B-26 387th BG 27-4-1944

[Brian Bines]

Another one I cannot find on Fold3 from serial no. or pilot name. From what I gather on 27-4-44 B-26 TQ+H 41-31907 'SUZIE' 0f 559BS crashed on a test flight, another site shows that pilot Lt. Henry Patrick of 559BS was killed in a crash this day, a crash log for part of Essex does not show a Marauder crash that would link to this incident. Could anyone supply details of this crash including location and crew details please,

Regards

Brian Bines

[RSwank]

This crash is listed in www.aviationarchaeology.com You could order the report (for a price). This was an accident, so there would have been an Accident Report filed but not a MACR.

Listed as a crash of B-26B 41-31907 (387th BG, 559th BS) at Margaretting/2mi SW Cmbr on 27 April 44.

Names listed on the airforcehistoryindex.org for this crash are:

PATRICK, HENRY C. III; GRUNDER, CHARLES L. JR; SHANKS, CLARENCE O.

On link below is the following (search for Patrick on the link):
http://www.g503.com/forums//viewtopic.php?f=66&t=188851

(The paragraph is describing some crashes that occurred locally.)
" .... one when a B26 that had suffered a recurrent engine problem was taken on a test flight, the problem engine failed and it was lost. Amongst the casualties was the young pilot, Lt Henry C Patrick, who had been 'adopted' by a local family, the Crouchmans. Mrs Crouchman kept a photograph of Lt Patrick on her mantlepiece until she died, and the friendship between the Crouchmans and the 387th endures to this day - Alan Crouchman is the historian of the Group."

[Brian Bines]

Thanks very much for the reply. I did find an accident letter and crew listing for 'DUCK BUTT' on the 9-9-1943 which crashed on take-off in the MACR file, so had been hoping to find one for 'SUZIE', but as you say the crew were not missing, thanks again,

Regards

Brian Bines

[fsbofk]

Fantastic photos of the old airbase. What I find fascinating are the brick masonry operations buildings - can't imagine brick buildings being constructed today for an airfield with a combat support mission on foreign soil, would be just some pre-fabs at best !