So the attached link shows a P-38 lightening that crash landed on Middleburg Island in August of 1944. I just so happened to have a great uncle who died in a P-38 crash on Middleburg Island in August of 1944.
So, does the crash landing seems to show a survivable crash? Is the plane upside down or right side up in the picture? The only description I have of his crash is that a landing gear caught the seawall at the end of the runway and his plane cartwheeled down the runway and caught fire. Wondering if this might be the plane since the plane, place, month and year are all the same. Just wondering what you guys think? Thanks DR
The plane looks right side up to me- with the tail section broke off. Looks like the superchargers on top and air intake in proper spot under the prop cones as is canopy and nose section. This seems like it would be pretty nasty for the pilot. Rear tail section looks gone as a result of the plane being flipped and nose section is twisted. The canopy appears to be missing so I wonder if it was crushed - would help to see a shot from behind. In any case all this would indicate a pretty severe impact to the top parts of the plane.
Disclaimer here- I got ZERO credentials to jaw about any of this so take it as just a ding dong observation.
Superchargers are on top so at least the wings and engine nacelles are upright. Also appears the canopy is on top. Nose is broken off and lying sideways, as you can see the .50 cals in a diagonal line. Tail appears to be broken and hanging down.
I thought it was upright. Daughter thought it was upside down. Campfire vote is split as well.
FYI Middleburg airfield became operational on 8/17/44. Great Uncle died on 8/25/44. I am sure planes crash landed fairly often in that environment but if the documentation on the picture is correct and I know my date of death is correct along with a first hand eyewitness account, I wonder how many other planes would have crash landed in a 2 week period at that time?
Engine nacelles are below the wing, the four .50 MG's are above the 20mm, you can see the front tire sideways on the left below the nose. Canopy appears to be covered in foam which obsures it. Prop blades are not bent except perhaps the bottom most ones. Whether this was survivable is hard to say. The canopy doesn't look to be crushed but who knows how bad the impact and fire was.
The cockpit is right side up with the nose broken in front of the cockpit. The prop blades aren't bent so I'd say the engines were not operating. Hard to say if this was survivable or not. The impact that broke the airframe was obviously with considerable force.
The cockpit is right side up with the nose broken in front of the cockpit. The prop blades aren't bent so I'd say the engines were not operating. Hard to say if this was survivable or not. The impact that broke the airframe was obviously with considerable force.
agreed. might have been a dead-stick landing stall. visible prop blades intact is very relevant, IMHO.
If he was stationed at Middleburg flying P-38s, he was likely in the 67th Fighter Squadron of the 347th Fighter Group. Interestingly, the 67th flew both P-39s and P-38s until May 24th 1944 when they were re-designated from single engine to twin engine.
The only P-38 loss I managed to find on Middleburg was this one: 24309 (347th FG) destroyed in Japanese night raid on base at Middleburg Island, August 1944.
This cat could probably fill in the blanks for you but I have no idea what he would charge. LINKY
There's a forum on WWII aircraft, where you might make inquiries. You'll have to log in, but those guys have all kinds of arcane info that might be helpful. You'll have to log in and go thru the business of getting permissions. They have in "Inquiries" forum, and they can find out stuff, if you're patient. Be patient. It might help if you have your great-uncle's log book with the possible aircraft "vin number" to help them do their thing.
These guys "know stuff", one of the guy's father was a big deal flying Mustangs and other aircraft (wing commander, at that) and some of them have worked restoring warbirds for a flying museum in CA. Interesting place. I READ a lot there, but post very very little. I learn a lot of stuff I don't need to know, and will never use, but it's interesting.
The cockpit is right side up with the nose broken in front of the cockpit. The prop blades aren't bent so I'd say the engines were not operating. Hard to say if this was survivable or not. The impact that broke the airframe was obviously with considerable force.
agreed. might have been a dead-stick landing stall. visible prop blades intact is very relevant, IMHO.
that's what I thought....stall on short final...relatively low speed....
can't quite tell if props are feathered; possible indicating fuel exhaustion as pilot tried to glide in; stretch it, stalled and plopped down.
