Missing B-24
 

Hello


I am looking for any info about one bomber from 454th BG.
This bomber took part during bombing mission over Oświęcim (Auschwitz) in 18.12.1944. I know only the last three numbers this bomber (.....244). Pilot probably was LANGE.



Summarizing:

- B-24 from 454th BG
- Number No ..-...244
- pilot LANGE



Anybody help me with this B-24 ????


Janusz

Re: Missing B-24
 

Henry A Lange is listed on this page as the pilot of 42-95244.

http://www.454thbombgroup.it/TOTAL%20LIST%20DEF.htm


http://www.454thbombgroup.it/AAIR%20...s/42-95244.jpg


There is an accident report on 23- OCT 44 for that plane with the pilot as Lange showing on aviationarchaeology.com

http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/s...24&offset=2425

Re: Missing B-24
 

Maybe a misidentified number ?
12/18/1944
454 BG
44-49259 - MACR 10918
and
42-52264 - MACR 10686

Both MACR's are available on Fold3.

Re: Missing B-24
 

Hi

Thanks for te respond.

RSwank

It could be this plane. Pilot is correct , number 42-95244 probably to. Unfortunatelly one thing does not fit. This plane was loses 23.10.1944. My plane no 244 with pilot LANGE was lost 18.12.1944. In my opinion it is impossible loses the same plane in the short time. Only one thing could be interprete this.Plane 23.10.1944 had emergency landing , not crashed. After few days crew returned to base on the same plane.



Alex Smart
No all is correct. This two plane (44-49259, 42-52264) was also loses in 18.12.1944. My plane no 244 was third plane which lost 454th BG in this day.

Re: Missing B-24
 

According historical records (books) 46 B-24's from 454 and 459, one from 455 and two B-17
from 301st participated on that raid again Oil Refinieries at Auschwitz and IG Farben escorted
by some fighters from 1st and 82nd FG's . On that day only two 454th BG Libs were lost
( Capt Freyer's crew and Lt.Wolf's crew )

Lt Lange did not participate on that mission nor I can determine on how you concluded that
Lange was on that mission with a plane number 244 as a third loss of 454th BG which is not
recorded anywhere but your own.

Alex K

Re: Missing B-24
 

Please look at the picture. Yellow line


http://gucio.uploadfile.pl/pobierz/1...1326980696.jpg

Re: Missing B-24
 

Hello Fenix,
Thanks for providing the paperwork. Seems that it confirms the a/c lost were in fact 3.
May I just point out though that your blue line is directed to the wrong a/c. It should be directed to Wolff's.264, not Norton's 264.
But Wolff is also shown with a/c 165 ?
Alex

Re: Missing B-24
 

Have looked briefly at Joe Baugher's lists and the following a/c.
"244"
42-52244 - 453BG - Sweden April 9th '44, MACR 3291.
42-78244 - MIA June 25th,'44.
42-95244 - W/O ground accident October 23rd '44.
44-40244 - ?
Anyone have other "244" B24's ?

Re: Missing B-24
 

Alex, it appears there were two pilots named Wolff in the 454th.

Carrol O Wolff and John K Wolff. John K Wolff was killed in 42-52264 when he tried to crash-land the ship.

There was also a pilot named Benjamin J Wolfe.

I think 42-95244 had an accident on 23 Oct 44 but was not written off then. It was repaired and continued to fly and eventually returned to the US and was scrapped by the RFC.

I think "possibly" what happened on the 18 Dec 44 mission was that the plane was damaged and landed at some other location, maybe VIS. It was "initially" missing but then returned to base later.

Re: Missing B-24
 

Hello, We are on the same trail :)
I found that 737 Sqn had -
A. Wolf ( one "f" ) and a J. Wolff
While the 739 the had an
R. Wolff.

Your ref for 42-95244 being scrapped back in the US please ?

Also just for clarity, can you confirm that the numbers shown in brackets after the serial numbers is the 'plane in Squadron' number as displayed on the fuselage sides ?

If that is so then it would make the following,
Wolff 264(34) a 737 Sqn a/c ( A or J.Wolff ?).
and
Wolff 165(113) a 739 Sqn a/c ( R. Wolff ).