Close by two teams from a mountain rescue unit of RAF Harpur Hill were exercising , on realising that there had been a crash close to them they began a search to find the aircraft .
They eventually found the aircraft late in the afternoon .
The sight they saw through the enveloping gloom , mist and rain must have been akin to armageddon for the aircraft had burst into flames upon impact as well as smashing open . Bodies of the crew and passengers were strewn across the moor in various states ...some were so burnt as to be almost unrecogniseable , some had body parts missing, some seemed to be simply asleep without any visible signs of injury .
The conditions and time dictated that the bodies were to remain with the aircraft until the following day . It must have been some very sober men who crossed the moor that following morning for their task that day was formidable .
they were :
Captain Landon P. Tanner Pilot
Captain Harry Stroud Co-Pilot
Technical Sergeant Ralph Fields Engineer
Sergeant Charles Wilbanks Navigator
Staff Sergeant Gene A. Gartner Radio Op.
Staff Sergeant David D. Moore Radar Op.
Technical Segeant Saul R. Banks Camera Crew
Sergeant Donald R. Abrogast Camera Crew
Sergeant Robert I. Doyle Camera Crew
Private First Class William M. Burrows Camera Crew
Captain Howard Keel Photographic Advisor
Corporal Clarence M.Franssen passenger
Corporal George Ingram passenger
The crew had finished their tour and were due to return to the US just 3 days after the crash occurred.
The aircraft itsef was part of a photographic reconnaissance squadron (16th) and as such took part in the Bikini Atoll atomic tests in 1946 hence the name and the number of photographic crew .
Very atmospheric images there Paul, there's a real mournful feel especially the first shot. I can imagine it was quite a moody place to be in that light.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos Paul, love the first one, that golden light beyond is a bit special.
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