircraft (flak). A heavy shock wave was felt in the aircraft when they were hit by anti-aircraft shells. Immediately the right wing of the aircraft, which was full of fuel, caught fire.

Roy Claytor, the pilot, pushed the nose of the aircraft down to leave the formation. Alice from Dallas began to lose altitude rapidly and threatened to go into a left spin. At that moment Roy noticed that the left wing was also on fire and as a reflex he engaged the autopilot and shouted "bail out!" over the intercom. This was the order for the crew to buckle up their parachutes and bail out. Bombardier Kenneth Lorch did what he had to do in that situation. He opened the bomb hatch and dropped all the bombs, which were still on safe, at once after which he, navigator Oscar Amison and Engineer/top turret gunner John Burgin bailed out of the burning aircraft. While the pilot was still trying to to keep it somewhat under control, co-pilot Raymond Nutting also left the cockpit. Pilot Roy Claytor was meanwhile also standing between the two seats in the cockpit and holding the control column. Suddenly the nose of the aircraft went up and he was sucked into the space behind the cockpit. Roy managed to reach the escape hatch and open it, after which he could jump out of the burning crashing aircraft. He waited to open his parachute to get enough distance to the aircraft, in case it would explode in the air.

Roy saw seven parachutes hanging around him. So two parachutes were missing. These were Edward Musante and William Hinton. Apparently they had not gotten out of the aircraft in time. Musante had managed to jump, but his parachute got caught in the tail of the crashing aircraft and he was dragged down into the depths, to a certain death. Two Focke-Wulf 190s of the Luftwaffe circled the crashing aircraft but they did not open fire. They were probably just looking to see where the plane and the parachutes would land and then alert the German ground troops of the exact location. Roy Claytor opened his parachute at about 1,000 feet (+/- 300 meters) altitude.

He saw the remains of Alice from Dallas come down with a huge explosion a little further away. While hanging from his parachute he was thrown in all directions and landed with a thud in a meadow. For about a minute he was dazed and could not move. About thirty paces further on a dirt road one of his comrades also landed with a thud. Roy Claytor had to shout at him three or four times before he reacted. It was Raymond Nutting, the co-pilot. Raymond had only missed the softer grass field he was aiming for by a few meters because he did not dare to pull the ropes of his parachute at low altitude. They had barely managed to get up and had deployed their parachutes when they were surrounded by a few dozen Belgian civilians from the nearby village. (Probably Schoonbeek).

John Burgin had also jumped from the plane together with bombardier Kenneth Lorch via the forward escape hatch. They had first had to remove some escape equipment and blankets. They jumped from the plane at approximately 12,000 feet (+/- 4,000 meters) and opened their parachutes at an altitude of approximately 2,000 meters. John Burgin took off his flight helmet, goggles and oxygen mask and put them in his overalls. The B-17 circled dangerously in flames in its death throes. For a moment John thought the plane would come their way and drag him down. Fortunately it turned around just in time and left the two crew members unharmed. No detailed account of the facts is available from Kenneth Lorch, but from John Burgin there is. As he was hanging from his parachute and drifting quietly southwards, he saw the Germans busy on the ground. He saw Germans taking up positions on various roads. He was hanging above a forest and when he landed at the edge of the forest, a Belgian civilian was quickly standing next to him. He wasted no time with many words and immediately began to pull the parachute out of the branches of the trees. John quickly took off his flying gear. The parachute and the gear were thrown into old shell craters (probably from the fighting in May 1940) and filled with branches, grass and leaves to camouflage them. They heard a German truck approaching, the Belgian man walked up the forest road to see where the danger was coming from and then signaled to John to quickly walk in the other direction. Waist gunner Charles Bailey also did not hesitate to jump out of the plane when the order came. He always wore his parachute harness loose enough so that he could put his hands in his pockets during the flight. The waist gunner stands to the side of the plane in an opening behind his machine gun.

