ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 69124
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| Date: | Wednesday 3 November 1948 |
| Time: | 11:00 LT |
| Type: |  Boeing RB-29A Superfortress |
| Owner/operator: | United States Air Force (USAF) |
| Registration: | 44-61999 |
| MSN: | 11476 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 13 / Occupants: 13 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Bleaklow, High Peak, Derbyshire -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Scampton, Licolnshire (EGXP) |
| RAF Burtonwood, Lancashire (EGOB) |
On July 1st 1946, B-29 Superfortress "Dave's Dream" [44-27354], accompanied by "Over Exposed", took off from Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands to take part in "Operation Crossroads" - the Atomic Bomb tests at Bikini Atoll. The B-29 was to drop an atomic bomb which was to explode over Bikini Atoll Lagoon and it was the job of "Over Exposed" and its 25 cameras to photograph 'Dave's Dream' and the bomb leaving the aircraft. It then dived 1,000 feet and was seven miles away when the bomb exploded.
On July 25th, 1946 "Over Exposed" was used to photograph the results of an underwater bomb test and at the end of the tests was sent back to Wright field, with the other 7 F-13s involved, where the extra cameras were removed and then sent to Roswell Field for contamination checks. They then returned to their squadrons.
Re-Assigned to 16th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Group, McGuire AFB, NJ
Written off (destroyed) on November 3, 1948: The Superfortress took off at around 10.15 from RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire for Burtonwood USAF base, near Warrington, Lancashire. It was a routine flight with 2 other aircraft, the RB-29 carrying USAF wages among other things. The crew were due to return to the States a few days later.
When ‘Over Exposed!’ failed to arrive at Burtonwood, an air search was initiated and that afternoon the burning wreck was spotted high on the moors near Higher Shelf Stones. By chance members of the Harpur Hill RAF Mountain Rescue Unit were just finishing an exercise two and a half miles away, so they quickly made their way to the scene of the crash, but there was clearly nothing that could have been done for any of the crew.
All 13 men on board had been killed instantly when the aircraft flew into the moor. It is not known why Captain Tanner did not fly at a height sufficient to clear the high ground. Wreckage was found at the 2,007 feet (612 metre) Higher Shelf Stones, above Bleaklow, High Peak, near Glossop, Derbyshire (at approximate Coordinates: 53.4600°N 1.8626°W). All 13 men on board were killed.
The payroll, on board, totalling some £7,000, was found in a sack and was not burnt. After the crash investigation teams had finished, the tail fin, which still stood up-right was destroyed, as it could be seen for miles around, and was attracting too many sightseers.
Souvenir hunters and the elements have taken their toll on the wreckage over time. A gun turret was removed at the MOD’s permission and is now in the air museum at Newark. Despite all this, the remaining wreckage is still very extensive. Incredibly, a man from nearby Hadfield found a wedding ring at the crash site in the 70’s, which turned out to be Capt Tanner’s ring - which was then duly returned to his daughter. Also, a proper memorial was erected at the site in 1988. There is public access to the area, which can be reached from the town of Glossop, Derbyshire on foot.
Sources:
1. http://aircrashsites.co.uk/superfortress-44-6199-over-exposed-2/
2. http://www.glossopheritage.co.uk/b29.htm
3. http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/forum/phpbb/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=11816&sid=5e8c5b8c2ef88a77aa701919c42e5abd
4. http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/crash_sites/peak-district/boeing-rb-29a-44-61999-higher-shelf-stones/
6. http://www.jarrelook.co.uk/Urbex/B29%20crash%20site/B29%20site.htm
8. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3716059/Remains-Derbyshire-plane-crash-took-thirteen-lives-1948-revealed-eerie-drone-footage.html
9. http://www.itv.com/news/granada/2013-08-29/my-favourite-walk-adam-mcclean-searches-for-plane-wreck/
10. http://aircrashsites.co.uk/superfortress-44-6199-over-exposed-2/
11. Photos of wreckage and SAR operations: https://www.flickr.com/photos/82021226@N07/sets/72157631193264736/
12. https://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/misc-sites/34037-exposed-b29-superfortress-crash-site-glossop-derbyshire-november-2016-a.html#.WU7YO47yvIU
13. https://www.28dayslater.co.uk/threads/overexposed-b-29-superfortress-crash-site-derbyshire-30-12-10.57079/
14. https://peakroutes.com/2014/12/10/peak-district-b-29-superfortress-bomber-a-bothy/
15. http://www.trekkingbritain.com/bleaklowfromoldglossop.htm
16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bleaklow_Bomber
17. https://kittiaroundtheworld.com/finding-the-b-29-overexposed-crash-site-on-bleaklow-peak-district/
18. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/england/derbyshire/old-glossop-and-bleaklow-head-circular-b-29-crash-site
19. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/17418230/american-ww2-plane-over-exposed-crash-site-england/
Images:
by Andy Beecroft [CC: by-sa]
B-29 crash site 9/12/22
B-29 crash site 9/12/22
Media:
src="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/embed/video/1314963.html">
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 17-Oct-2009 00:16 | Tootles | Added |
| 25-Apr-2011 12:39 | harro | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 26-Aug-2011 11:28 | Uli Elch | Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport] |
| 03-Sep-2011 05:04 | Uli Elch | Updated [Cn, Source] |
| 03-Jun-2013 19:15 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 15-Dec-2013 07:27 | Keith | Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Narrative] |
| 24-Jun-2017 21:12 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 24-Jun-2017 21:38 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 12-Aug-2018 14:15 | TB | Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 12-Aug-2018 14:15 | TB | Updated [Source, Embed code] |
| 24-Jan-2022 01:59 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Embed code, Category] |
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