On 31st January 1945 this San Diego contract-built Convair Liberator was part of a group of 4030 aircraft taking part in a raid on Brunswick Hallendorf but because of poor weather conditions the whole raid was scrapped after the aircraft had taken off and by the time the force was recalled many were well on their way to the target area. Because of bad weather around their bases in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire many crews were diverted north to land and a number of aircraft suffered damage in Yorkshire trying to land. This aircraft was one of a few from the same unit to be diverted to Leconfield. When the aircraft reached Leconfield the crew found this airfield was blanketed in fog. A number of other aircraft had already attempted landings there in nil-visibility and some crash landed.
B-24 42-95227 was the first to crash at Leconfield, it landed with the left wheel on the runway and the nose and right wheels off the side of the concrete. Between the left and nose wheels a four feet high bank of snow that had been ploughed off the concrete and that was left in a line down the side of the runway. In trying to get the aircraft back onto the concrete the pilot turned the aircraft through the snow and it broke the nose undercarriage leg. The aircraft skidded to halt on the nose and blocked that runway. Leconfield flying control then switched the runway in use. A few minutes later B-24 42-51558 was making a landing on this new runway where the snow had been cleared in the same manner. After touching down the crew of this aircraft noticed that another Liberator was making an approach to land on the former (and now blocked) runway and realised there their paths would converge should this other aircraft land. In taking evasive action to avoid a collision the pilot of 42-51558 turned the aircraft off the runway and through the four feet high snow bank. Again, the nose wheel of the aircraft was broken off and it skidded to halt close to the intersections of the two runways. The other aircraft succesfully made an overshoot and regained the circuit. Both the runways that were suitable for landing on at Leconfield were now blocked so flying control closed the airfield to further landings and diverted crews in their circuit away. East Fortune airfield is the location quoted.
By the time the crew of B-24 42-51193 was diverted away they had already made five unsuccessful attempts to land at Leconfield, possibly initially to find nearby Carnaby airfield because it appears to have been low on fuel. They had flown too far north to locate Carnaby and were too far from any other airfield to land when the fuel level became critical. As the aircraft approached the North Yorkshire Moors two engines cut out, the undercarriage was then lowered ready for a forced landing. The crew were told to brace themselves by the pilot and at 17.00hrs the pilot attempted to land the aircraft in a field near Hutton Buscel but had to pull up to avoid a house, as open ground lay beyond this house the pilot put the aircraft down there. On touching down the tail broke off at the belly turret position. The aircraft continued along the ground and then hit a wide tree. Whilst I have not yet located the crash site I understand from Mr Guthrie of Troutsdale the accident occurred around a half mile up the eastern road up out of Hutton Buscel north and on the left side of the road. The crew in the front of the aircraft stood little chance of survival with all being either killed in the crash or being very badly injured, seven of the nine USAAF crew sadly died as a result of the accident and two others possibly in part of the aircraft which broke away survived with minor injuries. All of the crew are believed to have been taken to Scarborough hospital where the pilot died of his injuries soon after arrival. Former Silpho Brow farmer, Mr Clifford Welburn recalls the men being brought to the hospital that night as he was at the hospital having his appendix removed at the time. The aircraft possibly carried the nose art of either "Lucky Lady Betty II" or "Mah-Ideal". It had suffered minor damage at base in October 1944. I would welcome additional information to give the full names of any of the crew listed below, their exact places of burial and if possible photographs of any of them.
In all 112 B17's and 291 B24's were recalled as were nearly 200 P51 fighters acting as escorts and scouting forces. Other than this loss three other aircraft suffered serious damage, a B17 crashed at base whilst aborting the raid and two B24's, one of which crashed on take off and the other near base after crew had baled out. Six Liberators were damaged in attempted landings on return in Yorkshire on this night, the incidents where information has been located were as follows. One at "Snap, UK" (possibly Shap?) the pilot being Ralph L Wingrove in B24J 42-50713. The location of "Tunstall" is also given. One at Catfoss, the pilot being Howard E Jennings in B24J 44-10494. One at Carnaby airstrip, the pilot being Edmund P Simpson in B24H 42-94971. Nose art of "Fart Sack Time". Left undercarriage collapsed at Carnaby. One at Leconfield, the pilot being Henry F Burkett in B24J 42-51558. One at Leconfield, the pilot being William W Leesburg in B24H 42-95227. One at Catfoss, the pilot being Charles L Leamy in B24H 42-50437. All will be added to the main Yorkshire section to this website in due course.
Pilot - 2Lt Clifton Frank Lambert USAAF (O-824144), aged 22. Died of injuries on 3rd February 1945. Initially buried Cambridge Madingley Cemetery. Now buried Lincoln Memorial Park, Nebraska, USA.
Co-Pilot - F/O Willard Woods McCord USAAF (T-003078), aged 20. Buried Cambridge Madingley Cemetery (B/4/11).
Navigator - 2Lt Robert Abbott Peabody USAAF (O-2070454), aged 21. Initially buried Cambridge Madingley Cemetery. Now buried Oakdale Cemetery, Missleton, Massachusetts, USA.
