SMGQ-0325 Original War Time Extra Joker In Flames Picture

This photo was brought home by the belly gunner of the Jane Lee. He did not take the photo but he must have purchased or traded an original print when he was in Italy. This aircraft is pictured just moments before it burst into flames and went out of control, all ten crew members were killed in action. The is one of the most famous air force photos of the war.

The photograph was taken by Sergeant Leo Stautsenberger who was the cameraman of the Extra Joker. Luckily for him, on that fateful day, they asked him to fly on another plane to take photos of the Joker in flight.

Thanks to this coincidence Leo lived and made a series of shots of the loss of the aircraft. He said about this picture: “I felt guilty, helplessly snapping a picture while the men were burning inside. It happened so fast they didn’t had much of a chance. I had photographed a picture of death, with the crew burning inside”.

The photo is 4×6″ with some finger prints, some bent areas and wear from being handled for nearly 80 years.