Remains of LIBERATOR

[Zeller]

thanks Scout! And excellent pictures

[Scout]

thanks Scout! And excellent pictures

Thank you

[pkulas]

aircraft 41055 from the 455th BG was lost Nov 22, 1944, Yugoslavia. The MACR (Missing Aircraft Report) is #9947

[matilda]

Completly agree with you Matt.I started this tread without any ambition to talk about Soviet or any other politic ,warfare or proces during WW2. Everybody has his own story,I just want to know more abot this plane and crew we were talking about.


There were more than 400 US and British fallen airmen saved by slovenian partisans over liberated teritory, from their airports transported with allied planes to Bari ( Italy) and returned to their units all over liberated Italy. There are so many testimonies by airmen themselves. Many of them returned, after the war, to see their rescuers and places of their destiny.There is a two excelent books written about this theme; "GOODBYE, LIBERTYBELL" and "A BIT O LACE".There isnt any data found in these books that we discussed on this forum. "MIGHTY INTERNET." !!


Allied command respected liberated territories as it is good seen from this original "flug blatt" for german soldiers in Balkan;


Anyway, i m very satisfied about this thread.


CHEERS ,
Alois

[mar]

I think I have a piece of b-24 engine, cylinder head from what I beleave could be 44-41093 crashed on 16th October 1944 in surroundings of Gospic, Croatia.
Can anyone tell me is there usually a serial number on the cylinder head that can be connected with plane serial number?
I'll post a picture of it, but I only could see number 53 on it.

[spyfly03]

Loved this thread. When I first read about the discovery it gave me goose bumps. I have a collection of about 400 photos taken by the official photographer of the 454th BG stationed at San Giovanni along with the 455th. Wish I had a shot of Miss Marjorie for you. By the way, this is the airfield where the famous Romanian Ace Constantine Cantacuzene flew and landed his BF 109 with captured US pilot Colonel James Gunn inside. Gunn was able to tell the US forces where many Americans were being held in Romania and a rescue mission was made of US B17s returning to Romania and picking up several hundred allied airmen as the Soviets were arriving. It's known as "Operation Gunn". Look it up. I will include one photo of the San Giovanni airfield where the 455th and 454th flew from as well as one shot of Cantacuzene's plane with crude American flag applied so he wouldn't be shot down coming in for a landing.

[spyfly03]

Here they are!

[ssg keay]

The B-24 was called "Miss Margorie"
Four were killed.
Here are their names:
SGT Fedora, John; Radio Ops/Gunner
SGT Rockwell, Francis; Gunner
SGT Harrigan, Joseph; Gunner
SGT Silverman, Edward; Gunner
The last three were wounded/killed in the plane and never made it out. Fedora bailed out, but lost his chute.
The eleventh crewmember, SSG Chapman was a photographer.

Danny

[ssg keay]

By the way, the pilot is listed as Labovitz and Jabovitz. Danny

[big ned]

Right. Sorry to hijack the thread. Further more, I think most people here are "in the know" about USSR crimes and there is no need to flog a dead horse in this excellent thread

(in my defence, I didnt start it *insert smiley of pouting-five-year-old-turning-blue-in-the-face-from-holding-breath*)

Back to the main issue - as mentioned, a great Liberator find.
Here a few other plane relics though not from a Liberator (these are from a small museum in Demjansk. I do not know what plane it is):

Hi Scout,

The control column is from a Russian IL-2 Sturmovik ground attack aircraft, as are the 37mm cannons shown with it. This was considered the finest ground attack aircraft of WW2.

Cheers, Ned.