ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 100672
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| Date: | Wednesday 8 December 1943 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: |  Consolidated B-24H-10-FO Liberator |
| Owner/operator: | 713th BSqn /448th BGp USAAF |
| Registration: | 42-52135 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 14 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | RAF Wick, Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Marrakech, Morocco |
| RAF Llandow, Glamorgan |
The investigation into the accident noted that this B-24H was assigned to the 8th Air Force, 448th Bomb Group, 713th Bomb Squadron, USAAF. The incident occurred on 8 December 1943, at Wick, Glamorgan, South Wales. The pilot’s mission was ferrying and transferring to a new permanent station.
The accident was a belly landing caused by limited visibility, being low on fuel and being unable to establish radio contact. The plane was part of a squadron movement from the US to UK – from Morrison airfield in Florida via Marrakech, Morocco. The plane left Marrakech at 02:15 and flew on instruments for the first part of the trip. They ran into bad weather again and tried to climb through it, climbing to above the icing level. The de-icer handle froze closed but there was not enough ice to endanger the plane.
They had no radio contact before reaching the coastline. For 1.5 hours, they flew up the coast at 800 feet trying to establish radio contact eventually receiving a position fix from Plympton, Devon. They sighted Llandow airfield but the ceiling was too low and they soon lost sight of it circling. The pilot tried to contact the ground station by command radio, but received no answer.
They also tried calling on VHF Radio. They climbed to above the overcast to use the fighter escort system but could not get above the clouds. The only decision remaining was to try and land in a field at Wick, Glamorgan. The crew had all assumed their ditching positions. The aircraft skidded for a short distance and then slewed to starboard.
They were taken to Llandow by the RAF and were having tea 1.5 hours later. The investigators commanded the pilot and the discipline of the crew noting that they received not even the slightest bruise
Crew of B-24H 42-52135 (Crew #35)
Second Lieutenant Lawrence T Crepeau (Pilot) No injuries.
Second Lieutenant Robert E Lehman (Co pilot) Minor injuries.
Second Lieutenant William F New (Navigator). No injuries
Second Lieutenant Otto Ciavardon (Bomber) No injuries.
Sergeant Dearl Whitaker (Engineer) No injuries.
Sergeant Basham B Weide (Assistant Engineer) No injuries.
Sergeant Joseph R Morrison (Radio operator) No injuries.
Sergeant Jon W Jones (Assistant engineer) No injuries.
Sergeant Jesse W Carroll (Air gunner) No injuries
Sergeant Raymond M Arnold (Air gunner) No injuries
Sergeant Merle S Morris.(passenger) No injuries.
Sergeant Dale K Black (passenger) No injuries.
Sergeant Glade H Jnr Butterfield (passenger) No injuries
S/Sgt. Charles W. Kruse (passenger) No injuries
Wick (Welsh: Y Wig) is a small village and community in the Vale of Glamorgan in Wales, situated approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from the coast at approximate co ordinates: 51.4376°N 3.5508°W. The closest towns are Llantwit Major, Cowbridge and Bridgend. (Not to be confused with Wick, Caithness in Scotland!)
Details:
Because of the vulnerability of the B-24 to head-on attack with the earlier "greenhouse" nose, the B-24H design incorporated an electrically powered Emerson A-15 nose turret above the bombardier's position, like the Frazer Nash nose turret on the Avro Lancaster was placed. Trying to increase forward firepower, some 90th Bomb Group field engineers got the bright idea to install a cannibalized B-24 tail turret in the nose. It worked pretty well, and an Emerson A-15 twin-gun nose turret was standardized on B-24H's. The top and tail turrets were improved, and the camouflage paint was omitted late in the "D" series. Approximately 50 other airframe changes were made, including a redesigned bombardier compartment. The tail turret was given larger windows for better visibility and the Martin A-3 dorsal turret received an enlarged "high hat" dome. The waist gunner positions were enclosed with Plexiglass windows, and laterally offset to reduce interference between the waist gunners. Most H model aircraft were built by Ford at Willow Run. Total built: 3,100.
Crew:
2nd/Lt Lawrence T Crepeau O-747219 USAAF. Pilot. Uninjured. RTD.
2nd/Lt Robert E Lehman O-750630 USAAF. Co-pilot. Slightly Injured.
2nd/Lt William F New O-690491 USAAF. Nav’. Uninjured. RTD.
2nd/Lt Otto Ciavardoni O-688580 USAAF. Bdr’. Uninjured. RTD.
Sgt Dearl Whitaker USAAF. Engr’. Uninjured.
Sgt Bashan B Weider USAAF. 2nd Engr’. Uninjured. RTD.
Sgt Joseph R Morrison 36621790 USAAF. Radio Op’. Uninjured. RTD.
Sgt Jon W Jones USAAF. As’/Engr’. Uninjured.
Sgt Jesse W Carroll USAAF. A/Gnr’. Uninjured.
Sgt Raymond M Arnold 39550987 USAAF. A/Gnr’. Uninjured. RTD.
S/Sgt Earl S Morris USAAF. Passenger. Uninjured. RTD.
Sgt Dale L Black 14134595 USAAF. Passenger. Uninjured. RTD.
Sgt Glade H Butterfield Jnr 17071649 USAAF. Passenger. Uninjured.
Sgt Charles H Kruse 37446869 USAAF. Passenger. Uninjured. RTD.
Wreckage:
Entire area built on.
Additional Information:
2nd/Lt Lehman.
Shot down 25 April 1944 in B-24 #4128583 'Rum Runner. ' Landed in Switzerland. Interned.
Sgt Arnold.
Shot down 20 April 1944 in B-24 #42-72981 'Fascinating Lady', Prisoner of War (POW)
Sources:
1. US Air Accident Record 44-12-08-501, RCAHMW Digital Collections
2. http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1942_3.html
3. http://www.americanairmuseum.com/person/188713
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wick,_Vale_of_Glamorgan
5. http://www.8thafhs.com/get_one_acgroup.php?acgroup_id=20
6. https://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/AARmonthly/Dec1943O.htm
7. http://willisrowe.com/DownloadableFiles/ROWE%20CREW.pdf
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-May-2019 21:23 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 24-May-2019 21:24 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Total occupants] |
| 13-Feb-2020 18:29 | Iwosh | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
| 30-Jan-2021 10:37 | Anon. | Updated [Operator, Location, Operator] |
| 21-Dec-2023 19:59 | Davies 62 | Updated [Narrative] |
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