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 42-29870 "Big Moose"
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one1

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42-29870 "Big Moose" - 06/12/2008 08:09:04 AM
Looking for information on the crash site of 42-29870. What little info I have states that the crash site is 15 miles west of Nancy, France. Would like to narrow this down to a Town if possible. I have relatives in this area and would like to see they could locate the site.

Regards
George
vic-513

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RE: 42-29870 "Big Moose" - 06/12/2008 08:57:34 AM
Project Bits and Pieces shows the crash to be a Ballatu, ?
 
Vic
Vic Walzel, brother of 1st Lt Leland H. Walzel, bombardier with the 93rd Bomb Group, 330th Squadron. KIA 6 March 1944 on his 25th mission.
www.lelandwalzel.150m.com
one1

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RE: 42-29870 "Big Moose" - 06/12/2008 04:47:24 PM
Vic, Thanks for the info but I cannot find a town named Ballatu on Goggle Earth. I did find the town Bruckenau, Germany listed as the crash site (?)
The American Memorial Association of St. Nazaire list of 8th AF aircraft downed in France 1942-1945, shows the crash site as 15 miles west of Nancy, France.
 The mission for "Big Moose" was to Schweinfurt. Bruckenau is 27 miles NW of Schweinfurt and 206 miles SW to Nancy. Thats two different directions and a lot of miles apart.
I'm hoping someone from France will have additional information.
George
brianx13

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RE: 42-29870 "Big Moose" - 07/03/2008 08:48:13 PM
Hi George,
Have you tried working 'backwards'?  If we can find out which fighter claimed the downing there might be another town we can research.  Tony Woods site is pretty much the one to go to.  I have most of his lists downloaded and sorted into excel files but I'm on vacation right now - I'll see what I can find online.
 
-Brian
 
Grandson of:
T/SGT William Aguiar
384th 544th
B-17 42-30031 (the Bad Penny)
brianx13

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RE: 42-29870 "Big Moose" - 07/03/2008 09:29:25 PM
Schweinfurt raid being so large is making this backwards search difficult but if someone recognizes the towns listed we might know which is west of Nancy.  Another route: I am sure there are more experienced people here than I in tracking locations through the Luftwaffe grids.
 
 
Grandson of:
T/SGT William Aguiar
384th 544th
B-17 42-30031 (the Bad Penny)
brianx13

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RE: 42-29870 "Big Moose" - 07/03/2008 09:34:50 PM
14.10.43  Uffz. Otto Monska: 6                               6./JG 27   B-17           £ N.E. Nancy: 5.500 m.                               15.30     Film                         C. 2031/II     Anerk: N.i.O
 
Possible
Grandson of:
T/SGT William Aguiar
384th 544th
B-17 42-30031 (the Bad Penny)
brianx13

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RE: 42-29870 "Big Moose" - 07/03/2008 09:49:43 PM
Taking the NE claim of the downing by the Luftwaffe and carrying the distance west of Nancy there is a town called Belleville.  Belleville also had an AA Flak unit there during the war.  Not exactly CSI work, but maybe worth looking into?
 
 
Grandson of:
T/SGT William Aguiar
384th 544th
B-17 42-30031 (the Bad Penny)
brianx13

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RE: 42-29870 "Big Moose" - 07/03/2008 10:05:08 PM

 
this is from the 384th bomb group website.  It is supposed to be 42-29870 as it sits after crashing.  Not sure who posted the photo.  Also, they are not aware of the name Big Moose but the rest of the information seems to match.
Grandson of:
T/SGT William Aguiar
384th 544th
B-17 42-30031 (the Bad Penny)
brianx13

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RE: 42-29870 "Big Moose" - 07/03/2008 10:09:48 PM
Sorry - they do know the name Big Moose and all the other information seems to match.  With any luck you can track down the poster of the photo and see if they know anything (my grandfather's plane had the name of the town written on the back of a similar photo).  Hopefully all this information is new and useful to you but if not I had fun looking for it so thanks!
 
-Brian
 
Grandson of:
T/SGT William Aguiar
384th 544th
B-17 42-30031 (the Bad Penny)
shooshoobaby

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RE: 42-29870 "Big Moose" - 07/04/2008 04:46:18 PM
George -
From Bits and Pieces:
# 42 - 29870 JD U " Big Moose "
Pilot - Lt. Giles Kaufman Jr.  Lewistown , Pa.
Nav - 2Lt. Frank Pogorzelski  Glassport , Pa.
For Info on Crash Sites in France:
www.b17-france.org
Mike
brianx13

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RE: 42-29870 "Big Moose" - 07/04/2008 04:49:46 PM
Hi Mike,
That is where I tried, too.  All I saw was the 'west of Nancy' information though.  Any ideas?
 
-Brian
 
Grandson of:
T/SGT William Aguiar
384th 544th
B-17 42-30031 (the Bad Penny)
C A

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RE: 42-29870 "Big Moose" - 07/04/2008 05:20:25 PM
Hi George
 
Just seen that Roger Freeman's book, 'The B-17 Flying Fortress Story' lists Bruckenau? as the crash site. The question mark is included after Bruckenau in this book, so perhaps there may be some doubt about this being the exact place?
 
Have you tried looking for any of the crew? All ten became POW's, so maybe some may still be with us?
 
Regards
 
Chris.
bigant

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RE: 42-29870 "Big Moose" - 07/18/2008 03:28:01 PM
I posted the photo of "Big Moose", this was an emergency landing at RAF Ford. The Moose name was changed at Grafton Underwood to TS. This stood for Tough ****. I am in contact with the daughter of one of the waist gunners.

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