Hello all..
 
As a long time project of mine, I thought the following may be of interest for all those 'would be' Indiana Jones types, who are active in the aviation archeology field.
 
Since 1997 I have worked on the story of this particular 305th B-17, which was lost on August 3rd 1944. Each year I make a point of making a search across the crash site area, and this year was no different. I attach a few digital pics (apologies for the poor images and distorted colour etc, but Its the first time Ive used modern technology!!).
 
However, despite my humble photo efforts, I hope what the pictures reveal will help any others when they are searching similar sites.
 
I have to say though that ANY searches must be with permission of the land owner. Making unofficial expeditions on such sites, without checking out the situation as regards location-ownership does nothing for the fiueld of research in this particular field of recording modern history.
 
Once you have gained that permission, it is desirable that you do your homework. Investigate the story as thoroughly as you can, seek surviving eyewitnesses if at all possible. Of course it is repeated often in this forum that many official documents and records, especially MACR's, can prove invaluable in any investigating.
 
Above all else, be fully aware that you are entering a place where most likely men died. Respect for such places is a must. Any sites that are known officially to be 'war graves' i.e. that have human remains perhaps still in situ, should NEVER be dug or disturbed.
 
In the case of 42-31255 XK-O Miss Liberty Belle; whilst seven of the nine crew perished at that site, all the crew were removed. Indeed the nature of the crash, a shallow impact in which the aircraft pancaked flat onto the pasture field, resulted in 99 percent of the wreckage (after the fire was extinguished) being removed. What remains at the site is very small in nature, and extremely hard to locate.
 
Anyway. A few shots from this years searches sofar, work done a couple of hours a day for about seven days now.
 
Attached is a general view of everything recovered this time around. Includes fifty caliber shells (tips and exploded casings). A number of internal sections with Zinc Chromate primer paint (that distinctive yellow-green colour). A number of shards of Perspex, varying in thickness. A couple of these pieces show signs of fire damage, as does some of the Zinc Chromate parts. There's one Hose clip, bright and shinny as the day it was made. It is stamped 'WITTEK MANUFACTURING CO INC, Chicago IL USA'. Once cleaned up, it works like a dream. Amongst the bullet shells and casings, I came across a 45 Pistol shell. Speculation varies from either one of the shells from a side arm, carried by one of the crew that day, to perhaps one of several shots fired by the MP's (Military Police) that guarded the site in the days after the crash. Village children were warned away from the site by MP's firing pistols, this is on record.
 
There's a large amount of unpaitnted aluminum fabric, internal stuff which made up various structures within construction. This time around I have found also a large number of what we know in England as 'Ally nuggets'. Moulten Aluminium which dripped from the plane as it burned, falling onto the ground and into pockets of dirt, once cool it formed mis-shaped nuggets, some still carrying pieces of rivets and the like within the melted material.
 
A number of fragments of instrument glass, from the display guages etc at various crew stations. This is very small and easily spotted, due to its very thin nature.
 
This time around also, a piece of the Ball Turret, just a fragment, but it is part of the heavy castings that made it the frame work of the turret. It carries theclassic OD42 Green paint, plus the undeSide Grey coat. Along with this, were anumber of sections of exterior skin from the underside, again crrying that familiar grey undersidepaint used on '17's' at that time. Some of thee appear darker and fesher than others which may indicate that they were part of more recent repairs in the field, against the faded older areas on the plane, from when 255 was new.
 
They may be small fragments, but they all have a story to tell.....
 
Ian W

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Ian White - 305th BGMA Hon. Life Associate, UK Contact and Organiser of next years 40th Combat Wing UK Reunion - May 21st-31st 2009

Fifty Caliber Amunition recovered at various places within the debris field, the crash site area is fairly localised. All amunition found over the past years is exploded, cooked in the extreme heat of the fire that took hold once the plane slammed onto the pasture field. Shell tips can be found where they eventually hit the dirt, after they had zig-zagged across the countryside..... Eyewitnesses interviewed who were part of the rescue of the crew testify having seen balls of white light zinging past them, pretty close quarters. Undoubtedly these were tracer shells having been cooked at temperature and having exploded, were heading out of control in every which way direction.
 
Amongst the line up of these is the first and only 45 pistol shell found, so far at least. Either discharged from a side arm carried by one of the crew that day. or more likely, fired by the MP's as they warded off children from the crash scene, during the days after the crash.
 
