From a B-24 crash site near Potenza. Some idea?

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
Have looked in Fold3 and was confused by some of the macr numbers not matching the a/c serial numbers while a couple did not return any results.
One however did show no engine numbers. The others that are listed had numbers starting with "42", while we seek "41"-43759.
Are the dates given written in stone or like many others are only vague remembrances ?
Alex

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
Have checked again All August 1943 Macr's shown in this thread and All listed in Craig Fullers AAIR list for August 1943 under "Italy".
Can find nothing for the following a/c
42-24024 - MACR 15859
42-40373 - MACR 3558

Alex

[SALERNO1943]

Thanks Alex. Please do you can post a copy of MACRs without engine serial numbers? Perphaps someone can be our aircraft! The date of 15 to 18 august 1943 is almost sure because a eyewitness referr that in 15 august born his son and in the same days (1 or 2 after) aircraft crashed. Also another eyewitness referr to 18 august. Thanks for your precious help.

[vathra]

Originally Posted by SALERNO1943

The date of 15 to 18 august 1943 is almost sure because a eyewitness referr that in 15 august born his son and in the same days (1 or 2 after) aircraft crashed. Also another eyewitness referr to 18 august. Thanks for your precious help.

Regarding dates witnesses tend to be wrong by months, even few years later. In this case it is more precise, but you should still consider bigger period.

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
The MACR's that I refer to are available via Fold3.
In the mean time I have searched the August 1943 for B24 losses in/over Italy, this was quite easy to do with refs to the AAIR and Baughers and armyairforces.com sites.
Losses that can be ignored are those a/c interned in Turkey & Portugal.
41-24024 was reported to have ditched so it too can be ignored.
Oddities were -
Macr 1646, said to be for a/c 42-40375. However in Fold3 it gives 42-40325, a 90 BG a/c condemned in July 1945.
I can only suppose that the made number initially given to 42-40375 was later used for 42-40325. Perhaps because of the known position of "375" ?
MACR 8250 for 42-40267 which went into Turkey gives up a/c 41-29544 in Fold3,
Others not in Fold3 are -
41-24229.
42-40373.
42-40778.
42-41021.

Alex

[Alex Smart]

Hello again,
I have looked at this again and arrived at the following.
I came to ten a/c,
1st Aug 43
42-40375 - 44BG - MACR 1646 - 9 KIA, a/c Shot down ( MACR has 42-40325 ).
16th Aug 43
41-23778 - 44BG - MACR 3150 - 9 KIA, 1 POW. - a/c Shot down.
41-23817 - 44BG - MACR 2361/2445 - 10 KIA - a/c shot down
41-24229 - 44BG - No MACR - 4 KIA, 5 POW. a/c shot down.
42-40373 - 44BG - MACR 3558 - 3 KIA, 7 POW, a/c shot down.
42-40606 - 44BG - MACR 2451/3559/15549 - 44BG - 5 KIA, 5 POW.
42-40664 - 44BG - MACR 298 - 1 EVD, 8 POW.
42-41021 - 44BG - No MACR - 5 KIA, 5 POW - Shot down.
19th Aug 43
41-24023 - 98BG - MACR 325 - 10 KIA, a/c crashed.
21st Aug 43
41-24026 - 98BG - MACR 377 - 8 KIA, 3 POW

So only two a/c will fit with all crew KIA.
41-23817 and 41-24023, but the engine numbers do not fit.

Alex

[SALERNO1943]

Thanks Alex for your pecious help. Do you have some information where these aircraft crashed?

41-24229 - 44BG - No MACR - 4 KIA, 5 POW. a/c shot down.
42-41021 - 44BG - No MACR - 5 KIA, 5 POW - Shot down. 19th Aug 43

Thanks again