This B-17 was lost April 21, 1945 while on a mission to Ingolstadt. The reason for the loss was apparently mechanical failure. Does anyone know where this B-17 went down or any other circumstances of the loss?

According to Bits & Pieces this aircraft went down near Halle, Germany as a result of an encounter with prop wash from another aircraft.
 
 297342      94      332 XM H      Struggle Buggy
            22 02 44 AI 08 04 44 AOS 00 00 44 G
            21 04 45 FTR PROP CR Halle, Germany - Lt Jack B. Kirk - 7 KIA, 1 RTD - MACR 14167
 
You may be able to find the MACR on footnote.com.
 
Hal

Scott,
 
Checked footnote, the MACR is posted there, search by a/c serial number.  Attached is the page with the pilot's statement of what happened.
 
Hal


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Attached Image(s)

Thanks Hal for your great info. No I am trying to figure out where Salzbach (Sulzbach?) is precisely. There are no Salsbachs and 9 Sulzbachs in Germany. The one that fits the theory I am working on is Sulzbach Gaggenau. I didn't find a Halle anywhere near this Sulzbach. The only Halle I found is several hundred miles North of Ingolstadt which was the target that day. I can't really make out the coordinates on you attachment 48 59N and 69 36E? Thanks again,
 
Scott
 

Scott,
 
Coordinates are 48 degrees 59 minutes North, 9 degrees 38 minutes East.  According to Google maps is in an area between the towns of Siegelsberg and Fichtenberg.
 
Hal

     The 94th Missing A/C Report contains no new information than already posted by Hal pertaining to the reason of the A/C loss. 
     A/C #342 flew high position, 3D flight, 94th "D" low squadron. Observed just past Ingolstadt (4859-0938), 1231 hours, 18,000 feet, 270 degrees heading. A/C was seen to turn over on back, go straight down through clouds out of control. Thought to be caused by prop wash. No chutes seen. Witnessing A/C were--44-8239 TS-W and 43-38183 XM-J.
     Also seen were two B-17's at 4858-0940 at 1237 hours, 18,000 feet, 282 degrees, colliding. One winged over into clouds. The other nosed down.
     The interrogating Officer was Lt. Casper R. Babb Jr. 0-572548, Assistant S-2, Personnel Officer of the 410th Squadron.

Hi Marc,
 
Given the course heading it appears this happened on the return leg after 'bombs away'.
 
Hal

Thanks Marc and Hal
 
Does this mean that there were three B-17s lost on April 21, 1945? I believe there were only two lost that day in the ETO according to the MACRs. Maybe one of the colliding A/C recovered. In addition to "Struggle Buggy" the only other B-17 lost that day appears to have been 43-38356 "Slienthe Je Vahr" 452bg/731sq which was also on the Ingolstadt mission. The MACR is 14114 and the official reason is "unknown". I have been in communication with the sole survivor and he states that observers on the ground thought the A/C was hit by lightning. I am working on an alternate theory that either one or both were downed by an me-262 piloted by Adolf Galland who headed up JV44 based at Munich-Reim AF. In addition to the standard nose mounted cannon Galland's me-262 was armed with 24 R4M rockets which could be fired from a distance of up to 1500 meters. He reportedly downed 2 B-26s on April 16 with the R4Ms and then an unspecified B-17 on April 21st.

       Hal, that would be my guess also. The chances are he was turning (banking) off the target when he was caught in prop wash. Interestingly, two other B-17's within eyesight collided. The air turbulence Lt. Kirk mentioned must have also been a factor. Regards, Marc

       Scott, two B-17's were "seen" to collide. At times 2/3 witnesses will have different accounts of the same event which they all "saw" happen and it's anyones guess as to what caused the collision in the Group to the rear of the 94th.
       The last sighting of an ME-262 by the 94th BG as being in the area was on 19 April 1945, as far as I know. If A/C #342 had been hit by a rocket, I would think someone would have mentioned it, but there was no enemy opposition in the area reported. Lower cumulus clouds topped 14,000 feet, high towering clouds topped 25,000 feet, haze and contrails also made formation flying difficult. Adding to that, many of the pilots reported experiencing "vertigo". Lt. Cockshot became trapped in a hanging cloud and lost the formation. He bombed an alternative target and returned alone. They were difficult flying conditions and Lt. Kirk was only on his second mission and his first as a 1st Pilot. Regards, Marc

Name:
Jack B. Kirk

SSN:
233-32-0132

Last Residence:
28655  Morganton, Burke, North Carolina

Born:
11 Oct 1922

Died:
5 Apr 2005

State (Year) SSN issued:
West Virginia (Before 1951 )