If he was stationed at Middleburg flying P-38s, he was likely in the 67th Fighter Squadron of the 347th Fighter Group. Interestingly, the 67th flew both P-39s and P-38s until May 24th 1944 when they were re-designated from single engine to twin engine.
The only P-38 loss I managed to find on Middleburg was this one: 24309 (347th FG) destroyed in Japanese night raid on base at Middleburg Island, August 1944.
This cat could probably fill in the blanks for you but I have no idea what he would charge. LINKY
Yep, I have pictures of him in P-38, P-39 and P-40s. I am assuming that is the unit he was with. That was the correct time period when he was there.
Not only is the aircraft right side up, but the canopy is intact and open, alluding to the possibility of the pilots survival and exit after the crash. Also looks like the wings are still properly tensioned, and the propellers also intact on the topside of the aircraft, which makes it look like it skidded into that position more than tumbling upside down on the way there. It’s tough to say what’s survivable as a hard impact, even on a plain skid, could be hard enough to be fatal, but in looking at this one, especially with most of the plane intact excluding some nose and tail damage, and the fact that the canopy was not destroyed in the crash or file, leads me to believe this was survivable. I also discussed this one with my Dad, who spent many hours rebuilding these old war birds, and as an FAA investigator after he retired from Delta, and he thought the same, at least from what you could see in the pics, including what the ground around the aircraft looks like.
Papua New Guinea I believe had some 30 airfields and West Papua about 9 or so of those 30... a lot of units flying the P-38's along with the others... could be your Uncle didn't fly off Middleburg but one of the others and was only attempting an emergency landing at Middleburg. Pacific Wrecks site is probably your best database other than the military themselves. Would help having your Uncle's name and unit.
Pretty certain he was stationed st Middleburg at the time of his death. Was returning from escorting bombers to bomb Japanese oil refineries in Borneo. He had been very sick but went anyway since they were short on pilots. All that probably contributed to him clipping the sea wall with a landing gear and cartwheeling down the runway.
All his service records were lost in the fire in St. Louis in the 1970s. I understand his flight suite in on display somewhere in Adrian Michigan. I am going there this summer. His death was really hard on the family so they very rarely talked about him.
The Landings Two separate landings were conducted on 30 July. A small party landed on Middelburg Island, just off the coast to the north-east of Mar. Later in the same day the same force moved north to occupy Amsterdam Island. Neither of these landings was opposed. The main landings took place at Red Beach, about a mile and a half to the east of Mar. Three battalions were involved. The 1st and 2nd Battalions landed first, starting at 7.01am and created a beachhead. The 3rd Battalion landed at 7.40am, and advanced west, reaching Mar without running into any resistance. On 31 July the 3rd Battalion was shipped west along the coast to Green Beach, just short of Sansapor. They then advanced south and occupied the village. The small Japanese garrison had fled, and once again the attack was unopposed. During August the Americans conducted patrols that reached ever further from the beachhead. On 3 August they captured 92 sick or wounded Japanese troops in a hospital, and in some minor fighting captured 23 and killed 4. In mid-August a sizable Japanese force was discovered heading west towards Kor. This wasn't a response to the landings, but was instead a regular movement along the coast. The Japanese troops were the headquarters personnel of the 35th Division, taking part in an evacuation of the former Japanese base at Manokwari. The Japanese had no intention of attacking the American position at Sansapor and instead attempted to bypass them. This effort failed, and by the end of August the Americans had killed 155 Japanese and captured 42 on their eastern flank, and killed 197 and captured 154 to the west. By 31 August the Americans had only lost 14 dead and 35 wounded. Work on the airfields was soon underway. The airfield on Middleburg Island was completed by 17 August, and a second strip parallel to the coast east of Mar was ready by 3 September. The Japanese did make some attempts to attack the new airfields from the air. The first sizable attack came on 25 August and saw one US fighter destroyed on the ground. A larger raid on the night of 27-28 August destroyed four P-38s. but a third raid on 31 August was less effective. After August there were very few clashes with Japanese troops. Most of the Japanese remaining on the Vokelkop had withdrawn to the south-eastern corner, where more food was available, while the few remaining in the north didn’t stray far from their bases.
