The 'No Name' Bomber
                                                      B-24J, SN: 42-51266

          (Due to the number of quality photographs on this page, the pictures will load slow.)

             
             This photograph is of the replacement B-24 for SN: 42-51226.  The serial number
               is the only alteration on this picture, it has been changed to match 42-51226.
              The RCM. (ECM.) antennas and markings are the same as the bomber that crashed
              at Tincourt-Boucly, France.
              Photograph from the collection of Stephen Hutton, Photograph by: Sam Sox
              Computer modification by:  Willis S. Cole, Jr.
            

        A B-24-J, SN: 42-51226 heavy bomber of the 36th Bombardment
Squadron RCM of the 8th United States Army Air Force, which was
attached to the 100th Group R.A.F.   The bomber's cargo was all the
equipment, and batteries to power it, that was needed to fulfill it's
mission of RCM, or Radar Counter Measures, now referred to as
ECM., Electronic Counter Measures.

    The following description of the 100th Group's duties was supplied
to the museum by:  Mr. Stephen Hutton, the contact person for the
36th Bombardment Group.

     "The function of the R.A.F. 100th Group as a whole was bomber
support.  The Group, at this time, was charged to deceive the enemy
by jamming Radar and SPOOF deceptions to draw the enemy fighters
away from Bomber Command's true targets."

                                                       
                                       36th B.S. Patch
                                                       Photograph: Stephen Hutton
                                                                         Designed By: S/Sgt. Stanley L. Walsh, SN: 39250856

   The 36th Bomb. Squadron RCM was a specialized, secret,
Squadron equipped with RCM. equipment.  You can see the
RCM. antennas under the wing.
 

    In November, the bomber which arrived in the Squadron on
22 June, 1944, was modified to hold additional electronic equipment,
including IFF (Identification Friend or Foe), 4 Dina Sets and
2 Mandrel III units.  Ditching equipment was also installed.
They also carried what was call Window, or Chaff, which was
aluminum strips cut to specific lengths to cause radar returns of the
enemy radar.  Large areas could be blocked out so the screened bombers
could enter enemy territory without being detected or the enemy radar
gun laying equipment would miss-function, preventing accurate aiming.

                                              
                       Computer Image: Willis S. Cole, Jr.  Part From: Gerard Leguillier
              Hydraulic Swivel Joint, A.A.C. 56009 Mounted Swivel Joint.
           This one is probably from the Pilot's side landing gear system.

                  
                      Computer Image: Willis S. Cole, Jr.  Part From: Gerard Leguillier
                 Rudder Bell Crank, each B-24 had two of these in the tail
              assembly.   They transferred the cable movement into a
              back and forth rudder movement.

     The two aircraft parts, given to the museum on Memorial Day
1998, by the farm field owner where the bomber crashed, proved on
17 July, 1998, to have come from a B-24 and not a B-17 as all the
French testified crashed at Tincourt-Boucly in November, 1944.

    Early on the morning of 10 November, 1944, the bomber was
on a screening mission with the 100th Group to eastern Belgium.
The screening position was between 5017N-0500E & 4902N-0500E
at 20,000 feet.  Time of jamming between 0200 - 0340 hours.

R.A.F. Main Attack:  Small number of Mosquitoes on Misc. targets
                                     over Germany.

Results:      The enemy reacted in considerable strength to the spoof
                Window force which was put up along with the screen.
                No A/C. missing.

                    Special commendations were received from General
                Doolittle and Air Vice Marshall Addison for the actives
                this night, a this was one of the most successful missions
                of the 100th Group R.A.F. and 36th Bomb. SQ. RCM.

     The bomber's number 4 engine was struck by flak   soon after
the screening run was reached.  The Pilot, 1st Lt. Joseph Hornsby,
turned the bomber to head for England.  Enroute, the number 3
engine began to loose power, while the number 4 was on fire and
the interior electricity, provided by a generator on the number 3
engine failed.  The back-up power that was supposed to furnished
by a generator on the number 2 engine failed to come on, so the
pilots had to use a flashlight and all interior lighting equipment
depending on electricity failed to operate until the crash.

     At 8,000 feet, fearing they were nearing the Channel and realizing
the damaged bomber would not make it across the Channel and not
wanting his crew to bail out over water, Lt. Hornsby gave the order
to bail out.  Lt Hornsby stayed with the bomber for some time and
when he believed everyone had bailed out, he left the bomber.

     As the Radio Operator, T/Sgt. Joseph P. Danahy, was leaving
the bomber, the Waist Gunner, Sgt. Raymond G. Mears, told
T/Sgt. Danahy that he was going to the nose to see why his friend,
Sgt. Frank A. Bartho, the Nose Gunner, had not come back to bail out.

    When the bomber crashed at 02:30 hours at the north end of
Tincourt-Boucly, France, three men were still in the nose of the
bomber.  Sgt. Mears, Sgt. Bartho and 2nd Lt. Frederick Grey, the
Navigator.  Both 2nd Lt. Grey and Sgt. Mears knew for certain of
the order to bail out, yet they stayed with the bomber, as did Sgt. Bartho.

       
    The crash site in daylight, 10 Nov., 1944            The original picture given to the museum, in
    B-24J-226                                                              1994, with information it was the crash site
    Photograph from: Stephen Hutton Collection      of a B-17.
    Photographer: Sam Sax                                        Photograph from:  Bernard Leguillier

     The is no doubt now, with the identified parts and the set of
pictures, that the identity of the bomber that crashed at Tincourt-Boucly
can no longer be questioned.   Nor can the actions of the French in
helping pick up the remains of the three crewmen killed in the crash.
 

