Msytery C-47 15. Nov. 1944

[hanshauprich]

15. Nov. 1944
18.45h
KU-3327
C-47 348328

Location: Steinfurt/Neustettin-Germany

The plane is not listed in my book with the MACR-Nummers by Day etc. Britisch oder even an Russian?

Thanks for help.

H.

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
Serial number
43-48328, would have appeared on the a/c's tail unit as "348328".
So is correct.
Possible use by RAF maybe, but KJ804 was 43-48327 and KJ806 was 43-48329 while KJ805 is recorded as a "Wasted Serial" in AB (The British Air Commission & Lend-Lease).
Yet KJ805 is recorded in AB (KA100-KZ999) as "Diverted to Russia".
So possible applied with RAF markings over painted with Russian markings.
I have no idea, but the other numbers quoted in the KU report might be numbers applied by the Russians ?
Hope this helps.
Alex

[hanshauprich]

Hello,
thank you, this help a little bit! Did you know, that the russians ever fitted an original C-47 with that Gunturret like their Li 2?

I have an loos of an C-47 - Li 2 near Aachen in late 1944 (with German Markings) but no idea if US or ex-VVS.

Bests,
Hans

[Leendert]

Hans,

Neustettin is present day Szczecinek in Poland?
On the other hand, the only Steinfurt I could find is NW of Münster, Germany, unless there is a Polish town with an equally Polish name for Steinfurt now too.

Regards,

Leendert

[Laurent Rizzotti]

There was in 1944 a placed called Steinforth or Steinfurth near Neustettin, renamed Brodźce in Polish and that is no more existing according to wikipedia.

[kaki3152]

I noticed that a C-47B, 312th Ferry Squadron, S/n 43-48478 was reported missing on November 13,1944. Its mission was from Watten,UK to Airstrip A-62 in France.
I think it's just possible that the serial number listed on the KU report is incorrect.
The crew was listed as KIA on the MACR report.

[Atcham Tower]

The Air-Britain DC-3 book says 43-48328 was delivered 11 Aug 44 and allocated KJ805 but not taken up by the RAF. Reverted to USAAF then transferred to Russia 22 Aug 44.

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
Thanks for the confirmation and date "to Russia".
Tony Woods file gives date of a DC-3 as 16th Nov 44, Fw. Pilz.Place- Stadtrand Szegedin.
Interestingly on the 20th Nov one is listed as an Li-2, so perhaps the difference was known.

Alex