US cargo aircraft shot down January 1944

[Brian]

Hi guys

I've just noticed on another website that British aircraft/AA fire shot down a US cargo aircraft carrying P-38 field mod kits to the UK, in January 1944.

Sorry to be so vague but I'm sure someone will know about this and provide details, please.

Cheers
Brian

[Atcham Tower]

A C-54 that got mistaken for a Condor, I believe! Don't have details to hand.

[kaki3152]

According to the information I remember it was shot down by Polish Spitfires who mistook it for a FW-200. I'll see if I can find more data.

[kaki3152]

I did a little digging on the Web and determined that the incident probably happened on March 25,1944. The plane was C-54A, S/n 41-37274 and the Action code on the Overseas Accident site is KEXFF or Killed EXplosion due to Friendly Fire

http://www.aviationarchaeology.org/src/AARmonthly/Mar1944O.htm

[Brian]

Thanks Kaki

I wonder if that is the same incident? My records show that C-54 41-37274 was shot down on 25/3/44 by two Sea Hurricanes of 824 Squadron flying from HMS Striker off Casablanca. It was not showing IFF when attacked. Is it likely that this aircraft would have been carrying P-38 mods for the UK? Or was it way off course?

Cheers
Brian

[shooshoobaby]

Brian -
I read about this way back -
I believe the shootdown was
near Iceland.
Mike

[kaki3152]

Brian,

The location of this crash is listed as "ATL" which stands for Atlantic. Your source may be right as I was just trying to find a C-54 casualty that would fit the scenario,i.e., shot down by friendly fighters.

[Brian]

Hi guys

I've just found another note on a website which states:

23/3/45 Martlet from 'Striker' shot down C-54 in error for FW200 – C-54 (ATC) left Lagens Field, Azores in morning for UK, overflew British convoy at 5,000 feet – mistaken for FW200 and shot down by Marlet. All crew and passengers killed.
Either 42-72346 or 42-72368

Can it be that 'Striker's' fighters shot down two C-54s, one one 25 March 1944, and the second on 23 March 1945? Too much of a coincidence?

The mystery deepens!
Cheers
Brian

[FrankieS]

42-72346
Date: 23 MAR 1945
Type: Douglas C-54B-1-DC
Operator: United States Army Air Force - USAAF
Registration: 42-72346
C/n / msn: 10451
First flight: 1944
Crew: Fatalities: / Occupants:
Passengers: Fatalities: / Occupants:
Total: Fatalities: / Occupants:
Airplane damage: Written off
Airplane fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: ()
Phase: En route (ENR)
Nature: Military
Departure airport: Terceira-Lajes Airport, Azores (TER/LPLA), Portugal
Destination airport: ?
Narrative:
The C-54 departed the Azores bound for the U.K. En route the aircraft passed overhead a convoy at 5,000 feet on top of broken cloud with visibility 20 miles. A Grumman F4F Wildcat fighter from the Australian Navy aircraft carrier HMS Striker mis-identified the transport for a German Focke Wulf FW-200 and shot it down killing all on board.
The identity has not been confirmed. As another C-54 was also repored lost on this date, 42-72368 might also have been the airplane in question.
Sources:
» RAFCommand.com
» RAN Reserve News, July 2001


42-72368
Date: 23 MAR 1945
Type: Douglas C-54B-1-DC
Operator: United States Army Air Force - USAAF
Registration: 42-72368
C/n / msn: 10473
First flight: 1944
Crew: Fatalities: / Occupants:
Passengers: Fatalities: / Occupants:
Total: Fatalities: / Occupants:
Airplane damage: Written off
Airplane fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: ()
Phase: Unknown (UNK)
Nature: Military
Departure airport: ?
Destination airport: ?
Narrative:
Destroyed.
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.

[Leendert]

Brian,

If HMS Striker is to play a part in this, then this ship apparently was involved in Operation Iceberg I in March 1945, the landings on Okinawa.
Not exactly the Azores....

On the other hand, the ship was in the Atlantic till October 1944.

Aviationarchaeology has no listing for 42-72346, but 42-72368 had a ground accident at Amberley, Qld on 5 Feb 45.
Joe Baugher only says "w/o 23 March 1945" for 42-72346.

Regards,

Leendert

[Brian]

Hi guys

Only one way to sort this out!

Can anyone provide me the MACR numbers for 41-37274 (lost 25/3/44) and 42-72346 (lost 23/3/45), please? I can't seem to locate these either!