    Nor can one continue to question the Priest's statement saying the
remains in the hidden grave consisted of the remains from one or several
American Aviators killed in the crash at Tincourt-Boucly.

      It is my belief, that Sgt. Bartho had become trapped when the electrical
power went out with the damaged engines.  The front turret's hydraulic
system was driven by a small electrical motor and it appears the turret
was turned at the moment the electrical system died and Sgt. Bartho
could not get it turned back to the straight position to allow him to
open the door into the bomber.

    It is my belief, that both Lt. Grey and Sgt. Mears died while they
were attempting to help get Sgt. Bartho free to bail out.  Since, there
were no living witnesses, this heroic action worthy of the Congressional
Medal Of Honor went unrewarded.
 

               
     Photographs From: Stephen Hutton Collection                      Photographed by: Sam Sax
      A broken and burnt landing gear assembly.              The debris field thrown from the bomber as
      A relic of the crash, showing the force with                it disintegrated, after rolling over and diving
      which the bomber disintegrated.  You can                  straight down, exploding once in the air and
      imagine what happened to the three men's                again when it stuck the earth.
      bodies.

     The bomber had no explosives aboard, however it had 8,000
pounds of heavy forklift batteries and "Secret RCM electronic
equipment" in the bomb bay, that acted like explosives when they
hit the earth so hard.

    Just two months later, on 22 January, 1945, the B-26, "Where's
It At?," crashed 150 feet inside the woods shown just to the right
of center of the picture on the right.  Just to the right of the high
point of the woods.  Two men were killed, and two Soldiers Medals
were awarded to the Pilot and Co-pilot.  Please visit the B-26's
web page, going through the 4 Bombers Page below.

    I received the following emails in answer to a request for information
on the B-24J's nose turret posted on the "WWII Ring Web" on our
front page.

-------------------------

1st email.

Dear Sam:

    The Consolidated nose turret was hydraulically operated and if the
electrical power quit the operator was stuck in the turret.  He had a
manual crank located on the floor, but it was hard to reach and hard
to use.  Also, the turret had two doors, a turret door which had to be
opened by the gunner and an inner door which had to be opened by
another crewman in the bomber.

    It is quite possible for the nose turret gunner to be stuck as you stated.

Bob Simmons
------------------------
2nd email.

    Dear Sam:

    Thanks for your follow-up.  I was a nose gunner for the 449th Bomb
Group, 719th Sq., 15th Air Force based in Grottaglie, Italy.  My combat
experience ran from 4/5/44 to 3/15/44 and our entire crew got in 50
missions without serious wound or death.

    We flew a B-24J overseas which was loaned to another crew for its
first mission and shot down.  We were then were assigned an experienced
B-34H which had an Emerson nose turret.  Also we occasionally flew
J models when our regular ship was being repaired.  I was over 6 feet
tall and didn't fit well in most turrets, but the Consolidated was the
tightest fit and could barely reach or operate the emergency crank.
The Emerson was all electric, much roomier and offered excellent
visibility.

    The Emerson also had only one door which I operated, whereas the
Consolidated had the two doors and the gunner couldn't escape unless
someone opened the inner door for him.  Many nose gunners were
lost because in an emergency they were trapped when nobody was
there to open his door.  I was pinned in the turret one time by the
g forces when we went into a steep dive, and believe me it was no fun
filled event.

    Hope this adds a few facts that will help in your study and your
conclusion is very logical and probable.
Bob Simmons
----------------------------------
B-24J  SN: 42-51226 - The crew was planning on naming the bomber
                                                            "I Walk Alone"

Crew:  1st Lt. Joseph R. Hornsby, Pilot
             2nd Lt. Robert H. Casper, Co-pilot
            
             2nd Lt. Frederick G. Grey, Navigator, K.I.A.
                     RCM and Flight Controlling Officer
             Sgt. Frank A.  Bartho, Nose Turret Gunner, K.I.A.
             Sgt. Jackson K. Chestnut, Flight Engineer, Top Turret Gunner
             Sgt. Joe P. Danahy, Radio Operator/RCM Operator
             Sgt. Raymond G. Mears, Waist Gunner, K.I.A.
             Sgt. Pete Yslava, Belly Turret Gunner
                Sgt. Pete Jimenez, Tail Gunner
            

                     
                     Photograph from: Steve Hutton  Photographer: Sam Sax
                     Lt. Hornsby's crew with its training bomber, "Lady Jane."
                     Standing, Left to Right
                         Sgt. Pete B. Yslava, 2nd Lt. Robert H. Casper,
                         1st Lt. Joseph R. Hornsby, 2nd Lt. Fred G. Grey, K.I.A.,
                         and Sgt. Charles R. Root.
                     Kneeling, Left to Right
                         Sgt. Frank A. Bartho,  K.I.A., Sgt. Jack K. Chestnut,
                         Sgt. Raymond G. Mears, K.I.A., Sgt. Joseph P Danahy
                     (During last flight, Sgt. Root, was not a member of the crew.
                       and Sgt. Pete Jimenez flew with the crew.)

                       Hidden Grave Of The Three K.I.A. Crewmen
                                     2d Lt. Fredrick G. Gray, K.I.A.
                                     S/Sgt. Raymond G. Mears, K.I.A.
                                     S/Sgt. Frank A. Bartho, K.I.A.
            Skip Link ----   http://www.ww1.org/gravespage7.htm

                             Squadron Of Deception
                               The 36th Bomb Squadron in World War II
                                            Author:  Stephen Hutton
                                             ISBN:  0-7643-0796-7

                        Visit the 36th Bomb Squadron (RCM) Website at
                                             http://www.36rcm.com

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