Den 20. februar 1944
om eftermiddagen
styrtede B-17G 42-37790 »Miss Behavin« ned ved Haarslev (oversigt
her, tæt på her).(Kilde:Per Christensen
behavin.dk)
Se også B-17G 42-37790+propeller og
Den lange version fra Anders Bjørnvad: De
fandt en vej. Overblik og detaljer i
Google Map p267 B17 42-37790.
Målet var tilsløret af skyer, så formationen angreb det sekundære mål
Stettin (Szczecin).
Over Stettin blev "Miss Behavin" kraftigt beskudt af antiluftskyts og en af
de 4
motorer
blev ramt, så propellen ikke kunne kantstilles (for at reducere luftmodstand) og
som resultat droppede flyet ud af formationen. Kl. 14:52 nær den danske
kyst
kaldte Lt. R.A. Smith over radioen og fortalte, at han ville prøve at nå
Sverige. Hans fly var ramt over målområdet og røg kraftigt.
(Kilde: MACR-rapport om mistet fly)
Angreb fra tyske jagere beskadigede flyet yderligere, og besætningen var nødt
til at springe ud med faldskærm.
Flyvehistorisk
Tidsskrift skriver:
"Flyet blev ramt af flak over målområdet, og en
motor blev beskadiget. Før Fyn forlod flyet den amerikanske
formation og blev umiddelbart efter angrebet af
7-8
FW 190. Det lykkedes amerikanerne at nedskyde og beskadige 3 FW 190, før
alle 10 besætningsmedlemmer måtte springe ud med
faldskærm.
2nd Lt Orlin H. Markussen
(co-pilot, moderen var født i Odense) og T/Sgt
Thomas M.
Egan (Engineer/Top Turret Gunner) blev hurtigt fanget af
tyskerne, og de
tilbragte
en nat ved radarstationen i Skovby, før de blev
ført til Odense og senere til Stalag Luft I. Fem andre besætningsmedlemmer
blev i løbet af eftermiddagen
taget til fange
ved Båring strand (Left Waist
Gunner S/Sgt Edward Britko, Bombardier S/Sgt Ernest Cribbs, Right Waist Gunner S/Sgt
Robert L. Dunbar, Ball Turret Gunner S/Sgt Edward B. Dyblie og Tail Gunner
Michael E. Udick) medens det
lykkedes 2nd Lt Reginald A. Smith (Pilot) og 2nd Lt Gerald C. Scott (Navigator) at få kontakt med
modstandsbevægelsen.
Næste dag
blev begge flyvere
og deres hjælpere angivet til tyskerne i Odense. T/Sgt Ira Gordon Evans
(Radio Operator) fik
også kontakt med modstandsbevægelsen,
og den
7. marts
blev han sejlet til Sverige i båden »Hans
Steensen«." (FT 85-78-26 - fulde navne fra
p267MACR)
Anders Bjørnvad nævner at 316
B-17 Flyvende
Fæstninger passerede hen over Danmark ved middagstid den dag. Se
Google Map p266-270 20FEB44
Se
Foto af en B-17 + B-17 i airmen.dk.
Skudt ned over DK: B17 4239894 Brahesholm,
B17 4231126 Bellinge, B17 4237951
Haldagerlille og B17 42-37790 Haarslev. Nødlandet:
B17 4230246 Tirstrup.
10 flyvere.
On 20 February 1944 in the afternoon B-17G 42-37790 »Miss Behavin«
crashed into Haarslev Mark (overview
here, at
close range here).
(Source: Per Christensen)
See also B-17G 42-37790+propeller and
The
long version from Anders Bjørnvad: They found a way (De fandt en vej
p. 103-105 translated by AS)
Overview, details
and names of places on
Google Map p267 B17 42-37790.
The target was obscured by clouds, so the
formation attacked the secondary target which was
Stettin (Szczecin). Over Stettin "Miss
Behavin" encountered heavy flak and
was hit in No. 2 engine. Then the propeller could not be feathered (to reduce
air resistance) and as a result, the plane dropped out of the formation.
At 14:52 hours near the Danish coast Lt Smith called over the radio saying he
was going to try and reach Sweden. (Source: MACR - Missing Air Crew Report
p267MACR)
Attacks from German fighters damaged the plane more and the crew had to bail
out.
(Danish) Aviation Historical Review writes:
"The plane was hit by flak over the target area and one engine was damaged. The
plane left the formation before Fyn and immediately afterwards it was attacked
by
7-8 FW 190s. The Americans managed to shot down and damage 3 FW 190s before
all 10 crew members had to bail out. 2nd Lt Orlin H. Markussen (Co-Pilot, his
mother
was born in Odense) and T/Sgt Thomas M.
Egan (Engineer/Top Turret Gunner) were soon captured by the Germans and they
spent one night at the radar
station at Skovby, before they were taken to Odense
and later to Stalag Luft I. 5 other crew members were captured in the afternoon
at Baaring Beach (Left Waist
Gunner S/Sgt Edward Britko, Bombardier S/Sgt Ernest Cribbs, Right Waist Gunner S/Sgt
Robert L. Dunbar, Ball Turret Gunner S/Sgt Edward B. Dyblie and
Tail Gunner
Michael E. Udick).
Pilot 2nd Lt Reginald A. Smith and Navigator 2nd Lt Gerald C. Scott
managed to contact the resistance movement. Both airmen and their helpers were
reported to
the police on the following day. Radio Operator T/Sgt Ira Gordon Evans
also got in contact with the resistance movement, and on 7 March he was
sailed to Sweden
with
the ship »Hans
Steensen«." (FT 85-78-26 - full names from MACR)
316
B-17 Flying Fortresses passed Denmark at noon on
20 February 1944. (Source: Anders Bjørnvad) See
Google Map p266-270 20FEB44.
Shot down over DK: B17 4239894 Brahesholm,
B17 4231126 Bellinge, B17 4237951
Haldagerlille og B17 42-37790 Haarslev. Crash landed:
B17 4230246 Tirstrup.
This B-17
belonged to
418 BS, 100 BG, 13 CBW, 3 BD of 8 AF, USAAF. See also the
100th Bomb Group (Heavy) with operational details.
It took off from RAF
Thorpe Abbott - USAAF Station 139. See also
100th Bomb Group Memorial Museum and
Photo of a B-17+ B-17s in airmen.dk.
10 airmen.
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