ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 98445
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| Date: | Saturday 16 September 1944 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Boeing B-29 Superfortress |
| Owner/operator: | 40th BGp /44th BSqn USAAF |
| Registration: | 42-6268 |
| MSN: | 3403 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Chakulia, Purbi Singhbhum district, State of Jharkhand -
 India
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Chakulia Airfield, Purbi Singhbhum district, State of Jharkhand, India |
| Chakulia Airfield, State of Jharkhand, India |
B-29-5-BW 42-6268: Delivered to the USAAF 19 December 1943. Assigned to 44th Bomb Squadron, 40th Bomb Group, USAAF, 29 April 1944. issued to the 40th BG, 44th BS, and named ‘Good Humpin’.
Written off (damaged beyond repair) when crash landed due to engine failure and fire during test flight. Aircraft came down at Chakulia, Purbi Singhbhum district, State of Jharkhand, India, on 16 September, 1944. According to a published eyewitness report (see link #3)
"...this B-29 was grounded for repairs due to the lack of replacement parts. When it was finally airworthy again, Major Donald W. Roberts and his crew took the plane up for a test flight on September 16, 1944 - the day of its demise seven months after it was delivered from the Wichita factory.
As they returned to base, they entered the downwind leg of the traffic pattern at about 800 feet altitude. When the landing gear was lowered, the #2 engine caught fire. While they were still on the downwind leg, it burned so fiercely that the engine dropped from the motor mounts to the ground below.
The pilot continued downwind and made a normal turn onto the base leg, and then onto final approach. The landing gear was fully extended but the left wheel was not locked down. As the weight of the plane settled onto the landing gear that strut collapsed, causing the plane to ground-loop to the left off the runway. The plane did not catch fire and all of the flight crew were able to exit safely from the plane.
Other than being frightened and upset, there were no physical injuries. M/Sgt Haueisen and his crew were joined by specialists to cannibalize the downed plane even as it sat next to the runway".
Condemned after survey 17 September, 1944 and authorized for reclamation as scrap and components
Sources:
1. http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/AARmonthly/Sep1944O.htm
2. http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1942_1.html
3. https://www.40thbombgroup.org/ShortLife.pdf
4. http://ww35.usafunithistory.com/PDF/30-49/44%20BOMB%20SQ.pdf ..
Images:
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 08-Jun-2017 19:30 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 08-Jun-2017 19:31 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Destination airport, Source] |
| 08-Jun-2017 19:35 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Source] |
| 23-Mar-2020 15:58 | DG333 | Updated [Operator, Destination airport, Operator] |
| 28-May-2022 07:25 | shootski | Updated [Photo] |
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