| Delivered to the AAF at MacDill Field, Tampa Bay, Florida (from 24/6/42) with the 21st BG. Then served at Drane Field, Lakeland, Florida (from 30/9/42), then back at MacDill Field, Florida (from 9/12/42), Drane Field, Lakeland, Florida (from 31/12/42), again at MacDill Field, Florida (from 31/1/43). Finally served as a 391st BG training aircraft at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Damaged cat.4 in a belly landing at Shaw Army Air Field, South Carolina on 8/6/43 flown by F/O. William W Wolfe (391st BG / 574th BS crew in training). The aircraft suffered a malfunction of the left main landing gear on approach to land back at Myrtle Beach following a night transition training flight. The pilot aborted the landing and tried emergency procedures to get and get the gar to lower to no avail. After contacting the Myrtle Beach tower, the aircraft was informed to proceed to Shaw Field and prepare for a crash landing. On reaching Shaw Field and burning off excess fuel, the two bomb bay tanks were jettisoned, then all the crew bailed out apart from the pilot and co-pilot who remained to crash land the aircraft. The two pilots made a perfect belly landing at 2333 hours on the grass, and escaped without injury. The aircraft was then transferred to Gulfport AAF, Gulfport, Mississippi (328 BAS), and then to the technical training school at Traux Field Madison, Wisconsin (3508 BAS). Relegated to Class 26 (for instructional use only) at Traux Field. |