Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress in Mareeba

Date & Time: Aug 26, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
41-2621
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Mareeba - Mareeba
MSN:
2432
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew left Mareeba Airport at 0400LT on a bombing mission to Milne Bay, PNG. After a successful mission, the crew was returning to his base in Queensland. During the attack over Milne Bay, the aircraft christened 'The Daylight Ltd' was hit by enemy fire and the brakes and flaps were unusable. On touchdown at Mareeba, the right main gear collapsed. The aircraft veered off runway to the right and collided with a tree. While all three crew members were injured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Crew (19th BG):
Cpt Kenneth Casper, pilot,
Sgt Arthur L. Richardson, radio operator,
Sgt Penwarden.
Probable cause:
Attacked by enemy fire.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress off Cairns: 11 killed

Date & Time: Aug 16, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
41-2434
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Cairns - Cairns
MSN:
2245
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a test flight to control a new flare dropping mechanism. En route, a failure occurred on the mechanism, causing a flare to explode inside the cabin. Out of control, the aircraft crashed into the sea a mile off Cairns. All 11 occupants were killed.
Crew (19th BG):
Maj Dean C. Hoevet, pilot,
Sgt Coy Adams,
T/Sgt Stephen A. Androkovich,
2nd Lt William T. Chesser,
1st Lt Paul M. Lindsay,
T/Sgt Hermon T. Randall,
2nd Lt Arthur F. Sorrell,
2nd Lt Maxwell D. Stone,
1st Lt George W. Hammersmith,
S/Sgt Bernard Merker,
T/Sgt Ralph Tarod.
Probable cause:
Failure of the flare dropping mechanism.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress in Berwyn range: 11 killed

Date & Time: Aug 11, 1942 at 1045 LT
Operator:
Registration:
41-9098
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Polebrook - Burtonwood
MSN:
2570
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft left RAF Polebrook at 1030LT on a 30 minutes flight to RAF Burtonwood. En route, the bomber hit the east slop of Berwyn ridge located northwest of Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant. The wreckage was spotted few hours later. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and post crash fire and all 11 occupants were killed.
Crew (97th BG):
2nd Lt Henry L. Gilbert, pilot,
2nd Lt Robert Earl Beers, copilot,
2nd Lt Lawrence G. Schmitt, navigator,
2nd Lt Leonard Holm Phillips, bombardier,
M/Sgt Stanislas Lepa, air gunner,
S/Sgt Robert A. Kemp, radio operator,
Sgt Kenneth H. Branum, air gunner,
Sgt Wallace V. Sidders, air gunner.
Passengers:
Cpl Marvin A. Koepke,
Cpl Stanley G. Aldridge,
Pvt Fidel A. Villarreal.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress in Belfast: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 10, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
FK207
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
2676
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
While approaching Belfast-Nutts Corner Airport, the aircraft lost speed, dove into the ground and crashed in a huge explosion as it was loaded with bombs. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Gordon Sanderson, pilot,
Ernie Bristow, copilot,
David Capel, air gunner,
Vic Fretter, air gunner,
Phil Foster, air gunner,
Harry Garcia, air gunner.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress in Alamogordo

Date & Time: Aug 10, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
41-2556
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
MSN:
2367
YOM:
1941
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on take off from Alamogordo Airport, New Mexico. Crew fate unknown.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress in Rabaul: 8 killed

Date & Time: Aug 9, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
41-2660
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Port Moresby - Port Moresby
MSN:
2471
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The crew was involved in a bombing mission over Rabaul. While approaching its target, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a Japanese fighter and crashed in a huge explosion. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew (19th BG).
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress near Kabanga: 9 killed

Date & Time: Aug 9, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
41-2643
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Port Moresby - Port Moresby
MSN:
2454
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The aircraft left 7 Mile Aerodrome in Port Moresby on a bombing mission to Rabaul. While approaching the target, the aircraft was attacked by Japanese fighters. The crew attempted to leave the area but the aircraft eventually crashed in a plantation located in Kabanga, east of Rabaul. All nine crew members were killed.
Crew (19th BG):
1st Lt Hugh S. Grundmann, pilot,
1st Lt LeRoy F. Foltz, copilot,
2nd Lt Donald L. Bonham,
2nd Lt Frank M. Burton Jr.,
Pfc William A. Takala,
James T. McHugh, Jr.,
Harry T. Isles,
Kenneth E. Dake,
Robert E. McClure.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress on Malapla Island

Date & Time: Aug 9, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
41-2452
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Port Moresby - Port Moresby
MSN:
2263
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew left 7 Mile Aerodrome in Port Moresby on a bombing mission to Rabaul. Once the target was reached, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and was attacked by enemy fire as well. The captain decided to return to Port Moresby but after 3,5 flying hours, the radio compass failed. The crew attempted to make an emergency landing on a beach located on Malapla Island. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, all ten occupants were rescued.
Crew (19th BG):
Cpt Harry J. Hawthorne, pilot,
2nd Lt Paul J. Scarboro, copilot,
2nd Lt Warren E. Bryant, navigator,
2nd Lt Robert J. Haase, bombardier,
S/Sgt Milton P. Kelm, flight engineer,
Pfc Arnold G. Osborne, radio operator,
Cpl Walter T. Buchanan, air gunner,
Michael R. Andrade, air gunner,
S/Sgt Selm, air gunner,
Cpl Paul K. Harmon, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Radio compass failure.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress in Tulagi: 9 killed

Date & Time: Aug 4, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
41-9218
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Luganville - Luganville
MSN:
2690
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft left Luganville Airport in Vanuatu on a bombing mission to Tulagi, Solomon Islands. While approaching the target, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a Japanese fighter and crashed. All 9 crew members were killed.
Crew (11th BG):
Lt Rush E. McDonald, pilot,
2nd Lt John J. Heard, Jr., copilot,
Cpl Joseph H. Wood, bombardier,
2nd Lt Homer W. Vail, navigator,
Sgt William L. Hammack, flight engineer,
Sgt Richard C. Inman, flight engineer,
Cpl Leroy Payne, radio operator,
S/Sgt James E. Briggs, air gunner,
S/Sgt Daniel L. Cross, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress in Musa Point: 8 killed

Date & Time: Aug 2, 1942 at 0930 LT
Operator:
Registration:
41-2435
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
2246
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
Departed 7 Mile Aerodrome in Port Moresby on a search mission in Buna. En route, at 0915LT, the aircraft was attacked by Japanese Mitsubishi Zero. Fifteen minutes later, the aircraft went out of control and crashed southwest of Musa Point. Some of the occupants were able to bail out but only one crew member survived.
Crew (19th BG):
1st Lt William H. Watson, pilot, †
1st Lt John F. Putman, copilot, †
1st Lt James O. Etter, navigator, †
S/Sgt Robert A. Abadie, bombardier, †
T/Sgt Eugene M. Clemens, flight engineer, †
Sgt Leo T. Ranta,
Sgt Robert V. Copley, †
Cpl Philip A. Deal, air gunner, †
Sgt William H. Parker, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.