Two dates for loss of B-29 42-24694

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Hello, all my sources agree that the B-29 42-24694 of 881st BS, 500th BG, ditched just near a beach of Saipan Island during a routine flight, killing two crew and one passenger, but I found several dates for this loss: almost half of the source said 23, the other half the 27, and one said on 24.

I have used both the Internet and books, and 23 and 27 dates are found in both.

Can someone help ?

[Leendert]

Laurent,

Pilot 1st Lt. Robert E. Engle and co-pilot 2nd Lt Glenn E. Pavey were killed, as was a (USN?) sailor. They drowned when the nose of the B-29 was submerged and they couldn't get out.

Most references I saw said 27 Feb 1945.

Regards,

Leendert

[Leendert]

Laurent,

23 Feb 1945 may be the date after all. Lt Robert E. Engle is buried at the Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Bruno, CA, with date of death 23 Feb 1945...

881st BS War Diary also says 23 Feb 45.

Regards,

Leendert

[Alex Smart]

Hi,
From AAIR accident site.
441027 B-29 42-24694 271BU Kearney AA F, Kearney, NE GAC 3 Weies, Alex USA NE Depot Maint Hangar, Kearney AAF, NE

Alex

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Hi Alex,

Thanks but I allready have this info. The 3 after the code "GAC" means that the aircraft was damaged but then repaired. The accident in which it was lost in February 1945 is not in this database.

Leendert, the death date of Engle is certainly a good proof of the 23 Feb date. Thanks

[JoeB]

Just to add, Robert Mann's "The B-29 Superfortress-a Comprehensive Registry of the Planes and Their Missions" gives Feb 27 under the entry for 42-24694. The basic source Mann used for the individual a/c listing in the book was their Individual Aircraft Record Cards. So the likely explanation for the two dates in various references, based on the other info in the thread, is that the inicident occurred Feb 23, but the a/c was only officially written off (on its IARC) Feb 27. I've seen a few similar cases in researching USAF a/c fates in the Korean War.

Joe

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Hi Joe,

This is perfectly possible, as the aircraft seems not heavily damaged on available picture. It landed on its wheels just off a beach, and may even have been repaired if it had not nosed over.

Saldy it nosed over, and three men in the nose were drowned (pilot, copilot and one passenger) but all other parts of the aircraft were over the water.

So maybe the aircraft was not deemed beyond repair on the day of the "ditching", but some days later.