Radio Operator - T/Sgt Paul Norman Hoover USAAF (39128872), aged 30. Initially buried Cambridge Madingley Cemetery. Now buried Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Bruno, California, USA.
Left Waist Gunner - S/Sgt Benny Martin Chmiel USAAF, aged 19. Initially buried Cambridge Madingley Cemetery. Now buried Holy Trinity Polish National Catholic Church Cemetery, Washington, Pennsylvania, USA.
Right Waist Gunner - S/Sgt Glenn Max Whitaker USAAF (37619020), aged 21. Initially buried Cambridge Madingley Cemetery. Now buried Newton Burial Park, Nevada, Missouri, USA.
Nose Gunner - S/Sgt Fain Laver Hickerson USAAF (39916877), aged 20. Buried Cambridge Madingley Cemetery (B/5/11).
Top Turret Gunner - T/Sgt Harry Walter Storicks USAAF (32757654). Injured.
Tail Gunner - S/Sgt Phillip Wayne Corliss USAAF (16139615). Injured.
Clifton Lambert was born on 17th December 1921 at Lincoln, Nebraska, USA and was the eldest son of Frank Clifton and Clara Rickie (nee Goldstein) Lambert. When the 1940 census was made he was living with his family in the Yankee Hill Election Precinct, Lancaster County where he was working as a clerk and waiter in his father's grocery and cafe. As a young man he attended the University of Nebraska where his main hobby and sport was swimming. He enlisted for air corps service in February 1942 while in his final year studying teaching. After training at Georgefield, Illinois he was awarded his flying wings. He married Joyce McDaniel Edward at Lincoln in February 1944 and left a baby son with the same name (possibly born after his father's death). Frank went overseas to England in December 1944. He died in Scarborough Hospital on 3rd February 1945. His body was returned to the USA in 1948 and buried at Lincoln Memorial Park, Nebraska, USA.
Willard McCord was born on 25th May 1924 at San Jose, California, USA and was the youngest son of Charles Loy and Bertha (nee Woods) McCord. His father Charles was born in Illinois and his mother was born in Ohio. Willard was working for Reliable Pattern Work when he enlisted for air corps service in June 1942. The photograph of his grave was found on the internet and posted by Geoffrey Roecker.
Paul "Norman" Hoover was born on 18th May 1914 at Pomona, Los Angeles, California, USA and was the son of Paul Carter and Dorothea (nee Tyler) Hoover. When the 1940 Census was made he was living at San Jose, California and working as a petrol station filling attendant for the Shell Oil Company. He enlisted for air corps service in March 1943. In March 1949 his body was returned to the USA and buried at Golden Gate Cemetery, San Bruno, California. The photograph of his gravestone was found on the internet and posted by Tom Brocher.
Robert Peabody was born on 10th July 1923 at New York City, New York, USA and was the son of George Abbott and Florence Electra (nee Mundorff) Peabody. By the time the 1940 Census was made the family were living at Schenectady, New York, USA. He enlisted for air corps service in June 1942 and was (probably) working for General Electric Co. at the time.
Benny Chmiel was born on 10th November 1925 at Washington, Pennsylvania, USA and was the son of Samuel Szymond and Paulina (nee Burczyk) Chmiel. Both his parents were born in Poland but emigrated to the USA. His father was a coal miner and died in 1933. When Benny enlisted for air corps service in January 1944 he was working for Hazel-Atlas Glass Company at Washington.
Glenn Whitaker was born on 22nd July 1923 at Waseca, Minnesota, USA and was the son of Raymond Roosevelt and Sybil (nee Fogarty) Whitaker. He appears to have moved around quite a bit. As a young man he attended Poplar Bluff High School, where he graduated in 1942. He married Armeta Mae Downs in January 1943 at Laramie, Wyoming and they had a daughter, Glenna, born in January 1944. He was working for Western Union Telegraph Company (Dallas Office) when he enlisted for air corps service there in August 1943. His widow was either living at, or later lived at Nevada, Vernon County, Missouri. His body was returned to the USA in 1948.
Fain Hickerson was born on 22nd August 1924 at Durkee, Oregon, USA and was the son of Ersal Leroy and Reta (nee Beatty or Goodwin?) Hickerson. When the 1940 US Census was made he was living in Payette, Idaho. He enlisted for air corps service in June 1943 in Boise, Idaho and was working as a farmhand at the time.
Phillip Corliss was born on 6th November 1925 at Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan, USA and was the son of Carol and Jessie Elda (nee Shinn) Corliss. He enlisted for air corps service in November 1943. He died at Twin Lake, Michigan in December 1981.
Harry Storicks was born on 23rd November 1924 to Walter Henry and Ella Simmons (nee Clayton) Storicks and was born at Bozarthtown, New Jersey, USA. He enlisted for air corps service in late-1942. At the time he was working for the Ford Motor Company at Chester, Pennsylvania but was living at Bridgeport, New Jersey. His father worked on the Chester / Bridgeport ferry. He returned home after WW2 but appears to have also served in the Korean War. He died in Pemberton, Burlington, New Jersey, USA in February 1997.