Fresh facts on worst wartime plane crash

Kyt · Feb 6, 2008

Fresh Facts On Worst Wartime Plane Crash (from This is Hampshire)

IT is more than 60 years since a Flying Fortress aircraft belonging to the United States Air Force crashed into Burbages Bakery in Weyhill Road killing all the crew - but it is only now details of the true circumstances behind the incident have been revealed.

Peter Curtis, who was a pupil at Andover's East Street School at the time, was on the scene within a couple of minutes of the crash on 5 July 1944.

It is something which has stuck with him ever since.

So much so that he was determined to find out more about what happened on that day successfully persuading the USAAF to declassify the report detailing the official findings of the crash, which was the the worst aircraft crash in the Andover area during the Second World War.

At the time there were suggestions that the aircraft has been refused permission to land at Andover because there was an imminent incoming flight of P38 fighters short on fuel; that the fortress crew were on a farewell flight and that the aircraft had been badly shelled.

"The recently de-classified report reveals that the B17-G had taken off from the Kimbolton in Hunt-ing-donshire on a cross country practice flight with a crew of six," said Mr Curtis, now aged 73 and living in Abbotts Ann .

"The verdict of the USAAF inquiry board was that the accident was caused by pilot error."

But this view was concluded based on the opinion of US personnel based a mile away at the aerodrome.

Mr Curtis believes the USAAF at the time concluded the verdict for convenience sake and that it took no account of civilian eyewitness accounts that the aircraft was clearly in trouble.

He believes that the pilot was trying to reach a piece of open ground on which to land the stricken aircraft, which may have been on a proving flight following repairs.

It would have made it if the wing had not clipped the bakery building.

"A dialogue had been opened in order to get the accident verdict re-appraised and have the actions of the crew recognised," added Mr Curtis.

He believes that a memorial should mark the site of and include the names of the airmen who died.
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B-17G 42-37888 379BG 527BS

spidge · Feb 6, 2008

It is a long time down the track to have things turned around!

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Fresh facts on worst wartime plane crash

Kyt Άρης

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