Mission 48 - Mears Ashby, Northamptonshire, UK
Posted by: 
Dragontree
N 52° 17.444 W 000° 46.121
30U E 652177 N 5795719
Quick Description: 102 aircraft from the 8th Air Force flew over Mears Ashby in 8th Air Force Bomber Command Mission 48. Ooold Soljer & Two Beauts crashed mid air and tumbled to the ground, bombs and all on 31st March 1943.
Location: United Kingdom
Date Posted: 10/17/2008 12:09:22 PM
Waymark Code: WM4ZBJ
Views: 47
Long Description:It was a practice session for the bombing of the docks in Rotterdam
in the Netherlands, with two bomber wings consisting of B17 Flying
Fortresses, B24 Liberators from the 44th Bomb Group, Shipdham,
Norfolk and the 93rd Bomb Group from Hardwick, Norfolk.
The planes heading from Molesworth to join the practice got into
trouble as the website describes:
'The force of 20 aircraft, led by Major Eugene A Romig in
aircraft (Code 42-29570) formed up with B17s from the 305th Bomb
Group (H) from Chelveston, Northamptonshire, flying in the standard
six aircraft spearhead on a westerly heading. This spearhead
formation was vital as it enabled the gunners to cover the aircraft
from all angles - a loose formation gave enemy fighters a good
opportunity to penetrate and attack the bomber formations (at this
time the American fighter escort was not yet available).
At 10.20 hrs a 303rd Bomb Group (H) Fortress piloted by 1st
Lieutenant Bilek got out of formation in heavy cloud and being
unable to rejoin the formation turned to return to Molesworth. In
so doing the crew of Lieutenant Bilek's plane witnessed the
collision between OOOLD SOLJER (Code 41-24559) and TWO BEAUTS (Code
42-29573). It appeared that TWO BEAUTS nudged the starboard wing of
OOOLD SOLJER and immediately the wing of OOOLD SOLJER including the
outboard engine fell away, and from 7000ft (2133 metres) both
aircraft went into a dive, crashing to the South and South East of
Mears Ashby Northamptonshire.'
The information board stands in the centre of the village where
debris from the crash was found throughout.