Built at the Glenn L Martin factory at Baltimore, Maryland as a B-26B-45-MA. Accepted by the Army Air Force on 1/11/43. Next listed at Camp Pickett, Virginia (ATC) from 30/11/43. Then went to Godman Field, Fort Knox, Kentucky (from 1/12/43), and assigned to the 391st BG. Flown overseas to the UK via the Southern Ferry Route (Listed as Carribean Wing), departing the USA on 12/1/44. The aircraft record card then lists, SOXO A (Europe - 8th AF) on 12/1/44, and SOXO R (Europe - 8th AF) from 19/2/44. Original group aircraft flown over from the USA by 1st Lt. Richard M Horridge and crew. Initially served with the 573rd BS until the hydraulics were shot out on the 28/5/44 mission to the Maison Lafitte Railroad bridge flown by 1st Lt. John W Coelsch. Aircraft repaired and transferred to the 574th BS. The aircraft record card also lists, GLUE 9AF CON ALS on 26/9/44, and, GLUE 9AF REPAIRED on 27/9/44. This indicates that the aircraft may have been damaged and force landed at an advanced landing strip, but this needs verification. Shot down in flames by Me-109 and Fw-190 fighters on the 23/12/44 Ahrweiler Railway Viaduct mission. The aircraft flown by 2nd Lt. Jack A Haynes suffered a damaged engine caused by flak on the bomb run. About 3 miles East of Ahrweiler, the fighters attacked and the damaged engine was knocked out and the bomb bay was hit which burst into flames. All the crew bailed out safely, but the pilot was killed when the aircraft crashed near Mainz, Germany. Engines, P&W, R-2800-43, serials: 42-263116 (left), and, 42-26322 (right). We also have this aircraft listed as 4L-E, but this needs confirmation. The final entry on the aircraft record card lists, SOXO CON MIA on 23/12/44. |