Original Item: One-of-a-kind. This is a piston from an engine on the B-17 Flying Fortress Serial Number 44-6464 called Prop Wash (AKA Hare's Breath) which was assigned to the 612th Bomb Squadron, 401st Bombardment Group during World War Two. On March 5th, 1945 the crew bailed out shortly after take off and prior to crossing the English Channel for formation assembly after the No. 1 engine caught fire and could not be extinguished.  No injuries other than sprained ankles. The plane was abandoned and crashed near Royal Air Force Bitteswell (RAF Bitteswell) located in Leicestershire, England.

This set includes the following two pieces.

- B-17 Piston mounted on wood desk top display board with brass mounts and engraved brass plaque that reads:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
U.S.A.F. No. 46464 401st Group
Crashed 5th March 1945
At Bitteswell Leicestershire

- Desk top pen holder mounted wit\h mechanical components and cog with engraved brass plaque that reads:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
U.S.A.F. No. 46464 5th March 1945

Overall a really interesting unique piece of United States Army Air Force Boening B-17 Flying Fortress memorabilia from an identified plane that flew 37 missions over Germany and occupied Europe during WW2. The aircraft's complete mission list is as follows and can be found on the 401st Bomb group website at this link:

1    09/25/1944    Frankfurt (#147)     Wilber C. Bright Crew #1
2    09/26/1944    Osnabruck (#148)     Paul F. Wittman Crew #1
3    09/28/1944    Magdeburg (#150)     Paul F. Wittman Crew #1
4    09/30/1944    Munster (#151)     Walter L. Morton Crew #1
5    10/03/1944    Nurnburg (#152)     Paul F. Wittman Crew #1
6    10/06/1944    Stargard (#153)     Paul F. Wittman Crew #1
7    10/07/1944    Politz (#154)     Paul F. Wittman Crew #1
8    10/14/1944    Cologne (#155)     Paul F. Wittman Crew #1
9    10/17/1944    Cologne (#157)     Paul F. Wittman Crew #1
10    10/19/1944    Mannheim (#158)     Paul F. Wittman Crew #1
11    10/25/1944    Hamburg (#160)     Paul F. Wittman Crew #1
12    10/26/1944    Bielfeld (#161)     Paul F. Wittman Crew #1
13    10/28/1944    Munster (#162)     Paul F. Wittman Crew #1
14    10/30/1944    Munster (#163)     Paul F. Wittman Crew #1
15    11/05/1944    Frankfurt (#166)     Glenn H. St. Aubyn Crew #1
16    11/08/1944    Merseburg (#168)     Paul F. Wittman Crew #1
17    11/09/1944    Metz (#169)     Paul F. Wittman Crew #1
18    11/16/1944    Eschweiler (#170)     Richard B. Richardson Crew #1
19    11/21/1944    Merseburg (#171)     Paul F. Wittman Crew #1
20    11/25/1944    Merseburg (#172)     Paul F. Wittman Crew #1
21    11/29/1944    Misburg (#174)     Paul F. Wittman Crew #1
22    11/30/1944    Bohlen (#175)     Myron L. King Crew #1
23    12/04/1944    Kassel (#176)     Charles W. Utter Crew #1
24    12/05/1944    Berlin (#177)     Charles W. Utter Crew #1
25    12/06/1944    Merseburg (#178)     Wylie K. White Crew #1
26    12/11/1944    Frankfurt (#179)     Paul F. Wittman Crew #1
27    12/12/1944    Merseburg (#180)     Paul F. Wittman Crew #1
28    12/19/1944    Schleiden/Koblenz (#182)     Richard B. Richardson Crew #1
29    12/24/1944    Koblenz (#183)     Myron L. King Crew #1
30    12/27/1944    Gerolstein (#184)     John E. Fondren Crew #1
31    12/31/1944    Krefeld (#188)     Richard B. Richardson Crew #1
32    01/01/1945    Kassel (#189)     Richard B. Richardson Crew #1
33    01/03/1945    Hermulheim (#190)     Richard B. Richardson Crew #1
34    01/21/1945    Aschaffenburg (#198)     Richard B. Richardson Crew #1
35    02/28/1945    Soest (#218)     Thomas E. Salisbury Crew #1
36    03/02/1945    Chemnitz (#220)     Herbert W. James Crew #1
37    03/04/1945    Schwabmunchen (#222)     Edward O. Reinhard Crew #1