ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 98510
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| Date: | Sunday 20 May 1945 |
| Time: | 18:25 LT |
| Type: |  Boeing B-29 Superfortress |
| Owner/operator: | 6th BGp /39th BSqn USAAF |
| Registration: | 44-69841 |
| MSN: | 10673 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Other fatalities: | 10 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Location: | North Field AAF, Tinian Island -
 Northern Mariana Islands
|
| Phase: | Standing |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | North Field AAF, Tinian Island |
Boeing B-29-65-BW Superfortress 44-69841: Delivered to USAAF 10 February 1945. Assigned to the PTO (Pacific Theater of Operations) and issued to the 6th Bomb Group, 39th Bomb Squadron, at North Field AAF, Tinian Island
Written off (Damaged beyond repair) while parked at North Field AAF, Tinian, Northern Mariana Islands, May 20, 1945 when struck by B-29 42-24913 when it crashed on take off. According to a contemporary published report:
"Though we've seen reports of single B-29 crashes during landing; sometimes damaging planes on the ground, we've been unable to find any Army Air Force records of a large "explosion" involving a landing plane and planes ready to takeoff. However, a note in the Crouter's War Diary from its 20 May 1945 entry, refers to this incident as seen from his ship: "Observed explosion, fire and large columns of smoke on North end of Tinian Island at 18:25."
Furthermore, this note from May 20th, 1945 confirms that date: "B-29 42-24913 of the 9th Bomb Group, 1st Bomb Squadron, named "Thunderin' Loretta" crashed on takeoff at North Field, Tinian May 20 1945. 10 killed, 1 survived. The B-29 Damaged seven other parked B-29s (44-69841, 42-63506, 42-93992, 44-69844, 44-69972, 42-63504 and 44-69859)"
Eight B-29s (including 42-24913) were wrecked in this incident:
450520 B-29 44-69841** 20 TOA 4 [parked aircraft] TIN North Fld
450520 TB-29 42-63506** 20 TOA 3 [parked aircraft] TIN North Fld
450520 B-29 42-93992** 20 TOA 3 [parked aircraft] TIN North Fld
450520 B-29 44-69844 20 TOA 3 [parked aircraft] TIN North Fld
450520 B-29 44-69979** 20 TOA 3 [parked aircraft] TIN North Fld
450520 B-29 42-63504** 20 TOA 3 [parked aircraft] TIN North Fld
450520 B-29 44-69859 20 TOA 3 [parked aircraft] TIN North Fld
The five aircraft marked ** were repaired and returned to service. The official AAF Accident report describes the loss of the above B-29s as "take off accidents", However, the aircraft were static and parked, with no crews on board.
44-69841 was repaired and returned to service: Modified to KB-29M at Boeing, Wichita, Kansas. Reclaimed at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona 16 August 1954.
Sources:
1. [LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1944_4.h]tml
2. http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/AARmonthly/May1945O.htm
3. http://www.econseminars.com/6th_Bombardment_Group_Tinian/6th%20BG%20B-29%20Inventory.pdf
...
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 16-Jul-2017 20:33 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 16-Jul-2017 21:09 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Damage] |
| 16-Jul-2017 21:11 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Other fatalities, Source] |
| 16-Jul-2017 21:11 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Source] |
| 22-Mar-2020 09:36 | DG333 | Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Operator] |
| 06-Jun-2022 06:00 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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