43-38568 Little Davey II

media-23206.jpeg UPL 23206 B-17 43-38568 ditched in the River Deben, 20 February 1945. Eight out of the ten airmen on board perished. The first known crew to fly this aircraft after its arrival at Debach Aug 1944 was Lt Bracy who named her “Little Davey II” after his first born son, having named his previous command, a B-24 Liborator, “Little Davey”. Lt Bracy's crew flew at total of 35 missions, over Germany, 19 in Little Davey II, which included the month of November 1944 when the Mighty 8th Airforce lost around 200 aircraft and crews over enemy territory.
Note the name was removed prior to the incident shown in the photograph

corrections to spelling of aircraft name
493rd BG Archives

Object Number - UPL 23206 - B-17 43-38568 ditched in the River Deben, 20 February 1945. Eight out of the ten airmen on board perished. The first known crew to fly this aircraft...

Delivered Cheyenne 18/8/44; Hunter 27/8/44; Grenier 8/9/44; Assigned 860BS/493BG Debach 11/9/44;



Crashed on take off for Nuremburg 20/2/45 with Fred Stindt (8KIA 2 Returned to Duty), crashed River Deben at Ramsholt, Skf., UK;



Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Jewel Haynes was rescued by fisherman Arthur Hunt and Arthur Reeve, when the unconscious Haynes was floating by and taken to village pub. First aid assistance was provided in the "Arms" by local David Ransby, where both survivors revived, before RTD. Salvaged.



Research by Jeff Coleman: (Corrected by 493rd BG Museum archives, Debach.)

B-17 43-38568 took off from the 493rd Bomb Group’s Base at Debach near Woodbridge at 9.14am heading for Nuremburg Germany; immediately after take-off No 3 engine caught fire.



The pilot 1st Lieutenant Frederick E Stindt feathered the prop and extinguished the fire, but according to the pilot the engine fire quickly resumed and the right wing also began to burn. His course took him over Woodbridge so he had no opportunity to dump his bomb load.



His only hope was to ditch the plane in the River Deben, in shallow water. He managed to follow the River Deben searching for a suitable spot, which turned out to be a point almost opposite the quay at Ramsholt.



Sadly the waters were deeper than he thought and the plane immediately sank in eighteen feet of water, completely submerged only the tail fin remaining visible.



The aircraft was carrying a bomb load of 12 x 250lb General purpose bombs and 2 x 500lb incendiaries, and 2,700 gallons of fuel. Only the pilot and engineer Top Sergeant Jewel K Haynes survived.



Investigations into the crash showed that the engine caught fire because of mechanical failure. The bodies of the other crewmen, with the exception of the co-pilot and the radio operator, were recovered from the plane by divers. The co-pilots body was later recovered downstream, and the radio operator was found entangled by his parachute harness to the horizontal stabilizer of the aircraft.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

The insignia of the 493rd Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 493rd Bomb Group 860th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 36897484
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 493rd Bomb Group 861st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-808940
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 493rd Bomb Group 860th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 36784457
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 493rd Bomb Group 860th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 37566186
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 493rd Bomb Group 860th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 11139819
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Crashed

River Deben, United Kingdom 20 February 1945

Revisions

Date
ContributorDarren Jelley
Changes
Sources

493rd BG Archives

Date
ContributorDarren Jelley
Changes
Sources

from personal documentation of members of the 493rd BG
held by the 493rd BG Museum, Debach.
www.493bgdebach.co,uk

Date
ContributorDarren Jelley
Changes
Sources

From original documentation of the incident
493rd BG Archives

Date
ContributorDarren Jelley
Changes
Sources

corrections made to bomb load and details of failure.
details taken from original mission documents

493rd BG Archives

Date
ContributorDarren Jelley
Changes
Sources

corrections made to bomb load and details of failure.
details taken from original mission documents

493rd BG Archives

Date
ContributorDarren Jelley
Changes
Sources

removed association to name Little Davey II to the incident on the River Deben. The name was removed from the aircraft two months prior to this incident

493rd BG Archives

Date
Changes
Sources

493rd BG Archives Debach Airfield Museum

Date
Changes
Sources

493rd BG Archives Debach Airfield Museum

Date
ContributorJeff Coleman
Changes
Sources

Jeff Coleman

Date
ContributorJeff Coleman
Changes
Sources

Jeff Coleman

Date
ContributorJeff Coleman
Changes
Sources

Jeff Coleman

Date
ContributorJeff Coleman
Changes
Sources

Jeff Coleman

Date
ContributorJeff Coleman
Changes
Sources

Jeff Coleman

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Research carried out by Jeff Coleman.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log

43-38568: Gallery (17 items)