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Softcover, 2020. ISBN: 9781714727803 8x10 in. 382 pages. 291 Black & White pictures of documents, photos and artifacts.

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Hardcover, 2020. ISBN: 9781714711666 8x10 in. 382 pages. 125 Color and 166 Black & White pictures of documents, photos and artifacts.

"Rigor Mortis. The Machine and His Men", by Robert Coalter.

We were approaching the target. You could sense it. You could smell it.

We entered the flak box, that area in the sky near a target where the German anti-aircraft guns concentrated their deadly curtain of steel. All the men could do was to hunker down in their flak suits and wait it out. We had to take it, we could not shoot back. Those guns were not our objective.

The explosions would appear as white or black puffs that began to darken the sky around us. The heat and concussions rocked us but we flew on. Pieces of shrapnel banged and perforated my skin like hail on a tin roof. Planes flew right into a gauntlet of steel death causing more fires and explosions....

Most aircraft of World War II had pictures of sexy girls, tributes to sweethearts, songs and home. The planes were fondly referred to in a feminine manor. That was not the case with this B-17 tail number 42-25233. He was Rigor Mortis.

This is the story of Rigor Mortis and his men who flew over 120 missions from North Africa and Italy in 1943 and 1944. This sixteen month story encompasses the 301st, 2nd and 483rd Bombardment Groups of the 12th and 15th Air Forces. It begins with the first crew in Salina, Kansas. Their overseas trip via Brazil, arriving at Biskra, Algeria on New Year's Eve 1942. 25233 and his men flew their first mission on January 2. Some missions would be milk runs, many quite difficult. They all had a cost.

"Rigor Mortis" Summary of Assignments:

Calling All Crews of the Rigor Mortis ..... If you ever flew on the Rigor Mortis, or were a ground crew member or have a relation to somebody who did, please let me hear from you! Here