Boeing B-29A 44-62276

Succoth Glen, Corrow, Argyll

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Operator/Nationality

Operating Country

USA (USAAF / USAF)

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PAGE 2 (Memorial Photos)

PAGE 3 (Museum Artefacts)

MediaCredits

Acknowledgments

Many thanks to the following for kindly providing photos and / or information for this B-29 aircraft:

Keith Beckett,

Stephen Hayton,

Dougie Martindale,

David Pickering,

James Towill,

Steve White

Many thanks also to Ross for kindly pointing out caption error to instrument panel on right (now corrected).

Copyright Notice

All photos remain the property of the original authors, and may not be reproduced elsewhere without the respective author's prior written permission.

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Aircraft Photo

BELOW: An actual photo of Boeing B-29 Superfortress 44-62276 (coded BF-276). This photo was taken on 14 April 1948 at Goose Bay, Labrador.

photo of boeing b-29a 44-62276 taken at Goose Bay Labrador before the crash at Succoth Glen Scotland

Photo kindly provided by Keith Beckett. Used here by permission.

Aircraft Type and Background

USAAF / USAF Boeing B-29A Superfortress / 44-62276

The Boeing B-29 was developed as a long-range heavy bomber. It was equipped with guns that could be fired by remote control. They were used primarily in the Pacific arena, although some operated over the Atlantic. The B-29 had a top speed of 365 mph and a cruising speed of 220 mph. Its range was 5,830 miles, and it carried a crew of 10. The B-29 first flew on 21 September 1942.

During the war in the Pacific, B-29s were used over Japan. In August 1945, the B-29 Enola Gay dropped the first atomic bomb used in warfare. This was followed three days later by the B-29 Bockscar dropping a second nuclear bomb.

Wartime versions of this aircraft were powered by four 2,200 hp Wright Double Cyclone R3350 18 cylinder radial engines. However, because of problems with this power plant, re-engined and post-war B-29s were equipped with the superior Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major engines.

Following the war, the B-29 became the main bomber aircraft used by the newly formed USAF Strategic Air Command (SAC). It was used extensively in the Korean conflict.

BELOW: The flight engineer's panes / station of a B-29 Superfortress.

(For other instrument panels, etc. see the Strategic Air and Space Museum's B-29 page.)

b-29 superfortress cockpit instrument panel

Photo: National Museum of the USAF

The Soviet Union built a series of very similar aircraft, known as the Tupolev Tu-4. The design of the Tu-4s had been copied largely from B-29s that had made forced landings in Soviet territory during WWII.

Aircraft Accident Details

This particular B-29A was attached to the 301st Bombardment Group of the USAF (United States Air Forces). The aircraft had been involved in the post-war Berlin airlift. Together with another B-29, the crew were flying the aircraft back to their home base at Smoky Hill, Salina (via RAF Scampton), with a refuelling and re-supply stopover at Keflavik (Meeks Field), Iceland. However, while over Scotland, the aircraft began to experience icing on the wings, making the B-29 very difficult to handle.

The pilot of one of the two B-29s, Captain Donald E. Riggs, requested permission to return to RAF Scampton. The pilot of the B-29 featured here, 1/Lt. Sheldon Craigmyle, requested permission to climb from 10,500 to 14,500 feet. This, however, may have proved extremely difficult, if not impossible, in view of the icing on the wings. Ultimately, the aircraft lost height, clipped the summit of Beinn Tharsuinn in Argyll, and crashed in flames in Succoth Glen below.

The exact cause of this accident is unknown, but the accident report suggests that the prevailing weather conditions and heavy icing may have been a contributory factor, if not the sole cause.

Aircraft Crew Casualties

Twenty people perished in this accident (crew and military personnel returning from the Berlin airlift). These were:

Pilot, 1/Lt. Sheldon C. Craigmyle;
Co-pilot, 1/Lt. Myrton Patrick Barry;
Navigator, 1/Lt. Richard D. Klingenberg;
Bombardier 1/Lt Robert A Fritsche;
T/Sgt Delbert E Cole;
M/Sgt Wayne W Baker;
T/Sgt John B Lapicca;
S/Sgt Malcolm W Bovard;
Sgt Anthony V Chrisides;
Sgt Rufus W Mangum;
PFC Jack L Heacock;
M/Sgt Henry P Prestoch;
T/Sgt Frank M Dobbs Jr;
Sgt Cecil G Jones;
Sgt Charles W Hess;
PFC Robert Brown Jr;
T/Sgt Rufus G Taylor;
Sgt Paul W Knight;
PFC Frederick N Cook;
PFC Bruce J Krumhols

There is some speculation, however, that there were 21 people on board the aircraft, but this has never been confirmed.

A stone memorial cairn can now be found at the wreck site.

For more detailed information of this accident, together with photos of some of the crew members, see David W. Earl's website at Aircraft Wrecks in the UK and Ireland.

Crash Site Photos

Appeal for Return of Parts

An appeal is being made to anyone in possession of wreckage parts—large or small—from this crash site to make them available for return to their original location. If you can provide a photo of a part or parts from this aircraft, together with an address for collection of any parts, please contact Keith Beckett at the following address: beckett.keith@googlemail.com

Further details here

BELOW: The location of the B-29 crash site and memorial.

B29 is labelled on the map, at the edge of the forest on the left hand side.

map showing location of b-29 crash site and memorial at succoth glen

Photo: 2009 Steve White

BELOW: The debris field from the B-29A Superfortress that crashed at Succoth Glen. The memorial cairn nearby commemorates the US airmen who died in this tragic accident.

b-29 debris field at succoth glen and memorial to US airmen who died

BELOW: Part of the remaining fuselage attachments: possibly, a gun turret section.

b-29 gun turret section

BELOW: The underside of an instrument panel or communications unit, showing capacitors, resistors and other electronic components.

Remarkably, the resistors still bear their distinctive colour bands identifying their value (in ohms) and their tolerance (in percent).

b-29 electronics panel - underside of instrument panel

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PAGE 2 (Memorial photos)

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Photo Gallery

For additional crash site and wreckage photos please select

BOEING-B-29A-SUCCOTH-GLEN

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Crash Date / Site

Accident Date: 17 Jan 1949

Accident Site:

Succoth Glen

(100 m N of Stob na Boine Druim-fhinn / Beinn Tharsuinn)

(Note: Succoth Glen is not the same as Succoth at the head of Loch Long)

Region: Argyll and Bute (Argyll)

Nearest town or village:

Corrow near Lochgoilhead

Nearest large town:

None in this general area. Nearest available:

Garelochhead (SE) or Helensburgh (SE)

OS Grid Ref. 63 / NN 161 022

GPS Ref: N/A

Present Condition: Several large identifiable parts or sections, including landing gear, engines, gun turrets, etc., together with substantial fragmented wreckage, can still be found onsite.

A memorial cairn and plaque also stands near the site.