If he was stationed at Middleburg flying P-38s, he was likely in the 67th Fighter Squadron of the 347th Fighter Group. Interestingly, the 67th flew both P-39s and P-38s until May 24th 1944 when they were re-designated from single engine to twin engine.
The only P-38 loss I managed to find on Middleburg was this one: 24309 (347th FG) destroyed in Japanese night raid on base at Middleburg Island, August 1944.
This cat could probably fill in the blanks for you but I have no idea what he would charge. LINKY
Yep, I have pictures of him in P-38, P-39 and P-40s. I am assuming that is the unit he was with. That was the correct time period when he was there.
What I think is that Uncle Sam never flew a better looking airplane.
Yeah count me as a fan too.
Of course hard for me to name a plane of that era I don't have some affinity towards. Helldiver maybe? I am late to the greatness of some Soviet fighters like the Mig 3 and find myself rooting in an underdog way for the less glamorous ones. The Hurricane comes to mind. Find it beautiful.
Here are the reports from his theater of operations. Any references made to fighter bomber operations in New Guinea could apply to the 68th.
17Aug44 SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s pound airfields on Ambon and Ceram Islands and Boeroe Island in the Sunda Islands. B-25s strafe installations at Dili on Timor Island, on Moloe Island and Kai Islands in the Molucca Islands; and B-25s sink a transport vessel off Halmahera Island. In New Guinea, A-20s bomb Klamono oil fields while fighter- bombers hit gun positions, storage areas, and other targets at Ransiki and Manokwari and troop concentrations along the N shore of MacCluer Gulf; on Biak Island P-40s, supporting ground forces landing at Wardo, pound shore positions and troops inland as the enemy remnants on Biak Island break up into small groups; P-39s strafe troops from Cape Wom to the the Dandriwad River and near But, and hit gun positions at Marubian; HQ 5th Bombardment Group (Heavy) moves from Los Negros Island to Wakde Island; HQ 22d Bombardment Group (Heavy) moves from Nadzab to Owi, Schouten Islands; and the 68th Fighter Squadron, 347th Fighter Group, moves from Bougainville Island, Solomon Islands to Middleburg Island with P-38s.
18Aug44 SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: Armed reconnaissance missions continue over wide stretches of the SWPA including Ambon-Ceram, Palau Islands, and Halmahera Islands; several targets of opportunity are attacked. In New Guinea, fighter-bombers and A-20s pound troops and a storage area at Suain and hit defensive lines near Sarmi. The detachment of the 419th Night Fighter Squadron, 18th Fighter Group, operating from Los Negros Island with P-61s, returns to base on Guadalcanal Island.
19Aug44 SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: Weather restricts operations. In New Guinea, P-40s bomb the port of Napido; P-39s bomb and strafe coastal positions along the W shore of Geelvink Bay; A-20s operating in force in support of ground troops pound targets in the Sawar-Sarmi sector; P-39s support ground forces in Wewak area; HQ 86th Fighter Wing moves from Toem to Sansapor; and the 72d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 5th Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Momote Airfield, Los Negros Island to Wakde Island with B-24s.
20Aug44 SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s bomb the town and airfield at Namlea, Buru Island and others pound personnel areas and warehouses at Tobelo, Halmahara Island. In New Guinea, B-25s bomb Langgoer Airfield; P-39s hit Windissi and enemy shipping off Manokwari while P-40s pound gun positions, buildings and stores at Manokwari; other P-40s support ground forces by hitting troop concentrations at Napido; A-20s and fighter- bombers hit a personnel center near Marubian, supplies at Wom, and numerous targets during coastal sweeps in the Wewak general area; and the 23d and 31st Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 5th Bombardment Group (Heavy), move from Momote Airfield, Los Negros Island to Wakde Island with B-24s. The 528th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 380th Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Fenton to Darwin, Australia with B-24s.