Ian W

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Ian White - 305th BGMA Hon. Life Associate, UK Contact and Organiser of next years 40th Combat Wing UK Reunion - May 21st-31st 2009

The one sizeable piece of aircraft recoevred this time, which shows clearly the OD42 Olive Drab upper paint camoflage. The picture doesnt do justice to the very vivid dark green paint on this, nor the shade of grey which helped to merge into the underside of the ship. There are other pieces, a rivet which clearly is much darker and more recent, assumed to have been part of a repair made just before that last fateful mission. another fragment of exterior skin, again is darker that the OD42 shown on the Ball Turret fragment, which begs the assumption it was part of a recent repair, certainly done after arriving in England December of 1943, and closer to that last mission of Aug 3rd 1944.
 
Also seen in this shot are several shards of Perspex, one reveals the fire damage it suffered upon impact at the site. Over the years a large collection of both undamaged and equally chard-flamed marked perspex has been collected.
 
Ian

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Ian White - 305th BGMA Hon. Life Associate, UK Contact and Organiser of next years 40th Combat Wing UK Reunion - May 21st-31st 2009

Ian,
 
Very interesting ! Thanks for sharing.
 
Regards,
 
Paul

Associate member of the Awon
http://www.awon.org/
__________________

Fighters for Victory (357th FG)

Another overall image of the entire collection as found and recovered this time around.
 
It is amazing just how many pieces of chrome finished items have survived, and in such remarkable condition. I mentioned the hose clip made by WITTEK Chicago Il USA. This is one of five that have so far been found. Several others are in much more distressed shape, and have signs of the impact, however the others look like new, just like they were fitted yesterday on a B-17. A tesiment to the quality of manufacturing I think... way back in 1943.
 
Whilst I shall never find an Engine, or a Pilots seat, or anything truly extaordinary; to me the finds are ALL extraordinary. They are unique and very much a piece of a human story. It tells the story of those many men that flew LB on 64 missions, many touch missions which she suffered great distress and damage but managed to return.
 
It more than most though, tells the final and painful story of that last mission. It stands as the last physical reminder to that crew: Tom Barnett, Don Morrill, Gene Bonas, John Rutherford, Floyd Rowe, Don McQueary, Frank Schmidmeister, Rick Jasionowicz and Chuck Naden.
 
May their memories live forever....
 
Ian W

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Ian White - 305th BGMA Hon. Life Associate, UK Contact and Organiser of next years 40th Combat Wing UK Reunion - May 21st-31st 2009

Hi all...
Just as an aside. I just returned from todays searching at LB's resting place with a rather amazing find.
I'll try and photo it for posting, but as it is small in nature I'm unconveniced it will show up very well.
It is a press stud fastner from flight clothing.... I have found others in the past.This one appears to be a deep fitting one, probably from a heavy B-3 type jacket or fleece trousers.
 
What I have found is that between the outer and inner press stud there is remains of leather, pretty well degraded now, and appearing fire damaged, but its there between the metal. Then inside the centre, after gently removing a small amount of dirt, I found a fragment of OD wool material. Its a very fine close weave, I have to guess at this stage it was part of the inner lining of whatever garment this press stud fastner was attached to.
 
I'll try and use the digital camera, and let you see for yourself.....
 
If I'm right then this is very much a personal connection with one of those members of the crew named earlier..
 
Ian W

Ian White - 305th BGMA Hon. Life Associate, UK Contact and Organiser of next years 40th Combat Wing UK Reunion - May 21st-31st 2009

I have been unsuccesful in using the digital camera... me and modern technologies just dont mix!!
So I have reverted to a method of scanning the piece on a flat bed scanner, with white paper background. It sort of works...
Pic one is of a side view, showing the barrel of the stud fastner. Next to it, not too clear sadly, is the fragment of fine close weave OD wool-cloth. Between the female outer butten and the rear male stud fixing is a distinct layer, several milimeters thick, which looks very much like degraded leather. The fastning is in its closed position, having been ripped away from whatever clothing it was a part of. I have a hunch it came from a heavy flight jacket, may be a B-3. Or alternatively, a pair of fleece leather trousers, favoured by Enlisted Gunners. I have my own examples here (unfortunately packed away and not easy got to) so I havent been able to see if I can narrow down an example to match it.
 
Pic 1 attached
 
Unless someone else has an alternative view-answer???
 
