B-17F 42-29589 Crashed 2/22/44.

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TAdan
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B-17F 42-29589 Crashed 2/22/44.

Post by TAdan »

Hi everyone.

I am looking for info on B-17F 42-29589. It crashed in bad weather in Northern NJ on 2/22/44. Near the Delaware water gap area. Near Boyscout camp No-Be-Bo-Sco.

There seems to be a fair bit of info on the crash online. (Unit, crew, serial, etc) Just wondering if anyone has visited the site or was familiar with the case. GPS coordinates?

A few local citizens are interested in erecting a memorial at the site of the crash. The general location of the crash site is known, but they want to be precise.

If the forecast was not calling for snow I'd be marching off into the woods tomorrow. :lol:

Thanks for any help.

Dan
So many warbirds so little time.
TAdan
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Location: NJ

Re: B-17F 42-29589 Crashed 2/22/44.

Post by TAdan »

I've been able to gather a good bit of info on this crash, including some articles from the local paper from when the crash occurred.

The plane crashed into a mountainside in heavy fog. All twelve aboard were killed. One passenger was an RAF navigator. The plane was one of two that was traveling from Bangor main to Fort Dix, NJ.

The Serial is 42-29589, according to Joe Baugher's site the plane was a Boeing B-17F-60-BO Fortress. Can someone please explain what a -60-BO was. (Which factory was it built at, any unique features to this particular model.)

Thanks for any help.
So many warbirds so little time.
b29flteng
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Re: B-17F 42-29589 Crashed 2/22/44.

Post by b29flteng »

BO means it was built by Boeing in it's Renton plant. Douglas (DL) and Vega (VE) also built B-17s. The -60 is called a block number, meaning it had numerous improvments made to it from the original B-17F model.
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Re: B-17F 42-29589 Crashed 2/22/44.

Post by aerovin2 »

Whoopss...note that "BO" was the Boeing plant at Boeing Field. I believe "BN" was Renton and "BW" was Wichta.
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b29flteng
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Re: B-17F 42-29589 Crashed 2/22/44.

Post by b29flteng »

I stand corrected :oops:
TAdan
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Re: B-17F 42-29589 Crashed 2/22/44.

Post by TAdan »

Thank you for the info, that is just what I wanted to know.

So would it be correct that the plane was delivered in a standard O.D. over gray paint scheme when new?

Also, according to one website: "According to one report, the words "Up Der Fuhrer!" were painted on the nose cone of the plane" I have not seen anything to verify this, and it sounds a bit "editorialized" to me.

Currently trying to track down a bit of information on the crew and witnesses.
So many warbirds so little time.
b29flteng
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Re: B-17F 42-29589 Crashed 2/22/44.

Post by b29flteng »

Yes, on the OD over gray.
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C-47B
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Re: B-17F 42-29589 Crashed 2/22/44.

Post by C-47B »

A detailed summary of this accident can be found on

Page 697, Volume 2, FATAL ARMY AIR FORCES AVIATION ACCIDENTS IN THE UNITED STATES, 1941-1945.

There is also an AAF accident report for this crash.

Good Luck.

TonyM.
.
.
.
.

Anthony J. Mireles
FATAL ARMY AIR FORCES AVIATION ACCIDENTS
IN THE UNITED STATES, 1941-1945
http://www.warbirdcrash.com
TAdan
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Re: B-17F 42-29589 Crashed 2/22/44.

Post by TAdan »

I just wanted to ad an update to this topic. As of this past September I passed along copies of my notes and research to someone from the National Parks Service. It sounds like the idea to install a small memorial near the crash site is moving forward. There are several local citizens still involved with the process so if I hear any news about it beinginstalled I'll be sure to update.

I obtained a copy of the crash report from AAIR. A search through AAIR reveals a ground collision incident in Nov. 43 and a landing incident in Oct. 43.

Also it seems that the nose art "Up der fuhrer" was infact applied to the nose. It can just be made out in a grainy image I came across.

Also, last May, our research (The Rutgers Oral History Archive) helped contribute to an article about the crash in the Pocono Record. http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.d ... sitesearch

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.d ... 2/-1/rss01

Thanks.
So many warbirds so little time.
05564
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Re: B-17F 42-29589 Crashed 2/22/44.

Post by 05564 »

Thank you very much for sharing this with all of us. It is a shame so many of our boys lost their lives right here in just training flights, but it was necessary! R.I.P. Gentlemen!!!
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