1949 — Jan 26, USAF B-29, Dakar, Senegal to Norfolk, UK, lost ~Canary Islands, Spain –all 15

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard Sep 16, 2023 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–15  Aviation Safety Network. USAF B29A down about 35M S of Canary Islands, 1-26-1949.

–15  AP. “Fog Hampering Plane Search…B-29…” Daily Mail, Hagerstown, MD. 1-28-1949, p1.

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1949:

“Date:                          Wednesday 26 January 1939

“Time:                         c. 12:15 LT [local time]

“Type:                         Boeing B-29A Superfortress

“Owner/operator:        341st BSqn /97th BGp USAF

“Registration:              44-61775

“MSN:                         11250

“Fatalities:                   Fatalities: 15 / Occupants: 15

…

“Location:                   Sea 35 miles S of Canary Islands – Spain

“Phase:                        En route

“Nature:                       Military

“Departure Airport:     Dakar airfield, Senegal

“Destination airport:    RAF Marham, Norfolk

“Narrative:                   ….

“Written off (destroyed) 26 January 1949: The aircraft was performing a flight from Dakar to UK. While approaching the Canary Islands, it crashed in unknown circumstances some 35 miles south of the Spanish archipelago. No trace of the aircraft nor the 15 crew members was found.”

Newspaper

Jan 28, AP: “London, Jan. 28 (AP). – A heavy fog hampered today’s efforts to search for a U.S. Airforce B-29 missing over the Atlantic with 15 men aboard. Six B-29’s were to have taken off last midnight from Marham, England – the missing plane’s home base – to join the hunt. But an Airforce spokesman here said only two got away before the fog closed in. The heavy fog presumably also hampered R.A.F. planes aiding in the search. An Admiralty spokesman said two planes had been reported ready to leave Gibraltar early today but no later message confirmed the takeoff.

“The missing plane was on a 3,000 mile flight from Dakar, French West Africa, to England. Its fuel should lang since have been exhausted and authorities said it ‘definitely is down somewhere.’

“The staff duty officer at Third Air Division headquarters here said the plane made its last radio contact shortly after midnight yesterday. He said Airforce Control at Frankfurt at that time picked up a signal showing the plane near the Canary Islands. Previous reports had placed its last definite location 200 miles south of Casablanca.

“The two B-29s that got off from Marham were heading for the area near Port Lyautey in the Azores.” (Associated Press. “Fog Hampering Plane Search. U.S. Air Force B-29 With 15 Aboard Missing Over Atlantic.” Daily Mail, Hagerstown, MD. 1-28-1949, p1.)

Sources

Associated Press. “Fog Hampering Plane Search. U.S. Air Force B-29 With 15 Aboard Missing Over Atlantic.” Daily Mail, Hagerstown, MD. 1-28-1949, p1. Accessed 9-16-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/hagerstown-daily-mail-jan-28-1949-p-1/

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1949. USAF B-29A down about 35M S of Canary Islands, 1-26-1949.

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