Flying at that altitude with an open door is a guarantee for freezing temperatures. When Charles opened his parachute, he was hit hard by the rather loose harness. So hard that he thought he was going to be torn to pieces. He pulled off his oxygen mask and dropped it. For a moment he thought he was going to land in a pond, but luckily he drifted off. As he descended, he realized that he should have paid more attention in the courses on what to do when landing behind enemy lines. Luckily, he remembered that you should try to hide your parachute as quickly as possible. Charles landed in a garden and his parachute got stuck in a pear tree. The landing itself was pleasant and easy. At least 50 people gathered around him in a circle.

They asked him if he was English or German. When he made it clear that he was American, they spontaneously started hugging and kissing him. He had not yet had breakfast and was spontaneously offered pears from the tree. After his parachute was lowered, he took off his leather jacket and his coverall. There was a piece of shrapnel in his leg and he tried to treat it with a piece of his parachute. While he was administering first aid to himself, the people made it clear to him that he had to get out of there and hide. The people took his equipment and he hid in a ditch. There they brought him food and civilian clothes. The people hung around in the area and strangely enough no Germans showed up. About an hour later they brought him a bicycle and from there his journey was organized.

Of the ten crew, eight managed to escape by parachute. Two crew members, Edward Musante and William Hinton, were killed. Charles Bailey later recalled: “Musante was the right side gunner and I was the left side gunner. I kept a close eye on him at all times because I was older than he was and he seemed to depend on me a great deal. He always had trouble understanding what was said on the intercom and I always made sure he knew what was being said. Also when the pilot gave the signal to jump I checked Musante and he got ready. We both went to the escape hatch and I pulled the lever and Musante went forward to jump. But suddenly he changed his mind and signaled me to go first. Two engines were on fire and the plane was descending very rapidly so I saw no reason to lose any time and jumped. After my parachute opened I tried to keep my eyes on the plane and count the parachutes but I could only see eight.” So what actually happened to Musante is not really clear.

Did he hesitate to jump at the last moment and thereby seal his fate? It is certain that he got caught in the tail with his parachute. Also William Hinton the ball turret gunner could not leave the plane in time. His body was found after the crash among the wreckage. Both crew members were temporarily buried in Genk on 20 August 1943 and were reburied in their home country after the war."

[kwebtv]

Masters of the Air - Apple TV+ - January 26, 2024 - March 15, 2024

War Drama (9 Episodes)

Running Time: 60 minutes

Stars:

Austin Butler as Major Gale "Buck" Cleven

Callum Turner as Major John "Bucky" Egan

Anthony Boyle as Lt. Harry Crosby

Barry Keoghan as Lt. Curtis Biddick

Nikolai Kinski as Colonel Harold Huglin

Stephen Campbell Moore as Major Marvin "Red" Bowman

Sawyer Spielberg as Lt. Roy Frank Claytor

Isabel May as Marjorie "Marge" Spencer

James Murray as Colonel Neil "Chick" Harding

Nate Mann as Major Robert "Rosie" Rosenthal

Laurie Davidson as Lt. Herbert Nash

Joanna Kulig as Paulina

Recurring:

David Shields as Major Everett Blakely

Matt Gavan as Lt. Charles Cruikshank

Bailey Brook as Sgt. Charles K. Bailey

Kai Alexander as Sgt. William Quinn

Ben Radcliffe as Capt. John D. Brady

Adam Long as Capt. Bernard DeMarco

Darragh Cowley as Lt. Glenn Graham

Jonas Moore as Capt. Frank Murphy

Elliot Warren as Lt. James Douglass

Jordan Coulson as Lt. Howard Hamilton

Louis Greatorex as Capt. Joseph "Bubbles" Payne

Nathen Solly as Lt. John Hoerr

Raff Law as Sgt. Ken Lemmons

Samuel Jordan as Sgt. John J. "Winks" Herrmann

James Frecheville as Major Bill Veal

Thomas Flynn as Barr

Tom Joyner as Cpt. "Stormy" Becker

Edward Ashley as Major Jack Kidd

Harry Ames as Capt. August H. Gaspar

Spike White as Lt. Charles A. Via

[rcbertleckie]

Also!! I know that sawyer Spielberg was in the show but my god for the life of me I cannot recall seeing him or hearing his name (Roy frank claytor???) at all.. Am I dyslexic AND stupid? 🥲

