| Delivered by air from the Martin Omaha plant to the Martin, Omaha (Modification Centre), Nebraska, from 20/5/43. Then went to Selfridge Field, Michigan (from 29/5/43), and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (from 11/6/43), where it joined the 391st BG for training. Next served as a training aircraft at Godman Field, Kentucky. Crashed near Evans Landing Ground, 1/2 mile East of New Boston, Indiana at 1430 hours CWT on 8/10/43, whilst on a simulated bombing mission, killing the crew of five. The aircraft flown by 2nd Lt. Norment G Boyette and 1st Lt. William E Abernathy, was on a high altitude bombing mission, and was flying at about 12,000 feet when the aircraft was called down to lower altitude because of haze. The aircraft was first seen by witnesses about 15 miles from the bombing range and at between 3,000 and 6,000 feet, when it apparently nose up as if to start a climb, then whipped over and came down in a spin untill it crashed and burned. Pieces of the port elevator were found about half a mile from the crash scene in an open field, and parts of the starboard elevator were found about a quarter of a mile from the crash scene, but investigators were unable to determine whether they broke off before or after the aircraft dive to the ground. The aircraft had not yet completed the mission as practise bombs were found in the wreckage. It is believed that the pilots had been conducting spins and stalls without loss of power before it crashed. Listed as a 391st BG / 573rd BS crew in training. Note, listed as a B-26C on record card, no mention of designated as B-26C-20-MO. |