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B-24 Liberator
Individual Aircraft Record Card for 41-29505 "Gunga-Din"
Crash site of 41-29505 upper left of the frame
41-29505 Assigned to 486th bomb group 835th bomb squadron (21 combat missions) then transferred to 492nd bomb group 857th bomb squadron, 8thAAF, England. A/C lost with Charles Edwards crew, 6-Feb-45 Lyon, France, attempting an emergency landing on three engines. 1 x RTD, 8 x KIA
Crew:
Lt. Charles H Edwards (P) (KIA), Lt. Merrill A Burt (CP) (RTD), Lt. Gerald L Roy (N) (KIA), Lt. Edwin London (B) (KIA), Sgt. James D Matthews (E) (KIA), Sgt. James O Mellotte (RO) (KIA), Sgt. John T Stuckey (BTG) (KIA), Sgt. Mose C Boren Martin (TTG) (KIA), Sgt. Russell G Wolfersberger (TTG) (KIA).
Group
The 486th Bomb Group flew both B-24s and B-17s, swapping from the former aircraft to the latter in late July 1944 after 49 missions. In total the Group flew 292 missions during the war and remarkably the 834th Bomb Squadron lost no aircraft or...
Group
The 492nd Bomb Group, after flying similar missions to other heavy bomb groups until the late summer of 1944, took up 'Carpetbagger' missions, transporting agents, supplies and propaganda leaflets to southern France. The Group was taking on the role of...
Squadron
Squadron
Squadron
Military | Sergeant | Aerial Gunner | 492nd Bomb Group Carpetbaggers
Assigned to 857BS, 492BG, 8AF USAAF. Killed aboard B-24 41-29505 at Lyons, France in attempted landing after engine failure Killed in Action (KIA)
Awards: PH.
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 492nd Bomb Group Carpetbaggers
Assigned to 857BS, 492BG, 8AF USAAF. Co-Pilot B-24 41-29505 at Lyons, France in attempted landing after engine failure Returned to Duty (RTD)
Awards: WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 486th Bomb Group
See the 'Crew and Mission Info' for Lt. George 'Hunter' D. Smith's 835th Bomb. Squadron crew at the official 486th Bomb. Group web page at this address: https://486th.org/BS835/SmithG.htm
Awards: DFC, AM (3OLC), WWII Victory, EAME (1 x Battle Star).
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 492nd Bomb Group Carpetbaggers
Assigned to 857BS, 492BG, 8AF USAAF. Killed aboard B-24 41-29505 at Lyons, France in attempted landing after engine failure Killed in Action (KIA)
Awards: PH.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Nose Gunner | 486th Bomb Group
See the 'Crew and Mission Info' for Lt. George 'Hunter' D. Smith's 835th Bomb. Squadron crew at the official 486th Bomb. Group web page at this address: https://486th.org/BS835/SmithG.htm
Military | Flight Officer | Bombardier | 492nd Bomb Group Carpetbaggers
Assigned to 857BS, 492BG, 8AF USAAF. Killed aboard B-24 41-29505 at Lyons, France in attempted landing after engine failure Killed in Action (KIA)
Awards: PH.
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 486th Bomb Group
See the 'Crew and Mission Info' for Lt. George 'Hunter' D. Smith's 835th Bomb. Squadron crew at the official 486th Bomb. Group web page at this address: https://486th.org/BS835/SmithG.htm
Military | Technical Sergeant | Flight Engineer and Top T. & Waist Gunner | 486th Bomb Group
"Sgt. Lutes Gets Oak Leaf Cluster"
...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-pilot | 486th Bomb Group
See the 'Crew and Mission Info' for Lt. George 'Hunter' D. Smith's 835th Bomb. Squadron crew at the official 486th Bomb. Group web page at this address: https://486th.org/BS835/SmithG.htm
Military | Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 492nd Bomb Group Carpetbaggers
Assigned to 857BS, 492BG, 8AF USAAF. Killed aboard B-24 41-29505 at Lyons, France in attempted landing after engine failure Killed in Action (KIA)
Awards: PH.
11 May 1944
Military site : airfield
Harrington was built by the 826th and 852nd Engineer Battalions of the US Army in 1943. Completed in 1944, it was the furthest Eighth Air Force combat airfield from the east coast.The Eighth's Special Operations Group was based at the airfield, first...
Military site : airfield
Situated between the villages of Great Waldingfield and Acton, the airfield was used by the 486th Bomb Group from March 1944 to August 1945. Facilities for administrative offices for the Combat Wing were also made available here and along with barrack...
Not yet known
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 31 May 2022 08:33:30 | Emily | Changes to production block number and nicknames |
| Sources | ||
Corrected production block number as per information from individual aircraft record card (UPL 57309), Joe Baugher's aircraft serial numbre search and Harrington Museum's list of carpetbagger aircraft which confirm the aircraft was a Consolidated built B-24H model. NB B-24 Best web wrongly identifies the aircraft as a Ford built B-24J model |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 28 May 2022 17:07:37 | John Van Asperen | Changes to unit associations |
| Sources | ||
USAAF records |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 25 May 2022 08:21:07 | Al_Skiff | Changes to production block number and unit associations |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 24 May 2022 12:49:59 | John Van Asperen | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Update with information from the 486th bomb group, 835th bomb squadron website |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 24 May 2022 11:54:29 | John Van Asperen | Changes to production block number and manufacturer |
| Sources | ||
USAAF Individual Aircraft Record Card |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 16 May 2022 08:51:16 | Al_Skiff | Changes to unit associations |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 04 May 2022 22:10:00 | John Van Asperen | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
RG Wolfersberger was the tail turret gunner and was also killed in the crash. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 26 April 2022 16:51:12 | Al_Skiff | Changes to production block number, manufacturer, nicknames, description, unit associations and place associations |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 30 March 2022 16:52:31 | John Van Asperen | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
USAAF records |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 22 October 2021 15:50:21 | hansvonmaltzahn | Changes to mission associations |
| Sources | ||
See the official web page of the 486th Bomb. Group at: https://486th.org/# , and specifically G.Smith's bomber crew and mission log page: https://486th.org/BS835/SmithG.htm , and the complete missions of the 486th Bomb. Group and its four squadrons at: https://486th.org/Mssn/Prologue.htm |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 16 October 2021 19:19:34 | hansvonmaltzahn | Changes to unit associations, person associations, place associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
From the official web page of the 486th Bomb. Group, and specifically, Lt. G. Smith's crew and mission page at: https://486th.org/BS835/SmithG.htm |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 18 August 2018 03:54:32 | gfeindel | Created entry with serial number, aircraft type, nicknames and markings |
| Sources | ||
486th bomb group web site |
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