41-39234 Baby Alan

media-48264.jpeg UPL 48264 A-26B-20-DL #41-39234 "Baby Alan" Code: 5C-P
416th BG - 671st BS - 9th AF
Crash landed at Melun 23 Jan 1945

Object Number - UPL 48264 - A-26B-20-DL #41-39234 "Baby Alan" Code: 5C-P 416th BG - 671st BS - 9th AF Crash landed at Melun 23 Jan 1945

Connections

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Units served with

An A-26 Invader (F6-P, serial number 43-22330) nicknamed "For Pete's Sake" of the 416th Bomb Group prepares for take-off at Mount Farm. Image by Robert Astrella, 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group . Written on slide casing: '416 BG Mount Farm.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Ninth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 416th Bomb Group 671st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-739723
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 416th Bomb Group 671st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14061249
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
  • Role/Job: Aerial Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 416th Bomb Group 671st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-759579
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 416th Bomb Group 671st Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Places

  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Melun, Alsace

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

First 416th BG Combat Mission

Haguenau, France 17 November 1944

Crashed

23 January 1945 After taking off for an operational mission in aircraft A-26B-20, ACSN 41-39234, Lt. Gary was unable to retract his left landing gear. Repeated attempts failed to retract the gear. Because the weather was extremely poor and was closing in, Lt. Gary was advised to land. Because his aircraft was overloaded approximately siz thousand pounds above maximum allowable landing weight he was advised to use extreme caution in landing. Weather conditions prevented his jettisoning his bomb load on the bombing range before landing. In attempting to maintain a balance between a safe flying speed with that load and a safe landing speed with which he could stop the aircraft with that load, Lt. Gary underestimated the stalling speed and dropped the aircraft in from approximately ten feet. The force of the landing caused failure of the brace assembly, nose wheel side, and broke the left axle from the main strut assembly adjacent to the inboard bearing collar.

Revisions

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

Corrected squadron connection

41-39234: Gallery (1 items)