ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 98511
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| Date: | Sunday 20 May 1945 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Boeing B-29 Superfortress |
| Owner/operator: | 1st BSqn /9th BGp USAAF |
| Registration: | 42-24913 |
| MSN: | 4574 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 10 / Occupants: 11 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | North Field AAF, Tinian Island -
 Northern Mariana Islands
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | North Field AAF, Tinian Island, Northern Marianna Islands |
Boeing B-29-55-BE Superforress 42-24913: Delivered to the USAAF 12 December 1944. Departed Herington AAF, Kansas for PTO (Pacific Theater of Operations) 25 January 1945. Assigned to 9th Bomb Group, 1st Bomb Squadron, and named "Thunderin' Loretta". Damaged in flight 19 March 1945 due to structural failure caused by thermals. Once source states that it was due to "heat turbulence" caused by the flames rising from the raid on Osaka, Japan, when the city was raided by 300 B-29s dropping incendiary bombs, stating a fire storm. The heat turbulence was so strong that the aircraft was "flipped over onto its back" in flight (see link #5). Repaired and returned to service.
Written off (destroyed) when crashed on takeoff at North Field AAF, Tinian, Northern Mariana Islands, May 20 1945 and exploded. Of the 11 crew, 10 were killed, 1 survived. 42-24913 also damaged 7 other parked B-29s (44-69841, 42-63506, 42-93992, 44-69844, 44-69972, 42-63504, and 44-69859) five of which were damaged beyond repair.
Sources:
1. http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1942_1.html
2. http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/AARmonthly/May1945O.htm
3. 42-24913 Thunderin Loretta nose art: http://9thbombgroup.org/9th-BG-Aircraft/thunderin-loretta.jpg
4. Photo of accident: http://9thbombgroup.org/1st-BS-files/1st-sq-misc-photos/thunderin-loretta.jpg
5. https://history.howstuffworks.com/world-war-ii/japan-surrenders-world-war-2-ends2.htm
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 15-Jul-2017 19:48 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 15-Jul-2017 20:05 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 16-Mar-2020 10:27 | DG333 | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
| 05-Apr-2020 19:23 | Reno Raines | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
| 06-Jun-2022 06:01 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
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