Martin B26B-4 Marauder 41-18150

"Winnie Dee"

 

 

B26b-4 Marauder 41-18150, Glenn L. Martin serial no. 2722 was delivered to the US Army between the 7/1/43 and the 28/2/43. It was the 176th of 211 B-4's built. This model featured  lengthened nose-wheel struts, slotted flaps, enhanced armour, twin 0.50" tail guns, larger carburettor intakes and two Pratt and Whiney R-2800-43 engines (serial no. 42-50638 and 42-***17) producing 2000hp.

 

The B26B-4 featured the original short wingspan of 65 feet which earned it the nickname "Flying Prostitute" (so-named because it had no visible means of support, referring to it's small wings.)

 

Markings on one of the propellers that use to lie on the mountain indicated that it had been fitted with Curtiss electric pitch change props.

 

41-18150 original pilots were Captain Jack Wilson Seale and Andrew F. Byrd Jr. (www.b26.com/marauderman/andrew_byrd.htm) .Jack Seale and Andrew F. Byrd Jr named the plane "Winnie Dee" after Jack's mother while they were training at Macdill Airfield, Florida in April 1943. The plane was originally attached to the 449th Bomb Squadron however shortly after arriving in England it was transferred to the 452nd Bomb Squadron, 322nd Bomb Group, Andrews Field, England, probably to replace aircraft lost in the infamous Ijmuiden Raid. (http://www.b26.com/page/ill-fated-mission-to-ijmuiden.htm) In November 1943 after taking part in 29 combat missions it was transferred as "War Weary" to the 3rd CCRC at Toome, N. Ireland.

 

Before take off on the 10th April 1944 41-18150 had been loaded with 960 gallons of fuel, five bombs and 1050 rounds of ammunition. It had accumulated 449 hours 45 minutes flying time prior to the accident.

 

 

       

        B26B-4 322nd Bomb Group, 452nd Bomb Squadron

 

 

On the 17th July 1943 41-18150 flew on a diversionary sweep

over the English Channel, commonly referred to as  "A duck".

Accompanying 41-18150 on that mission were the following aircraft.

(452nd Bomb Squadron History, Andrew Boehly, Marauder Archivist)

 

 

 B26B-4    Serial Number 41-18014

"Silver Streak" 452nd BS

 

 

 B26B-25 Serial Number 41-31819 

 452nd BS

"Mild and Bitter" was the first B26 in the E.T.O

to reach the one hundred mission mark. 

 

 

 

B26B-4 Serial Number 41-18054  

452nd BS

"Jezabelle" was transfered to the 3rd CCRC Toome as "War Weary"

on the 17th November 1943 (Tevor Allen B26.com.)

This plane was flying along with 41-18150 on the day of the accident.

 

 

 

 

 

B26 41-18150 "Winnie Dee"

Photograph supplied by Trevor J Allen

Historian, b26.com

 

 

 

 

Engine mount from 41-18150 Chimney Rock Mountain.

 

 

 

 

Rear fuselage B26 41-18150 Chimney Rock Mountain April 1944

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

B26B-4 Serial Number 41-18075

"Impatient Virgin" 452nd BS

 

 

 

 

B26B-4 "Tondelayo"

Serial Number 41-17995

452nd Bomb BS

(Transfered to the 451st BS and renamed "Missed Her Period Twice" )

 

 

 

B26B-20-MA "The Old Vet"

Serial number 41-31739

452nd BS

 

B26B-4 41-18150