Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

mistericeman

One of my other hobbies (some of odder than others ...including ROC post spotting,Exploring old mines, the under ground variety not the blowing up ones )
Is visiting the sites of WWII air crashes ...it is a bitter sweet pass time some times,
as the feeling of sorrow for the loss of folks lives that made the ultimate sacrifice without question that we might enjoy the freedom we have today weighs heavily on ones mind when on some deserted piece of moorland ....

Consolidated Liberator B-24J 42-52003

The aircraft was being ferried from Burtonwood to Hardwick by a two man ferry crew on the 11th October 1944, the two men took off in the aircraft from Burtonwood near Warrington at 10:32. The set a course of 135o and climbed to an indicated altitude of 2800 feet. At approximately 10:45 while in cloud and moderate to severe turbulence Lt Houpt spotted a small gap in the cloud and saw the ground was only about 150 feet below him. He then applied full power and began to climb, but before they could gain any meaningful height the aircraft struck the ground on Mill Hill some 1.5 miles from the Grouse Inn between Hayfield and Glossop.

The two men extricated themselves from the shattered cockpit and walked along one of the streams until they reached the Hayfield to Glossop road. A passing lorry driver stopped and picked them up and took them to a nearby pub where Lt Houpt telephoned Burtonwood to report the accident. They were then retrieved by an Ambulance from Burtonwood and their injuries were then treated. These were mainly cuts & bruises but Lt Houpt did suffer a broken jaw.

Information from usual sources on the web

I have some more kicking around IF anyone is interested at all .

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22442 Location: UK

Fascinating stuff, more please.

In town there is a memorial to a Thunderbolt that went in at speed. It went in to the soft ground so deep I believe it was never recovered.

Not far away there is a memorial to a bomber that came down in a field, I don't think there is much left bar some tiny fragments, according to a contact of mine who's friend's dad owns the land.

R
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Julian · Joined: 19 Apr 2010 Posts: 278 Location: Warrington

I wonder why they were flying at 2800' when the high ground in that region is in the order of 2500'? In good visual conditions I guess it's worth a punt, but in cloud?.....

There's probably a bit more to this than meets the eye.

Julian.

Greg · Joined: 03 Dec 2007 Posts: 445 Location: Dreamland Margate

Great pictures...I find something almost haunting about old plane wrecks?

mistericeman · Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2012 11:49 pm Post subject:

Julian · Joined: 19 Apr 2010 Posts: 278 Location: Warrington

Churchill Johnson · Joined: 11 Jan 2011 Posts: 359 Location: Rayleigh Essex

There are a great deal of books that have been written about the two world war's try one of the book's on the steam sub's [K boats], i have been on several dig's and have been lucky to have had a few items given to me and never would i sell them even though some are now worth good money as i think it's part of history and i certainly know that two items i have the pilot's died in the aircraft, they gave their live's for what is now a joke of a country run by idiot's.