391st BOMB GROUP: Aircraft information for serial number: 41-35054
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Aircraft information for serial number: 41-35054
Taxi Squadron Serial Code Name Source Taxi Sheets
054-?57441-350544L-?Original website

Aircraft history for serial number: 41-35054 (kindly provided by Paul Clouting).
Delivered by air from the Martin Omaha plant to the Martin, Omaha (Modification Centre), Nebraska, from 17/5/43. Then went to Selfridge Field, Michigan on 27/5/43. Next listed at Oscoda Army Air Field, Michigan (from 10/6/43). Then served as a training aircraft with the 391st BG based at Godman Field, Fort Knox, Kentucky. Crashed into Tampa Bay, four miles NE of MacDill Field, Tampa, Florida at 1740 hours EWT on 8/10/43, killing five crew members and seriously injuring two others. The aircraft flown by 1st Lt. Arlie G Watkinson, had taken off on runway 4 at MacDill Field for an administrative flight to Godman Field, Kentucky. It became airborne at 130 mph, and the pilot called for the gear and flaps to be brought up. When the aircraft reached about 50 feet altitude, and the pilot reduced the power, the port engine began to fail. The power was advanced on this engine, but it failed to respond, so the pilots shut down the engine, feathered the prop, and with about 150 mph airspeed and 100 feet altitude, they considered making for Peter O Knight Airport about 60 degrees to the left of the line of flight, but decided that they would not make it. The decision was made to try and make it back to MacDill, the aircraft now trimmed for single engine flight was slowly banked to the right and the MacDill tower was notified for an emergency landing. The airspeed then dropped down to 120 mph, which was critical, so the pilot elected to crash land on the water. The gear was already down and locked ready for landing, and the aircraft was completely stalled before it hit the water. It bounced back into the air for a short distance then smashed back into the water, nosed over and sank. Listed as a 391st BG / 574th BS crew in training. Condemned on 9/10/43. Note, listed as a B-26C on record card, no mention of designated as B-26C-20-MO.

Incident listing for serial number: 41-35054
Mission Source_id Description Serial
0A00019Accident Report, 41-35054. 8 Oct 194341-35054