ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 219532
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| Date: | Wednesday 27 December 1944 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Republic P-47D Thunderbolt |
| Owner/operator: | 492nd FSqn /48th FGp USAAF |
| Registration: | 42-28537 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | near Les Tailles, Luxembourg -
 Belgium
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | |
On 27 December 1944, the 492nd FS, 48th FG, was flying an armed reconnaissance mission in Saint-Vith area. The Yellow Flight of the squadron was led by 1st Lt Dennis H. Duncan aboard the P-47D-28-RA 42-28537. Over the target, the Red and Blue flights attacked German troops while Yellow and Green flights covered them. They then switched places but as the Yellow flight was coming down, Flak opened up at 9,000 feet and four bursts of heavy Flak were seen to explode betwee Duncan and his wingman, Lt Robert R Hutton. Duncan reported on the radio that his canopy had been hit and that he would jettison his bombs and return to base. He broke off the attack, followed by Hutton.
Duncan remained in the area however, orbiting for about three or four minutes before he jettisoned his bombs and Hutton did the same. Hutton reported in the MACR 11491 the following:
"Suddenly, I saw flame coming out of his super-cherger and I tried to call him and tell him. Soon after, I saw his canopy come off and Lt. Duncan half-stand up in his plane. There was flame in his cockpit by this time, and I was still yelling for him to get out. At this time, his plane was in nose high altitude and in a slight turn left. This caused me to close on him fast. I had to break away to the left, wich blacked him out for a few seconds. When I had turned back so as to him, the plane half rolled to the right and started down. The plane was burming badly by now, and it exploded at about 1.000 feet from the ground. We were about 6.000 feet when Lt. Duncan tried to get out. He may have bailed out when I pulled away from him. Lt. Duncan’s plane crashed into a wooded area. I did not see a parachute and I don’t think Lt. Duncan got out."
1st Lt Frank R Hall, the leader of Green flight, watched from approximately two miles and also saw the crash but no chute.
This was only confirmed on 19 April 1945, when the wreck of the fighter was found near Les Tailles, Belgium. The body of Duncan was found near it. Testimonies of two Belgian civilians, the Pasteur of Dinez and Armand Léonard, allowed to find the crashplace.
Sources:
http://ardennesavions45.blogspot.fr/search/label/P-47%20de%20DUNCAN%20%C3%A0%20Les%20Tailles
http://www.adoptiegraven-database.nl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=174:duncan-dennis-h&catid=74:american-war-cemetery-ardennes-d&Itemid=106
http://p-47.database.pagesperso-orange.fr/Database/42-2xxxx.htm
http://www.maplandia.com/belgium/wallonne/luxembourg/les-tailles/
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 15-Dec-2018 20:18 | Laurent Rizzotti | Added |
| 13-Feb-2020 17:55 | Iwosh | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
| 29-Mar-2020 10:44 | Reno Raines | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
| 14-Nov-2022 08:41 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
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