451st BG B-24 details of loss

[Stig Jarlevik]

Russell

Have you gone through the aircraft listed as delivered to the 451BG?
You probably have, but just in case you have not, you should look for an aircraft either
condemned or salvaged some time post the mission date.

Most likely it was a B-24H

Cheers
Stig

[Buckeye30]

Hi Stig I don't know what Russ has found but two that I know of (written off soon after the mission) are
41-28957 (B-24H) condemned May 14 and 42-78165 (B-24G) salvaged May 24.
Nick

[Stig Jarlevik]

They are both listed Nick

Only problem with both of them is they were assigned to 451BG after the April 2nd mission,
if the website is to be believed.

Cheers
Stig

[Buckeye30]

You are right the Record Cards say assigned to Fifteenth AF on 15th and 14th April respectively. I must admit I don't understand some of the notes on them...


Thanks Nick

[Russell]

Stig and Nick

Thanks for the replies. I had a look at the list and may well try again looking for write offs that arrived before April 1st. Meanwhile onwards with the book. It's getting huge. I had to split the word file into two on Monday, at which point in 22 months of creating it I had spent over 33,000 minutes editing it. I didn't know if I should be happy or sad!.

Russell

[Stig Jarlevik]

Originally Posted by Russell

Stig and Nick

Thanks for the replies. I had a look at the list and may well try again looking for write offs that arrived before April 1st. Meanwhile onwards with the book. It's getting huge. I had to split the word file into two on Monday, at which point in 22 months of creating it I had spent over 33,000 minutes editing it. I didn't know if I should be happy or sad!.

Russell

That sounds intriguing Russell.
I suppose if it gets published you should be quite happy - I would....

Perhaps it is common knowledge what the book is all about, and if so my apologies, but can you
please enlighten me?
I know you have co-authored a lot, but this one escapes me....

Cheers
Stig

[Russell]

Stig


Working on Vol 6 Med Air War which is Strategic Bombing by the Med based Strategic Forces, that is the 15th and the RAF's 205 Group, with Strategic Recon and the Special Ops as well.

Russell

[Alex Smart]

Hello Russell,

From your first post -
"another damaged by Flak, crash landed at a friendly air base and was written off".

If your "unknown" B24 didn't ditch in the sea then it does not seem likely that the RAF and or USAAF ASR would have been searching for it ?

It may have been a B24 that was from another BG or one that was on loan from one BG to another BG.

Nothing noted in the 451st BG book by Mike Hill(Schiffer) which lists all of the 451st's B24's (as far as I know).
It does say that 42-78165 Arrived to the 724th BS in July '44, was damaged by fire and was Salvaged on August 23rd '44.
While 41-28957 "Bigger Boober Girl" arrived to the 727th BS in May '44 to replace 41-29199 " Big Boober Girl" listed as Mia mission 33 April 24th, '44.
Mission 21 was April 2nd '44 to Steyr,Austria.
A 725 BS a/c 41-28806 "Little De-Icer" which arrived to the Squadron in February '44 received Battle damage at some date and was condemned on May 6th '44.
As for 41-29245 (725 BS) it was lost on 2nd April '44 on mission 21. Original Pilot was K,C, Moore. The a/c was lost with the crew of F,A,Howard.

Alex

[Stig Jarlevik]

Originally Posted by Russell

Stig


Working on Vol 6 Med Air War which is Strategic Bombing by the Med based Strategic Forces, that is the 15th and the RAF's 205 Group, with Strategic Recon and the Special Ops as well.

Russell

Alright Russell
I am of course fully aware that Vol 6 is in the pipeline. I thought you were working on a project
all by yourself. Sorry about that....
Cheers
Stig
PS: Looking forward to it BTW

[Stig Jarlevik]

Originally Posted by Alex Smart

Nothing noted in the 451st BG book by Mike Hill(Schiffer) which lists all of the 451st's B24's (as far as I know).
It does say that 42-78165 Arrived to the 724th BS in July '44, was damaged by fire and was Salvaged on August 23rd '44.
Alex

Alex
This is at odds with 451BG home page which claims:
42-78165 delivered 14 April 1944 and salvaged 24 May 1944
Both can't be correct
Cheers
Stig