25 April 1945 B17G Old Black Magic 42-107206 - 303 BG emergency landing in Belgium

[Luc Vervoort]

Hi,
On 25 april 1945 B17G Old Black Magic 42-107206 of 303 BG made an emergency landing in Belgium on one engine. T/Sgt. Mikkelson was hospitalized at the field hospital of Y29 As, Belgium.

One source mentions that the aircraft crashlanded at Melsbroek (Brussels), which is by road more than 80 km from As.

Is it not possible that the plane landed at Y29 As ?


Best regards


Luc

[Alex Smart]

Hello Luc,
Dave Osborne 's "Fortress Master Log" has -
Badly damaged Pilsen 25/04/1945, force landed on the Continent, 122 mission's, SAL 26/04/1945. "Old Black Magic".

"The Mighty Eight Combat Chronology" has 303/359 "R" - Lt. Malcolm F, DAMON , 8 Returned.

Just guess but could As be an abbreviation for Asch ?

Y29, Asch, Belgium was used by the 366, 370, 406 Fighter Groups and 391st Bomber Group.

[Alex Smart]

"Y" ALGs were initially located in Southeastern France, built by Twelfth Air Force engineers as part of Operation Dragoon, the invasion of Southern France. Initially uncoded, they were given "Y" designations when they came under IX Engineering Command control in late 1944. ALGs were also coded "Y" in Northeastern France, Belgium; The Netherlands and Occupied Germany, after "A" coding reached 99 November 1944.

And

Y-29 Asch, Belgium
Located: 50°57′55″N 005°35′02″E
Now: Roundel of Belgium.svg Zutendaal Air Base
Opened: 20 November 1944 Closed: 20 June 1945
Runway: 5000x150, SOD, (06/24)[1]
Used by:[5]
366th Fighter Group, 19 November 1944 – 11 April 1945 (P-47)
406th Fighter Group, 8 February – 15 April 1945 (P-47)
391st Bombardment Group, 16 April – 27 May 1945 (B-26)

Both from Wikipedia.

[Leendert]

Alex: As, as in present day spelling of this town, is the same as Asch as in war reports.

Luc: your info likely from the 303rd BG Mission 364 account: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/364.pdf

Take a look at story of navigator Lt Howard Burr as well: http://www.303rdbg.com/news/2010-12-28.html
At start of his account 'A Most Unusual War Story' it says: After heavy flak damage from anti-aircraft fire and only one engine running, the Damon Crew was forced to land near the Belgian border.

I'm sure he would have written Brussels/Melsbroek if this was the case. But with As(ch) actually near the BE-NL border, it's likely that Y29 is the airfield where they landed.

Groet,
Leendert

[Luc Vervoort]

Alex and Leendert,


Many thanks for your replies.


It would make sense that the plane crash-landed at Y29, which is close to the border. Possibly the crew (except the wounded T/Sgt.Mikkelson) were transported to Brussels and returned to their base in the U.K.


Best regards, met vriendelijke groeten,

Luc

[Luc Vervoort]

Leendert and Alex,


The publications of the Project Bit & Pieces by Paul M.Andrews mention for this aircraft that it ended at Y29.


See
https://384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/research.php

Best regards, met vriendelijke groeten,



Luc