As far-fetched as this episode may seem to be, it is in fact founded upon a grain of truth. The historical basis for the story, which is well represented in books on the air war over Europe, concerns a B-17F named "Tinker Toy", assigned in late 1943 to the 381st Bomb Group of the Eighth Air Force, based at Ridgewell in East Anglia. Having returned from missions on multiple occasions with dead crewmen, "Tinker Toy" was looked upon by the group as a "jinx" ship. After surviving the violence of some 15 missions over enemy territory, the aircraft went down true to form on 20 December 1943, in a head-on collision with a Nazi fighter.
This episode was broadcast one week before the death of John Larkin (Major General Crowe)