B-17G 'Parker's Madhouse' - The Fortress that Landed Itself by Ron Cole

B-17G Flying Fortress "Parker's Madhouse" "Parker's Madhouse" was a B-17G Flying Fortress, serial number 43-37990, that served with the 547th Bomb Squadron of the 384th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, during World War II. The aircraft was named by its crew, though the specific individual "Parker" after whom it was named is not immediately clear from available records. This B-17G was delivered to Cheyenne on June 13, 1944, and subsequently assigned to Grafton Underwood on July 23, 1944. Its operational career included participation in bombing missions over Europe. On October 3, 1944, during a mission targeting Nurnberg, "Parker's Madhouse" sustained battle damage from German flak. This damage necessitated a forced landing in Belgium, after which the aircraft was salvaged on November 14, 1944. Notably, the tailplane of "Parker's Madhouse" was used on a farm near Tremelo, Belgium, for approximately 60 years before becoming part of a restoration project by the Belgian Aviation History Society. Ron Cole has depicted this Flying Fortress after evacuation of its crew as it flies low over the Belgian countryside, running out of fuel. Each signed & numbered by the artist.  Size and framing options: