Delivered from the Martin Omaha plant. Then listed at Scott Field, Illinois (ATC) from 12/1/44. Next went to the 3rd AF staging area at Hunter Field, Savannah, Georgia (from 16/1/44), and then to Homestead Army Air Field, Florida (from 26/1/44), from where the aircraft was flown overseas to the UK via the Southern Ferry Route (Listed as Caribbean Wing), departing the USA on 28/1/44. The record card then lists, SOXO A (Europe) on 29/1/44, and SOXO R (Europe) on 19/2/44. Entered combat with the 1st Pathfinder SQN on 13/4/44, but had no codes applied to the aircraft. Damaged by flak on 6/5/44. The hydraulics were damaged, and the undercarriage collapsed on landing at Stansted airfield. The pilot was Capt. Benjamin N Ostlind. The aircraft was salvaged. The final entry on the aircraft record card lists, SOXO CON AFMSC (SAL NBD) on 10/5/44. Salvaged by the 2nd TAD, Stansted on 10/5/44. |