|
Registration or Serial:
42-90595
Operator: USAAF
(66 Bomber Squadron;
44 Bomb Group (H); 9th USAAF)
Operating Base:
Warton Aerodrome
(582 Station / 44BG)
Base Location:
Preston, Lancashire, England
Current Airport Status:
Operational Private Aerodrome:
BAE Systems (Assembly and Testing
Facility) See also
BAE Systems in Lancashire
Current Airport Name: Warton
Aerodrome (ICAO: EGNO)
(Principal airport data courtesy of
John Woodside,
A
Catalogue of UK Airfields)
Aircraft Type Nickname: Lib;
Lumbering Lib; Flying Boxcar, and others.
Aircraft Type & Background
The
Consolidated B-24 heavy bomber first flew in 1939. The prototypes
were equipped with four Pratt & Whitney 1200hp R-1830-33 Twin Wasp
engines. Early production versions were fitted with P&W 1200hp R-1830-41
engines with GE turbo superchargers. Later production versions
(B-24Ds) were
fitted with P&W R-1830-43 engines. Later variants followed—including
the B-24H featured here, which used P&W R-1830-65 Twin Wasp
turbocharged radial piston engines. Among other changes, the B-24H featured
improved armaments, especially in the nose. Their maximum speed was about
487km/h (303mph).
The
B-24 was fitted with 11 machine guns and had a bomb carrying
capacity of about 3,629kgs (8,000lbs); and, with modifications, had a
range of about 4600km (2,858 miles).
Although
overshadowed by the B-17 (Flying Fortresses), the B-24
was produced in greater numbers than any other aircraft in history
(in excess of 18,000 aircraft).
Aircraft Accident Details
At the time of the accident, this B-24
was on its way home after the war (in Europe) to the United States via
Keflavík (Meeks Field) in Iceland.
The aircraft had left Prestwick and its route should have taken it
over Stornoway in the Western Isles, enroute to Iceland. It is not
known why it was overflying the Scottish mainland.
On board was a
nine-man 'Ketchum' crew from 66th Bomber Squadron together with six
other crewmen from Air Transport Command.
For some reason—perhaps
a technical problem—the
aircraft began to lose height while over Wester Ross in NW Scotland.
At one point, the B-24 glanced the summit of Slioch, a 980m
peak overlooking Loch Maree and not far from Kinlochewe.
(Incidentally, facing Slioch on the opposite shore of the Loch is
Beinn Eighe—the
site of an Avro Lancaster crash)
In the process of striking the
top of Slioch, the B-24 may have lost some parts of its bomb bay doors.
However, the aircraft continued in flight for some considerable
distance to Gairloch. At this point, it seems, the pilot was
attempting to make a crash-landing. Unfortunately,
however, his aircraft appears to have struck the rocky outcrops
around the Fairy Lochs. Almost immediately, the B-24 crashed,
scattering wreckage over a wide area.
All on board perished in this
accident. See panel below for full casualty list.
Casualties
Those who died in the accident were:
Crew:
-
1st/Lt Jack B Ketchum
(22), Pilot
-
1st/Lt J H Spencer (22),
Co-Pilot
-
2nd/Lt R J Robak (20),
Navigator
-
Technical Sgt H L
Cheek (21),
Engineer
-
Technical Sgt J C
Stammer (23),
Radio Op.
-
Staff Sgt E J Giles (24),
Gunner
-
Staff Sgt A L Natkin (20),
Gunner
-
Staff Sgt R E Davis (26),
Gunner
-
Staff Sgt H Riefen (25), Gunner
Passengers
(Air Transport Command):
-
Staff Sgt J B Ellis Jr. (24),
314th T.C.G.
-
Staff Sgt J D Harvey (30),
314th T.C.G.
-
Staff Sgt A W Hastings (23),
314th T.C.G.
-
Staff Sgt E Einarsen (48),
314th T.C.G.
-
Staff Sgt J H Hallissey (27),
93rd B.G. (H)
-
Staff Sgt R J Francis (20),
323rd B.G. (H)
For a detailed account of this incident
and of its crew and passengers, see
44th Bomb Group Roll of Honor and Casualties under Scottish
Highlands (Non-Operational), Gairloch, Scotland (pp. 28-31)
|
Accident Date
13 June 1945
Accident
Site
Sìdhean Mor / Fairy Lochs
(nr. Gairloch)
Region: Highland (Wester Ross)
Nearest town or village:
Shieldaig or Badachro (nr. Gairloch)
OS
Grid Ref:
NG
80824 71169
(OSGR sourced
from High Ground Wrecks and Relics by David J Smith)
Present
Condition
Engines,
propeller blades and other more fragmented parts remain,
scattered over a wide area. Some parts can be found on the
land while other parts lie submerged or partly submerged in
the nearby lochans.
War Grave
Above inscription reads:
"This site is their resting
place. Please treat with respect and take only memories.
Thank you."
Photo: © 2007
Steve White
Visitors are
requested not to disturb the remains of this aircraft, but
to respect and remember those who still lie buried at this
location.
Related
Links
Other Links (B-24
Liberator Aircraft)
Forums, Organisations, &
Societies
Video
Links
Other Links
Below: USAAF B-24H Liberators in
flight.
Photos: Courtesy of the
National Museum
of the USAF
|
