B-26D 41-18271

[madaroums]

I apologize, I focused on the date from Joe Baugher website and I wrote " this plane is mentioned as written-off on August, 15, 1943 near Oran La Sénia"...
Sorry for the error!

and at the end, the data from Joe Baugher website are wrong..
Best regards
Franck

[Stig Jarlevik]

No worries

No one is perfect, me neither
Baughers site is very useful, but we have to remember he is dealing with many 100.000 aircraft and it would be a miracle if everything would be 100%.

Cheers
Stig

[Zoran Petek]

hello all,
I can confirm from my data that 41-18271 (ex 439 BS, 319 BG, USAAF) had accident in Algeria on Aug 15 1944 with French GBM II/63 "Sénégal".
Also one 41-18200 B-26B-10-MA of GBM II/63 "Sénégal" had accident on July 19 1944, and was serviced in 326 Service Sqn. That led to the wrong conclusion, by some authors, that 326 Sqn RAF (Spitfire, Free French) flew Marauders.
Zoran

[madaroums]

Originally Posted by Stig Jarlevik

No worries

No one is perfect, me neither
Baughers site is very useful, but we have to remember he is dealing with many 100.000 aircraft and it would be a miracle if everything would be 100%.

Cheers
Stig

I agree with you, Joe Baugher has done a very good job !! My intention wasn't to disparage his work.

Cheers
Franck

[madaroums]

Originally Posted by Zoran Petek

hello all,
I can confirm from my data that 41-18271 (ex 439 BS, 319 BG, USAAF) had accident in Algeria on Aug 15 1944 with French GBM II/63 "Sénégal".
Also one 41-18200 B-26B-10-MA of GBM II/63 "Sénégal" had accident on July 19 1944, and was serviced in 326 Service Sqn. That led to the wrong conclusion, by some authors, that 326 Sqn RAF (Spitfire, Free French) flew Marauders.
Zoran

Thanks Zoran
this second answer, which confirms, is very much appreciated.

Cheers
Franck

[Stig Jarlevik]

Originally Posted by Zoran Petek

hello all,
Also one 41-18200 B-26B-10-MA of GBM II/63 "Sénégal" had accident on July 19 1944, and was serviced in 326 Service Sqn. That led to the wrong conclusion, by some authors, that 326 Sqn RAF (Spitfire, Free French) flew Marauders.
Zoran

Hi Zoran

Did the French also have Service Squadrons during WW 2?

Otherwise I am struck with the similarity between this number and the USAAF 326th Ferry Squadron, who may have delivered the aircraft to the French....

Cheers
Stig

[Bertrand H]

Thanks Zoran for the info about serial with French unit

That led to the wrong conclusion, by some authors, that 326 Sqn RAF (Spitfire, Free French) flew Marauders.[/quote]


Alas alas any Marauders at n°326 sqdn (GC 2/7 "Nice") and was NEVER Free French !

Bertrand

[Zoran Petek]

Hello all,
326 Service Sqn was a equivalent to a RAF maintenance unit, and USAAF XIIth BC Bombardment Training Center trained all B-26 crews in the Med at that time (replacement crews for USAAF 17th, 319th, 320th BGs and RAF 14 Sqn, and conversion training for French and SAAF units (12 & 24 Sqn SAAF).
"HQ Bombardment Training Center, Telergma, Algeria, Africa" "October 1943"
"28 The First Bombardment Training Squadron received a new class of French Officers and enlisted men from French Air Force. Some of them come from the French Group 122, where we have many friends, and some from the new French Group 233. Major Abertus, the Commanding Officer of the 122 Group is in charge of the French Students from this group."
"In order to teach the French Air Force the fundamentals of the B-26 Type Aircraft the following circulars have been writen in French:
Flying Regulations of the B.T.C.
Pilot Questiinaire for the B-26." etc. etc.
Group 122 mentioned is GBM I/22 Maroc, but Group 233 is a mystery to me (either GR 2/33 Savoie, that flew recce Spitfires, or a typo for GBM II/63 Sénégal).
Zoran