Cheers
Brian

[Brian]

Hi guys

Further to my enquiries (excuse my ignorance) but could these two C-54s have been Air Transport Command aircraft? If so, did they come under the command of USAF? If not, could this be why no MACR references can be found? I believe the pilot of 41-37274 was Charles Gerber. Was he USAF?

Could the 23 March 1945 - the friendly fire shooting down of 42-72346 - have occurred in the Pacific? Possibly even by HMS 'Striker's' aircraft?

Hopefully someone will have the answers!

Cheers
Brian

[Leendert]

Brian,

The pilot of the 25 March 1944 erroneous shoot down (C-54, 41-37274) was Charles S. Garber.

As you can see on following link http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo/WWII_MIA/OTH_M_G.HTM he was a civilian and is still listed as missing.

The C-54 operated with AT or Air Transport Command according aviationarchaeology.com.

Will look if I can find something more on 42-72346 and its w/o on 23 March 1945 (info Joe Baugher's website).

Regards,

Leendert

[Brian]

Thanks Leendert

Were all Air Transport Command aircrew civilian?

Cheers
Brian

[Leendert]

Brian,

I received word that C-54 42-72346 and 42-72368 were both assigned to transport units in the Pacific in November 1944 and that both were condemned there on 23 March 1945 for unspecified reasons.

So far I think that when HMS Striker is involved, only the shoot down of 41-37274 off the Azores on 25 March 1944 holds.

Regards,

Leendert

PS ATC must have had a mix of civilian and military pilots.

[Norman Malayney]

Hi,

I have a copy of a newspaper clipping from a Washington, DC newspaper detailing the date and crew members lost on the C-54 shot down by RN fighters. I have spent two days digging through my boxes trying to locate it. Will get back to you by Monday with the clipping.

Where are the ship's log for the HMS Striker kept? Surely they will detail if any accidental events occurred on the dates appearing in this thread?

Norman Malayney

[Brian]

Hi Norman

Thanks - I look forward to that.

If its survived, 'Striker's' log should be available at Kew, so I believe. Something to search during my next visit.

Cheers
Brian

[Six Nifty .50s]

A March 1944 date seems likely for the transport in question. The C-54 was downed when Lockheed test pilot Tony LeVier was touring 8th Air Force bases with a specially equipped P-38, retrofitted with anti-compressibility flaps.

The Lightning combat groups were supposed to get the same modification to their planes, but the 200 sets of dive flaps were lost with the crashed C-54. One source says the C-54 was misidentified as a FW-200 and shot down by the RAF. Possibly there is more information in the biographies of LeVier or Kelly Johnson.

[Brian]

Thanks Six Nifty - I trust you are keeping well. Long time, no hear!

I don't have access to the biographies of LeVier or Kelly Johnson. Any chance you might check these for any information?

Cheers
Brian

[Franek Grabowski]

Now the question, if Republic or North American were involved into this accident. ;)
Brian, have you got my email send a few days ago?

[Brian]

Hi Franek

No, I haven't received an e-mail from you - perhaps it went to my old e-mail address.

Please re-send to briancullauthor@fsmail.net

Cheers
Brian

[Six Nifty .50s]

Hello, Brian.

Both volumes are out of print though fortunately the local libraries have them in stock. I'll see what turns up.

[Brian]

Hi guys

Thanks for the interest shown in this incident.

Six Nifty: Thanks for taking time to check the biographies - look forward to your response with interest.

Norman: Did you find the newspaper cutting? Would appreciate sight of same if you did. Thanks.

Cheers
Brian

[Leendert]

Brian,

Crew of downed C-54 "274" off Azores by fighters of(f) HMS Striker were all civilian and under contract of Transcontinental & Western Airlines for Air Transport Command.

Names: Charles S. Garber (pilot), George E. Shelton (co-pilot), Orville V. Scholtz (navigator), Royce T. Melliver (flight-engineer), Bedford H. Mann (radio) and Avery B. Merritt (?).

The Individual Aircraft Record Cards for both 42-72346 and 42-72368 say both were assigned to (a) Pacific Transport Squadron. On their deletion line it says "WASHOUTR" with date 32345 (23 March 1945).
I am no expert in these codes, but could it be that they had been exposed to such heavy rains that corrosion had set in?

Regards,

Leendert

[Brian]

Hi Leendert

You never cease to amaze me with your knowledge of all things great and small!

Thanks once again for your help.

Cheers
Brian