21Aug44 SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In the Molucca Islands, B-24s blast supply dumps and AA guns on the Wasile Bay coast; B-25s hit Kaoe Airfield and town on Halmahera Island and villages and supply areas on Karakelong Island. In New Guinea, fighter-bombers blast warehouses and other targets in the Manokwari area; A-20s and fighter-bombers hit supply dumps in the Sawar-Sarmi sector and attack troops along the coast, particularly from Babiang to Luain. The 419th Night Fighter Squadron, 18th Fighter Group, moves from Guadalcanal Island to Middelburg Island with P-61s (a detachment is operating from Noemfoor Island).
22Aug44 SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In New Guinea, fighter-bombers continue to blast supply and personnel targets in Manokwari and the surrounding areas; fighter-bombers again hit N coastal areas, including shipping facilities at Wewak, barge terminal on Mushu Island, and trains and troop positions at various coastal points; and the 370th, 371st, 372d and 424th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 307th Bombardment Group (Heavy), move from Los Negros Island to Wakde Island with B-24s.
23Aug44 SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s pound the Galela, Halmahera Island area; in New Guinea, B-24s hit Langgoer Airfield and Saumlakki; fighter-bombers hit the airfield at Nabire, Moemi, and Urarom, the village of Moari, and town of Manokwari; B-25s, A-20s, and fighter-bombers continue to attack barge hideouts, troops, villages, and general targets of opportunity around Wewak; HQ 18th Fighter Group and it's 12th and 70 Fighter Squadrons move from Guadalcanal Island and New Georgia Island, Solomon Islands (70th FS) to Sansapor with P-38s; and the 69th and 390th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium), 42d Bombardment Group (Medium), move from Stirling Island to Hollandia with B-25s.
24Aug44 SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: Shipping in Lembeh Strait, Celebes Island, is attacked by B-25s, while B-24s bomb Lolobata Airfield on Halmahera Island. In New Guinea, HQ 307th Bombardment Group (Heavy) moves from Los Negros Island to Wakde Island; the 100th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), Thirteenth Air Force [attached to 42d Bombardment Group (Medium)], moves from Stirling Island to Sansapor but continues operating from Hollandia with B-25; and the 340th and 341st Fighter Squadrons, 348th Fighter Group, move from Wakde Island to Noemfoor Island with P-47s.
25Aug44 SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s strike Koror and Malakal Islands, Palau Islands, Caroline Islands; B-24s pound Lolobata on Halmahera Island; B-25s on a shipping sweep over Lembeh Strait, Celebes Island claim a merchant ship sunk and hit several small vessels. In the Lesser Sunda Islands a few B-25s on a shipping sweep attack several small vessels. In New Guinea, A-20s and fighter-bombers hit Babo Airfield, Sagan, and Otawiri; P-39s strafe troops near But; the 394th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 5th Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Momote Airfield, Los Negros Island to Wakde Island; and the 822d Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 38th Bombardment Group (Medium), moves from Nadzab to Biak Island with B-25s.
DR, if your uncle cartwheeled after snagging his gear, the ends of the wings would be smashed. This one looks like it had dead engines and pancaked after a low-speed, low-altitude stall. Snapped the nose and the tail off, which makes sense if the engines hit first in a level attitude. The pilot here could be easily killed by spinal injury or the seat frame collapsing from the impact. Hope you get to find your uncle's flight-suit, and be proud.
Already proud, no problem there. Just answering some questions from childhood. Pretty sure, with everything that has been explained, that is not his plane. Looking forward to Adrian Michigan this summer.
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