kaag
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liberator crash chichester
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07/14/2008 03:22:42 PM
I have had much help regarding the B-24 that crashed on Chichester on May 11th 1944 However although most records show the plane as 42-52591 it appears that that plane was unserviceable and the crew took 41-29481 from another squadron, this is confirmed in Ivo de Jong's book on the 487 Group and also in the contemporary crash report that gave the number of the plane as '481' I also believe that 42-52591 was transferred to the RAF in October 1944 for anti radar duties Can anybody clarify Ken Green kaagreen@talktalk.net
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shooshoobaby
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RE: liberator crash chichester
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07/14/2008 04:04:55 PM
Ken -
From Bits and Pieces :
# 42 - 52591
Transferred to RAF 10/6/44
Mike
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kaag
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RE: liberator crash chichester
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07/15/2008 07:16:15 AM
Mike
Thanks for help
It appears that many sources, some official, did not pick up that the crew were not in their regular craft that day
Ken
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vic-513
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RE: liberator crash chichester
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07/15/2008 09:01:41 AM
Ken, When you say "they were not in their regular craft that day" you must remember that very few crews were flying the same plane mission after mission. That may be Hollywood's idea but was not the norm for any number of reasons such as battle damage, routine maintenance, etc. Some few were fortunate, if that is the correct word, to fly the same plane for all their missions but it was highly unusual. My brother flew on 10 different planes for his 25 missions and I believe nine missions on the same plane was his maximum. Vic
<message edited by vic-513 on 07/15/2008 11:02:35 AM >
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
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kaag
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Re: RE: liberator crash chichester
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07/25/2008 10:37:58 AM
B-24 Liberator 41-29481 flying with 839 Sqn, 487 Bomber Group, out of Lavenham Air Base. Mission to bomb marshalling yards at Troyes, France. 11 May 1944
Plane damaged by flak and returned to England crashing at Chichester, Sussex after crew had baled out, having set plane to fly out to sea.
There is a discrepancy between the official report, that states that two bombs exploded on impact, and eye witness reports that say that five bombs were recovered from the wreckage. I Can personally vouch that there was a loud explosion, but was this just the fuel?, could there have been six bombs aboard?.
Can anyone inform me: would five bombs be the normal load?, would they have been armed at that point in the mission?, would they explode if not armed, would the exploding fuel have caused so much devastation?, one of the engines was 300 yards away.
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