Ian W

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Ian White - 305th BGMA Hon. Life Associate, UK Contact and Organiser of next years 40th Combat Wing UK Reunion - May 21st-31st 2009

Second attempted scan shows the female outer stud-button from above. Part of its outer rim has broken and degraded, and shows the 'filling' of what in close up inspection appears to be compressed leather, it is not dirt I'm certain of this at least. Again, next to it is the fragment of OD wool-cloth material taken from the inner male part of the fastning.
 
Pic 2 attached.
 
Ian W

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Ian White - 305th BGMA Hon. Life Associate, UK Contact and Organiser of next years 40th Combat Wing UK Reunion - May 21st-31st 2009

Hi Ian

fascinating posts, with crash sites in general was it standard proceedure to leave the wreckage in situ?

Good luck on your continued search

Regards
mart

Hi Mart
My understanding is that crash sites where known and accessible would be cleared to a point. Several local ones to our own area were cleaned as best as time and resources would allow. This means the majority of material was removed especially surface wreckage. Paramount would of course be the location and removal of any human remains, but again in some instances (not I hasten to add in the local sites) it might be that the Pilot or members of a crew could not be reached; more so on a deep impact crash. This I think is more a problem with crash locations not immediately known to authorities, during wartime, and not investigated until afterwards, perhaps for several months or even years.
 
A lot of cases like this have resurfaced in Europe, with many missing airmen being finally found, with the remains of their aircraft.
 
As in the case of 42-31255, this was a surface crash, with the B-17 burned out after coming to a stop. All that remained once the fire was puit out were one wing, four engines (in varying states of damage) and the tail fin from the rear most section of fuselage. The Tail had broken off and rolled away on impact, this avoiding contact with the flames on the rest of the plane.
 
Chris, C A , has PM'd me to raise the point of licences (Which I omitted in earlier posts) from the MoD and yes they should be investigated and sort where possible when making such searches on crash sites.
 
Ian W
 
 

Ian White - 305th BGMA Hon. Life Associate, UK Contact and Organiser of next years 40th Combat Wing UK Reunion - May 21st-31st 2009

Example of the Zinc Chromate primer painted alumimium parts within a Boeing built A/C, in this case 41-31255. I have discovered that a large part of the aircraft construction was not actually painted in this primer, in areas that were overlaid with various sections, and the paint process could not reach. Hence so far its a 50-50 split between painted ZC items and unpainted sections.
 
It is a fairly large example approx 2 inch by 3 inch.
Ian W

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Ian White - 305th BGMA Hon. Life Associate, UK Contact and Organiser of next years 40th Combat Wing UK Reunion - May 21st-31st 2009

Two examples, each differing slightly from the other, of the mounting board used at various crew stations. For mounting of switches, controls, guages etc. It is a laminate type material, with a very distinct criss-cross weave across the surface. It is sometimes refered to bakelite board. Several versions types have been recovered over the years, which indicates that varying thickness of board were used at certain crew stations, I'm guessing to suit types of equipment, weight of items etc.
 
I have an idea this was also utilised upon the surfaces of the Navigators table? Perhaps one of our Veterans will explain if so?
 
Examples of this type of board are found with either OD42 olive drab on one side, or sometimes the distinctive grey camoflage paint as used on the underside exterior. Those areas were probably visible from those respective directions, and so they used that paint to mask the item from view.
 
Ian W

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Ian White - 305th BGMA Hon. Life Associate, UK Contact and Organiser of next years 40th Combat Wing UK Reunion - May 21st-31st 2009

Example of exterior aluminum skin, painted in the grey camoflage paint. The grey is darker than you may think, or be led to believe from current restored examples of B-17's flying today. I am also asuming that some of the paint used to make repairs 'in the field' during combat operations would have differed slightly from the original US produced and used versions, as with the OD42 upper surface paints.
 
The use of paint was not as desperate as say, ammunition, bombs etc. Much of such resources were used via the British Air Ministry. Their paint was similar but not identicle. Hence you will see in many photos of the period the strange mosaic patterns of colour across aircraft, where patches have been placed and painted over. It is partly weathering, true enough, but also due to the use of non-Boeing paint.
 
Anyway, its an example of what the underside grey would have been on 42-31255.
 
Ian W

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Ian White - 305th BGMA Hon. Life Associate, UK Contact and Organiser of next years 40th Combat Wing UK Reunion - May 21st-31st 2009

Three examples of the OD42 Olive Drab exterior camoflage paint used on 42-31255.
 
