B-17F # 42-30184 "Muggs"
 

Anybody know the reason for a B-17F flown by Curtis R. Biddick of 100BG 8th USAF, 418thBS making an emergency landing at RAF Fraserburgh on 24/7/43?

The aircraft was based at Thorpe-Abbots and the target was Trondheim in Norway. The 1st Norweigan target of the 8 USAF.

The aircraft landed but overshot and went off the end of the Runway and into a ditch. Another B-17F came up carrying spares to make the aircraft serviceable.

Re: B-17F # 42-30184 "Muggs"
 

Found this article. Not sure how to interpret the last paragraph, which mentions Tondheim. Is it talking about two "different" raids or is the whole paragraph about Trondheim.

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/3093...state_journal/

Re: B-17F # 42-30184 "Muggs"
 

Biddick flew "Muggs" to Trondheim on the first raid. It was this raid that he did an emergency (crash) landing at RAF Fraserburgh.

When flying "Escape kit" the main raid was on Regensburg, but Riddick was tasked with a diversionary raid to Schweinfurt ball-bearing plants. This is the flight he was killed on.

Whilst over the target, the aircraft was kit by enemy fighters causing a fire in the oxygen tank area. The plane crashed with most of the crew bailing out and becoming POWs.

Riddick was found in the wreckage, it was reported Snyder was found several months later hanging in a tree by his parachute. It is believed he hit a part of the plane when baling out. Noting the article states he fell without a parachute.

So it would appear the first landfall on the way back from Trondheim would have been RAF Fraserburgh. The would have landed due to oxygen issues and crashed on landing

Re: B-17F # 42-30184 "Muggs"
 

These are from the official account of the Eighth's first year of ops ( "Target Germany").
1st BW to Heroya (Industrial targets).
4th BW (A) to Trondheim ( port).
4th BW (B) to Bergen (port) ( aborted low cloud below 5000 ft.). Trondheim was clear.

The damaged B-17 may be 381BG which landed in Sweden. The wounded could be 100BG. Note fresh red surround to insignia.
The Heroya target was a magnesium plant .
Nick

Re: B-17F # 42-30184 "Muggs"
 

Thanks Nick

I assume Trondheim port was the U-Boat base?

Re: B-17F # 42-30184 "Muggs"
 

Yes, used by the 13th Flotilla; the concrete roof was nearly 12 ft. thick. The RAF "Tallboy" bombs (12.000lb) could go through 16ft. of concrete from 18,000ft. Bergen was also a U-boat base ( and shipyard).
Heroya was a very important target, it had magnesium, nitrate, alumina and aluminium plants and was badly damaged ( a coaster was also sunk).
The damaged B-17F was probably the flak-damaged one landed in Sweden as MUGGS had the oxygen system damaged; Fraserburgh was a Navy-Coastal Command and training base on the eastern tip of Aberdeenshire also handy for emergency landings. 42-30184 wasn't salvaged until Aug. 1944.
Nick

Re: B-17F # 42-30184 "Muggs"
 

Thanks again Nick

RAF Fraserburgh (Inverallochy) had Warwicks based there that did ASR duties,. There were spitfires there as know of one crash that killed the pilot who was trapped in the plane that landed short of the runway in the sea. Along from it is Crimond RNAS air station, and a little further round RAF Peterhead Longside. I know 2 Lancasters from Tirpitz raid landed there.

I've seen the U-Boat pens in Bergen, a vendor I visited there were beside them. Spent the who meeting looking out the window at them.

Re: B-17F # 42-30184 "Muggs"
 

Yes the squadron was No.279 they had Hudsons before Warwicks plus a few Hurricanes.
Found out the smoking Norway B-17F was 42-3217 MS-T " Georgia Rebel" ( flak) with 2 damaged engines and oil leak. Believed to be first US heavy bomber to land in Sweden.
Maybe the Spitfire was a FAA Seafire ? there were also a lot of Spitfire squadrons at Peterhead at various times.
Regards
Nick
PS are you in Scotland ?

Re: B-17F # 42-30184 "Muggs"
 

Spitfire X4333 was with No 8 Coastal Command Operational Training Unit (OTU) it crashed on 22nd January 1943, Sergeant Frederick John Richardson, age 22.