B-17E FLYING FORTRESS DESTROYED IN A GROUND FIRE
AT BATCHELOR AIRFIELD, NT
ON 12 AUGUST 1942

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visits since 20 September 2001

 


B-17E Flying Fortress

B-17E Flying Fortress # 41-9014 was destroyed in a ground accident at Batchelor airfield on 12 August 1942. The pilot was Weldon Smith. It is believed that three crew members were killed in this accident.

This B-17E may have been one that was flown to Australia from the USA after the 19th Bomb Group's evacuation from Java to Australia in March 1942.

Yvonne West's great uncle Sgt. Bryson West, may have been a gunner on this aircraft. Yvonne has sighted other references to this crash that give the date as the 1 July 1942. 

I wonder if he may have been on the B-17 on the following page:-

http://www.st.net.au/~dunn/ozcrashes/nt125.htm

 

REFERENCE BOOKS

Mitchell, John H.; "On wings we conquer", GEM Publishers, Springfield, MO, 1990, Appendixes A-16 and A-18.

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Yvonne West <vaughn@n2history.com>, Lindsay Peet <ppeetlj@ic-net.com.au> and Howard Young <truscott@wn.com.au> for their assistance with this home page.

 

 

Can anyone help me with more information on this crash?

 

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©    Peter Dunn 2001
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This page first produced 20 September 2001

This page last updated 22 September 2001