Discussion
One of the more eerie places I've been to is to see the wreckage of B29 "Overexposed".
Overexposed is a Boeing RB-29A Superfortress no. 44-61999 that crashed on Shelf Moor, Bleaklow in between Manchester and Sheffield, Derbyshire. It belonged to the 16th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 91st Reconnaissance Group, 311th Air Division, Strategic Air Command, USAF.
The Overexposed tragically crashed at about 11am on 3rd November 1948 while descending through cloud. All 13 crew members died, it is doubtful they ever saw the ground. The time is estimated from one of the crew members wrist watch. The plane, piloted by Captain L P Tanner, was on a short flight, carrying mail and the payroll for American service personnel based at USAF Burtonwood. The flight was from Scampton near Lincoln to Burtonwood near Warrington, a flight of less than a hour. Low cloud hung over much of England and which meant the flight had to be flown on instruments. The crew descended after having flown for the time the crew believed it should have taken them to cross the hill. Unfortunately the aircraft had not quite passed the hills and struck the ground near Higher Shelf Stones and was destroyed by fire.
There are big pieces of wreckage still extant, well worth a visit.
Easily accessible from the A57 and just a short walk off the Pennine Way.
SD
Overexposed is a Boeing RB-29A Superfortress no. 44-61999 that crashed on Shelf Moor, Bleaklow in between Manchester and Sheffield, Derbyshire. It belonged to the 16th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 91st Reconnaissance Group, 311th Air Division, Strategic Air Command, USAF.
The Overexposed tragically crashed at about 11am on 3rd November 1948 while descending through cloud. All 13 crew members died, it is doubtful they ever saw the ground. The time is estimated from one of the crew members wrist watch. The plane, piloted by Captain L P Tanner, was on a short flight, carrying mail and the payroll for American service personnel based at USAF Burtonwood. The flight was from Scampton near Lincoln to Burtonwood near Warrington, a flight of less than a hour. Low cloud hung over much of England and which meant the flight had to be flown on instruments. The crew descended after having flown for the time the crew believed it should have taken them to cross the hill. Unfortunately the aircraft had not quite passed the hills and struck the ground near Higher Shelf Stones and was destroyed by fire.
There are big pieces of wreckage still extant, well worth a visit.
Easily accessible from the A57 and just a short walk off the Pennine Way.
SD
dr_gn said:
Been posted a few times now, but worth a look.
It's an atmospheric place, but pretty much ruined by the dozens of crosses, poppies, pictures and bits of paper scattered around. These is a small sample:
Don't people have any respect?
Umm.. I view the crosses as paying respect, it's not like they are defacing it.It's an atmospheric place, but pretty much ruined by the dozens of crosses, poppies, pictures and bits of paper scattered around. These is a small sample:
Don't people have any respect?
Simpo Two said:
Headwind. I first learned of this in the case of the Lancastrian attempting to cross the Andes. Up for a certain time, along for a certain time, down for - oh bugger.
There's a Lancaster crash site a Skytrain crash site, Blackburn Botha and a couple of others in the vicinity, but there are hardly any 'memorials' at all on those despite there being a greater total loss of life therein...strange. I wonder if it's becasue the wreckage of those aircraft is minimal compared with the RB-29? dr_gn said:
There's a Lancaster crash site a Skytrain crash site, Blackburn Botha and a couple of others in the vicinity, but there are hardly any 'memorials' at all on those despite there being a greater total loss of life therein...strange. I wonder if it's becasue the wreckage of those aircraft is minimal compared with the RB-29?
That's probably only part of the answer. Its accessibility, coupled with an annual memorial service also contribute. The other wreck sites are a lot more difficult for the average person to navigate to.SD
shed driver said:
dr_gn said:
There's a Lancaster crash site a Skytrain crash site, Blackburn Botha and a couple of others in the vicinity, but there are hardly any 'memorials' at all on those despite there being a greater total loss of life therein...strange. I wonder if it's becasue the wreckage of those aircraft is minimal compared with the RB-29?
That's probably only part of the answer. Its accessibility, coupled with an annual memorial service also contribute. The other wreck sites are a lot more difficult for the average person to navigate to.SD
I've always fount it odd that the RB-29A wreck attracts so much attention. Personally I think it is purely to do with the amount of wreckage left - It undoubtedly has by far the most amount of debris left, although the Short Stirling (on private land on the Eastern moors) used to run it close before the Stirling Project team removed a large amount.
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