US 8th Airforce - 11/01/44 2 Fortresses to identify.
 

An extract from my grandfather's wartime journal shows that on 11th January 1944, he was scrambled from RAF Bradwell Bay to "look for [2] Fortresses of the US 8th Airforce, in trouble in bad weather after a day raid". Can anyone point me at the right resources to look at in an attempt to identify the aircraft concerned? One Fortress crash landed on 1 wheel, the other landed ok.

Re: US 8th Airforce - 11/01/44 2 Fortresses to identify.
 

Go to this site and enter the date. Read all the info that comes up, particularly toward the bottom which contains the day's accident reports.

http://www.8thafhs.com/db/missions_by_date.php

I can see a few possibilities.

Re: US 8th Airforce - 11/01/44 2 Fortresses to identify.
 

That is a great resource. Thanks for your help.

Adam

Re: US 8th Airforce - 11/01/44 2 Fortresses to identify.
 

And here is the blog post for that day - exactly 70 years ago:

http://broodyswar.wordpress.com/2014/01/11/11i44/

Re: US 8th Airforce - 11/01/44 2 Fortresses to identify.
 

A possibility is 42-3504/QJ-F of 339th BS, 96th BG. Seen to go down halfway between Lowestoft and Noordwijk, Holland. A B-17 from another Group circled the spot and a fast launch was seen approaching but all crew were lost.

(info from losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces vol 2, p 69

Re: US 8th Airforce - 11/01/44 2 Fortresses to identify.
 

And the other possibility that I can find is
42-37824 "Miss Boo" of 711 BS, 447th BG. Ditched in the sea and sank within 40 seconds. Crew all got into life-rafts and an RAF Hudson circled for 3 hours until an ASR launch rescued the crew.

Same source. A quick glance through the day's entries show all other losses to have come down over land.

However, several additional aircraft were written off after suffering crashlandings: 42-5804 "Hell's Halo" of 323rd BS, 91st BG; 42-37940/LG- "Spirit of '44" of 322nd BS, 91st BG; 42-29524/VK- "Meathound" of 358th BS, 303rd BG; 42-31136/WW-D of 369th BS, 306th BG and 42-31090/IN-L "Nasty Habit" of 613th BS, 401st BG.

Re: US 8th Airforce - 11/01/44 2 Fortresses to identify.
 

That's useful info Nick, thanks. I'll do some more research on the story and see if I can be more specific..

Cheers for your input. Adam

Re: US 8th Airforce - 11/01/44 2 Fortresses to identify.
 

Anytime, Adam.

Say, if it turns out that your research shows you need specific info on any of the B-17s that crashlanded, just put up a request in an additional post on this thread and I will take the time to go into more detail as needed.

Cheers
Nick

Re: US 8th Airforce - 11/01/44 2 Fortresses to identify.
 

I really appreciate that, Nick. I expect I'll be in touch. A