B24 with ARR

How many B24's that landed/crashlanded in Romania were made flyble by romanians and how were they used ? (I know one of them was destroyed on the ground by US planes).

As i know from "Modelism" it was destroied after 23 august.

Some sources gives credit on 3-4 B-24. Certainly 1 had flight by the ing. "Dudu" Frim.

Iama

Actually it was flown by a german test pilot who flew other captured allied planes in Germany (maybe Denes can help us with the name - I am at work and don't have the book with me ) but Frim was with him in the plane during that flight.

What I wanted to know (besides the number of US bombers made reflyble) was how were they used by romanians (the logical answer would be for training - but I heard nothing about that so far).

I dont read about a german pilot. What is your source?
And, i think this planes (or plane) was not verry much used. I think... was enough interests to have some B-24 for recco, long range trasnport, maybe long range heavy bombing missions - maybe an Airforce One for Maresal Antonescu.
Hehe, this may be a nice thing. A flight Bucharest - Berlin, with Antonescu on a B-24...

Iama

"Romanian Air Force - The Prime Decade, 1938-1947" by Denes Bernad :

HELLO

Contrary to various episodes posted online I have direct info from my friends survivors at 44th bombing group except " The BoilmakerII" also " HONKY TONK GAL" serial 42-40265-W belly landed near Ploesti and was in excellent condition in similar to the " The Boilmaker II" I have gun camera photos depicting the aircraft on its final rest position after crash landed near Ploesti. Both aircrafts were later on used by AAR and possibly one of them was flown to Germany Test Center for additional evaluation. Both aircraft carried AAR markings.

The Crew of the HONKY TONK GAL at that day were :

P Hubert Womble ( WIA, POW -Romania)
CP Lawrence Lancshire ( POW ROM)
N Aerthur Thomson ( POW ROM)
B Willima Little ( died Aug 8th )
E Mark Fitzgerald (POW ROM)
R Howard Ford (POW ROM)
WG Leo Sharp ( POW ROM)
TG James Baker (POW ROM)
WG Charles Reed ( POW ROM)
TB John English ( POW ROM)

Apendix : P Pilot
CP Copilot
N Navigator
B Bomabrdier
E Engineer
R Radio
WG Waist Gunner
TG Turret Gunner
TB Turret

All crew members were held in prison at Sinaia and were returned later on back to US through Italy except one of the crew who was burried in Bucharest. Most probably both B-24 have been returned to to USAF after the war.

I can scan the HONKY TONK GAL photos for those who wana see it

Alex

Alexkdl, any info about Ploesti raids is extrimly wellcome!!! especialy if is guncamera photos of the actual crash site

I went to a similar crash site, south of Ploiesti, near Bucharest, Ogrezeni, the Pudgy's final resting place.

If you whant take a look here: www.cipiamon.home.ro

OK I SAW YOUR PHOTOS...ROATA STANDS FOR A WHEEL......BUT THERE'S NO DESCRIPTION REGARDING TO THE B-24 CRASH SITE YOU HAVE EXCAVATED AND THE EXACT CRASH SITE LOCATION .....I CAN LOOK INTO THE MATERIAL I POSSES AND MY CONTACTS WITH 44TH / 396 BOMB GROUPS AND IDENTIFY THE AIRCRAFT AND CREW FOR YOU...THOUGH PSE LET ME KNOW SOONEST :

1. PLACE YOU HAVE EXCAVATED THE B-24 REMAINS

2. DORNIER DIDNT SUPPLY ANY PARTS FOR B-24'S SO WHATS THE STORY ABOUT
THE DORNIER LABEL ?

3. ON MY TIDALWAVE AIRCRAFT AND CREWS I CANT FIND AN AIRCRAFT NAMED " PUDGY" ...DID U MISSPEALLED IT OR DO WE TALK ABOUT A B-24 WHICH DIDNT BELONG TO93RD, 98TH, 44TH 389TH OR 376 BOMG GROUPS AND WHICH CRASHED OTHER THAN ON THE AUG 1, 1943 ?

ALEX

HERE IS THE CRASH PHOTO OF THE " HONKY TONK GAL " IT WAS IN PERFECT CONDITION IN SIMILAR TO THE " THE BOILEMAKER II"

ALEX

Attached Image

Alex did you mean 376th BG or 396th BG ? 376th BG was with 47th Bomb Wing which was part of the 15th AF.What's the story with 396th - as far as I know it is not part of 15th AF (I am asking because I need this kind of info for a research I make).

This post has been edited by D13-th_Mytzu on December 05, 2004 01:16 am

Great picture, that remainds me of "Brewery Wagon", and as i read it was one of the first planes crashed landed on 1 august '43.

The captured B24 was a D model.

I also heard of atleast one captured mustang.

I've got a photo of the Brewery Wagon one day prior Tidal Wave........what happened to the aircraft? Two of the crews died on the crash rest were detained as POW in Sinaia till 1944 until being flown out ......

i don't wnow what happened to the plane, i heard it was damaged preatty baddly, an 88mm flack shell hit it verry close to the nose, Grigorescu desribes the situation verry emotionaly in his book "Bine ati venit in infern" also i have a friend who owns a short movie about the Tydal wave wreks, filmed prabably next day after the atack, and Brewery wagon and Honkey tonk girl are in this film.

Jezuz Cip ! I'm gonna kill you why didn't you say anything about the wrecks movie ? you know I am looking for summin like that for our project