Confusion on Dec 13,1944 499BG Losses
 

On Dec 13,1944 five 73 BW B-29s ditched while conducting a raid on the Mitsubishi Engine plant in Nagoya. Three 499 BG B-29s ditched: 42-24638 (V-29), 42-63447 (V-50) and 42-63439 (V-47). The B-29 42-63447 (V-50) had a successful ditching with all 11 crewmen saved. The other two, 42-24638 (V-29) and 42-63439 (V-47) suffered the loss of all 11 crewmen on board.

The confusion lies in which plane was flown by the Ledbetter crew. The published sources are confusing. Mann's B-29 Chronology had reported the 499BG losses as three B-29s but only gives detail on two of them 42-63447 and 42-63439. It reports that 43-63439 crashed at sea 1,500 feet off Saipan. In Sally Ann's B-29 Chronology, it reports all three losses, with 42-63439 noted as flying with an unknown crew crashed on Saipan and 42-24638 lost after ditching. Presumably, 42-24638 was the 499BG B-29 ditched off the coast of Japan.

In the MACR 10644, the plane that is listed as crashing off Saipan is 42-63439, with Lt Garland Ledbetter as A/C. The MACR says: It was reported the aircraft crashed into the sea 1500 feet off shore, south of Magicianna Bay...there were no survivors"

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/91095465?object Page=2

If that is the case, then who was the crew that flew 42-24638 (V-29)? There is no MACR associated with this serial number. Any leads welcome

Re: Confusion on Dec 13,1944 499BG Losses
 

Confusion indeed. However, 42-24638 may not have been lost at all, hence no MACR. It appears twice in the latter half of 1945 on the AAIR and Accident-report.com websites as having had accidents at Maxwell Field, Alabama with 2132 AAF Base Unit.
Likely turned into a TB-29 for training purposes with armaments removed, given its post-war station.

There's a picture here: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ell.750pix.jpg

To be absolutely sure, one has to request the accident forms or the Individual Aircraft Record Card for #638.

I assume MACR 10644 is correct re serial.

Also note that 24-24687 (500th BG) had ditched with all crew lost (MACR 10659) as was 42-63430 of 498th BG (MACR 10655).

Regards,
Leendert

Re: Confusion on Dec 13,1944 499BG Losses
 

Leendert, Yes, I saw that picture. I just find it interesting hat some sources have 5 B-29s ditching on this date, while others only have 4 B-29s ditching. The B-29 Chronology by Robert A. Mann is very good but has a lot of mistakes, so its best to treat the information with caution. His other book "The B-29 Superfortress" also shows both 42-24638 AND 42-63439 as lost on December 13,1944. The entry for 42-63439 says "Crashed in sea off Japan" and the entry for 42-24638 says " Ditched from Nagoya".

Re: Confusion on Dec 13,1944 499BG Losses
 

B-29 sur le JAPON - 3éme partie - Le 21th Bomber Command aux Mariannes.
Pp 51-54

42-24687 Z square 26 "Tokyo Local" 500th BG 882nd BS, ditched 18h00 110 kms from Japan (witnessed by Z square 2 crew)
42-63430 T square 1 498th BG 873rd BS, last message 22h20 before ditching (received by T square 2 radioman).
42-63447 V square 50 "Umbriago III" 499th BG 879th BS, ditched 140 Kms from Saipan (out of gas, all crew picked up by a destroyer)
42-63439 V square 47 "Beaubomber" 499th BG 879th BS, low on gas, asked for a landing priority, fell into Magicienna Bay during a turn.

42-24638 : guess it's a previously damaged aircraft which was deemed non-repairable and administratively struck off charge this day, but made flyable later on.

Re: Confusion on Dec 13,1944 499BG Losses
 

William Gussenhoven was a gunner on Ledbetter's crew, says it was 42-24638 here ?? but the 11 names are on the "Defence POW/MIA" agency as 42-63439 which the MACR has.
https://www.honorstates.org/index.php?id=22790

Mission 12 summary, Nagoya.
https://user.xmission.com/~tmathews/...ears-4412.html


It seems that "Beaubomber (II) " was 42-63442 V Square 47 ( 499BG) and survived.



Nick

Re: Confusion on Dec 13,1944 499BG Losses
 

Sylvester, 499BG (he survived the Dec.13 mission) is on this board, plane no. 36; this is part of a 73rd Wing major operation. Can't see a date but the codes at the top are for the Feb.-May 1945 period......
SANDY = 499BG call sign, V608 = 499th radio code. PLUTO = 500BG, V609 = 500th radio. All 500th returned, 499th lost one ( Wilkinson plane 8). Sylvester and Sander (plane 15) landed on Iwo Jima.
Nick



https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...f2238b98_o.jpg73bw-mission by Nicholas King, on Flickr

Re: Confusion on Dec 13,1944 499BG Losses
 

Thanks to all for their input.