The other pilot speaking to the B-17 was in the T-6 chase plane of the group and radioed them the situation, whereby the B-17 pilot shut down the engine on fire and the fuel to it, made a decent wheels down good landing in a handy field, exited with all aboard safe and then watched the plane be consumed by fire because the fire trucks would not go into the soft field, fearing being bogged down. A real tragedy, but a superb landing with a port wing engine fire. The photo I saw of the B-17 in the field before being consumed by fire did not appear to have the aircraft's wheels mired down. The firemen made a call to save their heavy trucks from possibly being stuck in the soft ground, rather than venture in to put out the fire.