And this is coming from someone who rewatched all episodes several times but babes since you’re giffing all the eps I figured you’re the expert and would probably have spotted him?

hehehe thank you for the vote of confidence i am however awfully terrible at his BUUUT since he has a nice mustache i did spot him here and there lol, he is buck's copilot.... as far as i know

[tellusepisode]

The Devil All Time (2020)

Releasing at September 16, 2020 on Netflix

Crime, Drama, Thriller |

The release of The Devil All The Time was announced by Netflix. The film will meet its audience worldwide on September 16.

The Devil has always been found in Ohio and West Virginia, a strange group of people from different backgrounds are being discussed. One of the characters in the movie is former soldier Willard Russell, who was tortured in the massacre from the South Pacific. The old man, who has lost his beautiful wife Charlotte from cancer, is guilty of not being able to save her despite all her totems and prayers. Carl and Sandy Henderson, a serial killer couple, find suitable models. Theodore, on the other hand, is running away from the law they are breaking. William and Charlotte’s orphan sons Arvin Eugene Russell. The young man is for a good but violent situation. How will the lives of these characters become from the end of World War II to the 1960s?

Director: Antonio Campos

Writers: Antonio Campos, Paulo Campos, Donald Ray Pollock (novel)

Stars: Harry Melling, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Riley Keough, Haley Bennett, Bill Skarsgård, Sebastian Stan

►Cast

Harry Melling…Roy LafertyTom Holland…Arvin RussellRobert Pattinson…Preston TeagardinRiley Keough…Sandy HendersonHaley Bennett…Charlotte RussellBill Skarsgård…Willard RussellSebastian Stan…Lee BodeckerMia Wasikowska…Helen HattonEliza Scanlen…Lenora LafertyJason Clarke…Carl HendersonDouglas Hodge…Tater BrownDrew Starkey…Tommy MatsonLucy Faust…Cynthia TeagardinGiven Sharp…Susie CoxAdam Fristoe…PriestAbby Glover…Pamela Sue ReasterGregory Kelly…BoBo McDanielsDavid Maldonado…Henry DunlopCory Scott Allen…Sheriff ThompsonKristin Griffith…EmmaEric Mendenhall…Deputy HowserMark Jeffrey Miller…HankMichael Harding…Reverend SykesJames H Keating…Meat ProcessorMorganna Bridgers…FlorenceKarson Kern…Social WorkerEmily Towles…1965 High School StudentDavid Atkinson…EarskellCaleb J. Thaggard…ButcherScott Rapp…TeacherCade Tropeano…Church GoerPokey LaFargeMichael Banks Repeta…Arvin Russell (9 Years Old)Kevin Waterman…Arresting Police OfficerKelly Lind…Church Member #1Michael H. Cole…DoctorLeslie Sides…Church GoerJason Collett…Gary Matthew BrysonHassel Kromer…Meat Packer / Church Member / DriverPhillip DeVona…Calvin ClaytorEmma Coulter…JuanitaJason Charles Hill…Local Pool PlayerZack Shires…Gene DinwoodieCotton Yancey…Church GoerIvan Hoey Jr.…Orville BuckmanMeagan Bown…1966 High School StudentMadelyn Wall…White Cow WaitressMichael Corin…Drunk Buddy #1Teddy Cole…HippieKenzie Bowling…Church Goer / Church DinnerRyan Anthony Williams…Marine 1Justin Matthew Smith…CoronerJoel Laird…Exterior Tecumseh Bar PatronTim Huddleston…Bar PatronEthan Melisano…Arresting Police Officer #2 / stuntsJorge Castro-Salinas…Bus PassengerDaniel Stone…Meat Plant WorkerJoey Traywick…Church Family ManMatt Powell…1965 Vietnam SoldierEver Eloise Landrum…Young Lenora LafertyMyles Phillips…Church GoerNathan Harris…Bar PatronRebecca Douglas…Necking GirlJeremy Brink…Bull Pen PatronJeff McKinney…Bull Pen PatronDaniel James Vaughn…Police DispatcherMorgan Monroe…Diner Patron / Church GoerLacy Dollar…Diner PatronKalan Matthews…Bar PatronCort Chandler…Jim LaceyBen Bailey…Necking GuyBradley Pitman…Meat Plant WorkerSarah Hamff…Beth Ann ReasterAndrew Young…Cody HamiltonBeth Scott…1945 Diner PatronAnthony Davis…TeacherShannon Frye…Alma ReasterTodd Barnett…Wooden Spoon ManagerCrimson Kromer…Church member / driverKyle Sawyer…Shop PatronAubree Strickland…1940’s Bus PassengerLawrence Hinkle…Diner PatronKacey Hayes…1945 Diner Patron / Church GoerAnthony Eads…1945 Diner #3Ronnie Hiebert Jr.…Drunk Buddy #2Jay Johnson…Sheriff DeputyKatie Flaherty…1965 Cheerleader

