Reporting from Bangladesh, M Dawood Karim David shared the following images of an aircraft wreckage fished out off the Kutubdia Channel in Bangladesh, off Kutubdia island near Chittagong. Initially reported as a B-24, it was correctly pointed out by Matt Poole, a researcher from Maryland, US, that the double wheels on the undercarraige legs resembled a B-29 Super Fortress than a B-24 Liberator.
Reporting from Bangladesh, M Dawood Karim David shared the following images of an aircraft wreckage fished out off the Kutubdia Channel in Bangladesh, off Kutubdia island near Chittagong. This recovery happened four years ago in 2010.
Initially reported as a B-24, it was correctly pointed out by Matt Poole, a researcher from Maryland, US, that the double wheels on the undercarraige legs resembled a B-29 Super Fortress than a B-24 Liberator.
Sure enough more close analysis of the photographs appear to show one of the wreckage pieces to be a lower remote controlled gun turret.
Matt Poole also correctly pointed out that the aircraft in question could well be B-29 serial 42-6282, from the 395th Bomb Squadron of the 40th Bomb Group.
That aircraft ditched in the sea on 5 June 1944. More information on the ditching is given at the 40th Bomb Group Website at http://www.40thbombgroup.org/6282.htm . A Complete report is here on the ditching is avaiable at http://www.40thbombgroup.org/Ditching.pdf . From the document it is clear that the B-29 was semi submerged for a while. And was probably pulled into the sea later on by tides. The ditching was not without loss of life. Four american flyers didnt survive the incident.
- Nav Bomb 2 nd Lt. S. FISHMAN
- Radar Mech 2 nd Lt. W.S. PLATTENBURG
- Left Gunner Sgt C.A. BAKER
- Tail Gunner Sgt N.A. BROTHERS
The final state of the wreckage is not known.
In the foreground , resting on the tyre, is the lower unmanned remote controlled gun turret
A 0.50 inch catridge recovered from the wreck
The double wheeled undercarraige units with tyres. The wreckage is in remarkable condition for the period it spent underwater, without any barnacle or sea growth on it.
A close up view of the main turret body with the catridge feed. Click here to view a comparision of this image with a war time image.
Photo Courtesy: M Dawood Karim David (via Facebook)
Info Courtesy : 40 BG Website, Matt Poole.