The largest piece, a heavy casting fragment from part of the Ball Turret, has both the OD42 AND the underside Grey paint. of the three examples, this OD42 is the most faded. measures approx 3 inches long by 1 inch wide by 1 inch deep.
 
The small oblong fragment is again OD42 but is noticeably darker from the above fragment. It is easirt to see this in real life rather than on the picture.
 
The third smallest piece, a rivet head, is the darkest of all. My best guess is that this was part of a recent repair made upon 42-31255, in the weeks prior to its last mission and crash. The colour is very much a dark green, much darker than the larger Balle Turret fragment.
 
Yes, It might be due to soil considtions, degrading the paint etc. But my gut instinct is that all three were painted at differing times during the life of this B-17. And, that at least one of those repairs made use of British supplied Olive Drab, as said a non-Boeing approved-used type of covering.
 
Anyway; I have posted the few pictures here to hopefully help anyone looking into a particular aircraft loss. Searching out such pieces is never easy. I can atest to having many a frustrating few hours, wandering back and forth for aabsolutely zero finds!! Or getting really worked up into a sweat for 30 minutes, only to find Ive dug a hole containing a rusty piece of farm machinery.......
 
Even with such dissapointments, the rewards are many and great. And to reveal something which has a story, with human emotions mixed in, makes any failures worth while.
 
Best of luck!!
 
Ian W

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Ian White - 305th BGMA Hon. Life Associate, UK Contact and Organiser of next years 40th Combat Wing UK Reunion - May 21st-31st 2009

Last few days of the yearly search into this particular site, and the story that never ends of 42-31255 XK-O MISS LIBERTY BELLE....
 
Amongst the usual material I came across what is now the third piece of the high impact plastic casing, for the RDF Loop antenna. This was the tear-drop shape housing, forward facing, which was affixed beneath the nose, almost directly under the Navigators position. The casing was made of the low reflective (radio wave) material. Inside was what looked like a tennis racket with no strings! This spun around at speed whilst aircraft was in flight, receiving signals into the plane.
 
The material is like a layered mixture of plastic and close weave mesh, very similar to the old fashioned plaster cast method when someone broke a leg. You can see areas on the surface where it was worn and the fine weave mesh is seen. I am guessing it is a type of fibre glass matting? Which made up the layers when they first produced the raw sheet of plastic, then it was moulded into the casing shape under heat process.
 
It is amazing that this has survived, considering the aircraft suffered a major fire throughout the wreckage once it came to a stop on the ground.
 
It still carries the familiar grey underside camoflage paint covering.
 
Ian W

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Ian White - 305th BGMA Hon. Life Associate, UK Contact and Organiser of next years 40th Combat Wing UK Reunion - May 21st-31st 2009

As usual, a reasonable quanitity of perspex-window glazing has come to the surface. Ranging in size from just an inch square to five inches square. Some have no marks at all, and once wiped clean you can look through just as if they were new....
 
Others have degree's of fire damage. Fire has singed edges, clouded the centres, bubbles have erupted within the plexiglass. A sure sign of the intense heat at which point these pieces were located.
 
Another sign of that intense fire once the plane came to a stop are alluminium nuggets. Melted aircraft fabric which dropped like rain drops onto the soil. Moulded in pockets of dirt they appear all shapes and sizes. This year a number had partial items not melted inside them, such as rivets, bolt heads, even remains of rubber seals from hose clips etc. Each one tells a story of that fatefull day, Aug 3rd 1944.
 
Ian W

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Ian White - 305th BGMA Hon. Life Associate, UK Contact and Organiser of next years 40th Combat Wing UK Reunion - May 21st-31st 2009

Hi all
 
I thought it appropriate to show at least one photograph, albeit partial, of this B-17G in question. XK-O 42-31255 as seen 7th July 1944. The crew beneath is NOT that of Lt Tom Barnett, who was aboard on the day of its final mission and demise on return when crashing just short of Chelveston's runway.
 
The crew seen here in July 7th 1944 is that of Lt. Challen Hunt. They were posing beneath MISS LIBERTY BELLE's nose for a PR photo, to record their near fatal flight earlier that same morning. They were air spare for that day's mission, and were in the pattern forming up in the locality when two B-17's from the 384th BG above them, also forming up, collided and broke up. One of them was carrying Incendiary sticks, one of which fell and struck the skin of the Port wing of 255, puncturing the Tokio fuel tank. Challen Hunt bravely flew the plane back to Chelveston, making a good landing and saving both her, the crew, and most likely the civilian population beneath.
 
