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Allied and Soviet Air Forces Please use this forum to discuss the Air Forces of the Western Allies and the Soviet Union. |
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#1
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B-25D and crew- Missing 11 May 1943 - s/n 41-(000)3?
On 11 May 1943 a USAAF B-25D went missing on a ferry flight between British Guyana and Belem, Brazil.
Pilot 2nd Lt Milton A. Moritz and crew are mentioned as MIA on the East Coast Memorial, NYC. Somehow accident-report.com, aviationarcheology and entries for crew members on findagrave give as serial for the B-25 "41-3", "41-0003" or the like. But "41-003" appears to have been an XB-29 instead (Joe Baugher), while accident-report has an AT-8 for "41-3"..... Any ideas which B-25 really went missing? Given the "41-(000)3", then B-25D "41-30003" a possibility? Thanks for any info. Regards, Leendert |
#2
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Re: B-25D and crew- Missing 11 May 1943 - s/n 41-(000)3?
MACR 16101 has the serial number as 41-0003. Says only B-25 without any model designation.
Kent |
#3
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Re: B-25D and crew- Missing 11 May 1943 - s/n 41-(000)3?
Probably not going to resolve this, but on this link is a photo of 41-30003 at the Tulsa modification center, (probably in late 1942 or early 1943 rather than early in 1942).
http://www.edcoatescollection.com/ac6/N.A.%20B-25.html The text says most of the planes went to the South Pacific, but it does note that 41-29996 went to Italy, so that seems to allow the possibility that the plane lost was 41-30003. Joe Bauger's page for this group of planes is here: http://cgibin.rcn.com/jeremy.k/cgi-b...30048&content= (Joe does have at least one error in his listings. 41-30118 was lost in 1943 not 1942.) https://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircra.../41-30118.html |
#4
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Re: B-25D and crew- Missing 11 May 1943 - s/n 41-(000)3?
Indeed, Rolland, I had (also) noticed that picture, and that most of that batch went to the Pacific.
It looks like I must go after the Aircraft Record Card for 41-30003 to see what it says. That aside, it sadly doesn't change the fate of the missing crew.... Regards, Leendert |
#5
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Re: B-25D and crew- Missing 11 May 1943 - s/n 41-(000)3?
The B-25D-5 with the serials 41-30000, 41-30001 & 41-30002 all flew with 321st BG in the MTO in May 1943 according to this website: http://57thbombwing.com/321stHistory/321_BG_1943-05.pdf
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#6
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Re: B-25D and crew- Missing 11 May 1943 - s/n 41-(000)3?
Rainer, 41-30005 is also on that same list. So planes on either side of 41-30003 went to the MTO.
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#7
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Re: B-25D and crew- Missing 11 May 1943 - s/n 41-(000)3?
Received some interesting info. B-25 41-30003 was taken from the list on 4 June 1943, so some three weeks after it went missing and almost a week before searches for the crew stopped.
B-25 was destined for the 12th AF in N. Africa and crew came from 470th BS, 334th BG, a combat crew replacement unit. Likely destination for them was either 320th or 321st BG. Entry of "41-0003" on accident and perhaps other reports probably a typing error that started its own life ever since. Regards, Leendert |