The post The Devil All Time (2020) first appeared on TellUsEpisode.net.

from WordPress https://www.tellusepisode.net/the-devil-all-time-2020.html

[b17project]

"Alice From Dallas" - The Short Story

If you have watched Masters of the Air, you've certainly had heard about the B-17F-30-VE "Alice From Dallas" during the infamous Regensburg Mission (Episode 3).

On August 17, 1943, a combined force of some 376 bombers took off from its bases in England to strike Regensburg and Schweinfurt, with the aim of paralyzing German production of combat aircraft and ball bearings. The B-17 “Alice From Dallas” was part of the force of 146 B-17s tasked with bombing the Me-109 factories in Regensburg. Usually flown by 1st LT. William D. Desanders, the plane was named after his wife he married in 1942 Alice Jones. For the Regensburg mission, Desanders was on leave, and the aircraft was flown by The 100th Bomb Group occupied the low squadron at the rear of the formation that day. A very vulnerable place because it offers less defensive firepower than the rest of the combat boxes. "Alice From Dallas" was leading the second low element.

After an attack by German fighters, “Alice From Dallas” was seriously hit on the left wing by sudden and precise fire of German Flak around 10:30 a.m., above Belgian territory. Both wings ignited, and 8 of the 10 crew members had time to abandon the aircraft a few moments before it transformed into a ball of fire and crashed shortly after in Belgium, near the town of Langerloo. Two crew members were killed, while among the survivors who managed to abandon the aircraft, 4 were captured (including one in Bordeaux 8 months later) and 4 managed to escape and return to England.

The Schweinfurt-Regensburg raid marks a turning point in the doctrine of precision daylight bombing that the Americans prided themselves on. The considerable losses that day - almost 25% of the initial fleet, or 60 B-17s which were shot down or rendered unusable and around a hundred damaged - showed even its greatest defenders that the daytime raids over the Germany without fighter escorts are a bloody result. Beyond the successive improvements of the B-17 that came online, it was the introduction of the P-51 Mustang in December 1943 that would constitute a key factor in the Allies achieving air superiority in 1944, and therefore the continuation of major daytime bombing campaigns.

Some sources :

https://100thbg.com/aircraft/?aircraft_id=10055

https://100thbg.com/personnel/?personnel_id=906

https://www.americanairmuseum.com/archive/aircraft/42-5867

https://fr.findagrave.com/memorial/18018572/roy-frank-claytor

https://b17flyingfortress.de/en/b17/42-5867-alice-from-dallas/

[mastersoftheair]

this week’s newest arrivals:

sawyer spielberg as lieutenant roy f. claytor (yep, we’ve got another colin hanks situation on our hands here!)

charlie macvicar as (possibly) staff sergeant william j. williams (i mentioned him last week as he was just credited as “gunner williams”, but the majority of this williams’s crew is cast, so)

robert hands has been cast, but in an unknown role. and @carninator-blog caught that bill dilloway’s credits have him playing col. wilbur w. airing AND col. william f. airing. wilbur airing can be seen here and was the commander of the third air force reserve region. given that i don’t know what one guy has to do with the other, this may be a similar names mistake.