The group thought it memorable enough to pose them later that afternoon to record the story....
 
In the distance you can see ground crew-mechanics, making good the repairs to the punctured panels on the wing (see scaffold gantry and crewman holding sheet aluminium).
 
Its one of a few pictures that survive of 42-31255 XK-O, who suffered more than her fair share of near miss experiences on several combat missions, 64 in all before that final 65th mission to Merkwiller.
 
I never stop to think and marvel every time I look at this picture, knowing the story of that final flight and to actually have pieces from that very same plane. For me, she continues to live on, more than 63 years later, as do the names of all those that flew in her.
 
Ian

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Ian White - 305th BGMA Hon. Life Associate, UK Contact and Organiser of next years 40th Combat Wing UK Reunion - May 21st-31st 2009

Floyd W. Rowe. Last crewman dies 16th June 2008
 
It was with great saddness that I received news from the USA last week, that the last of the Thomas David Barnett crw, Flight Engineer Floyd W. Rowe, had passed away. The final link in the tragc story of this crew and their first and only mission, August 3rd 1944.
 
Floyd had witnessed the whole tragedy, crouched between both Pilots as they first of all approached Chelveston field with two motors shut down, and a third on half power. With seconds to go, and just 300 feet up with their main gear already down, they had a wave off as another B-17 pulled ahead of them firing red flares. Barnett and Morrill, Piots, snapped too on the controls, assisted by Rowe on the throttles and landing gear selector, pulling away from the runway and desperately trying to avoid an imediate collision, and then to attempt a go around on just 1 and 1/2 engines. During the circuit, one of the dead engines was restarted, to gain some lift on the dead wing (they had both engines on the port side shut down due to damage during the mission as they made that first approach). As they made a slow turn back towards the threashold of Chelveston's main runway for a second time, the Pilots, with Floyd's help, restarted one engine on the port wing but it soon began to over heat and began to seize up; Rowe wrestled with its throttle nursing the power up and down in a vain attempt at keeping it going just a few more seconds. They needed any lift they could squeeze out from it and the port wing to make any attempt at getting back o the runway. At a height of no more than 100 ft the crew skimmed over Wymington Village, banking round the village medieval church, an incredible feat in itself with its tower pointing up at some 120 ft high. Eyewitnesses saw smoke from one engine, two more engines were windmilling to a stop as the plane hung above their heads in the main street. Others recalled seeing the plane with its nose lifting up desperately, its tail seemingly dropping low behind her. The inboard number three which had performed beautifully throughout the whole flight, suddenly gave up the will to live and redlined. It had done all it could to shoulder the work load and carry MISS LIBERTY BELLE home. The one and only one of four Wright-Cyclone motors to actually have been keeping the plane in flight at that point. At now 60 ft, flying parrallell to the main High Street, ducking behind rows of ancient cottages and houses with just its tail vertical stabilizer-tail fin visible to many villagers as they watched, the plane tragically struck an Elm tree, ripping off between 8 and 10 feet of its top, the impact tearing into the leading edge of the starboard wing and setting off an explosion beside the Copilots position. As the B-17 turned turtle and looped over the heads of those below, Floyd found himself being shot upwards (unrestrained between the two Pilots). The plane began to break up and the roof above his head tore open, allowing his body to be ejected out. In the process he almost lost one ear, severed by the jagged metal skin as he passed through the opening, whilst at the same time also passing through a sheet of flame. Miraculously, he suffered just burns to his hand and upper arm.
 
Floyd was one of only two survivors that day. The other Francis 'Smitty' Schmidmeister, was dragged clear from the burnng wreckage by local villagers who came running from the nearby high street.
 
I and all those connected to the Barnett crew, their story, and the miracle of how the village was saved from certain destruction if not for the courage of those aboard 42-31255 MISS LIBERTY BELLE, will remember the passing of the very last man - Mr Floyd W. Rowe.
 
Rest in Peace friend.
 
Ian W

Ian White - 305th BGMA Hon. Life Associate, UK Contact and Organiser of next years 40th Combat Wing UK Reunion - May 21st-31st 2009