B-24D 41-11866 "The Nipper"

[Matt]

I recently located the crash site of B-24D 41-11866 "The Nipper." "The Nipper" crashed at about 1030 on 12/19/43. The plane and crew had been assigned to the SW Pacific as part of the 5th AF 90th BG 319th BS, but were returning to the US for reassignment. The plane was on the Hawaii to Hamilton Field leg of the flight home when pilot misjudged the location of Hamilton during bad weather and was turning to climb out of Richardson Bay, approximately 12 miles south of Hamilton, and struck the ridge. The crew of 7 and the 2 passengers were killed in the crash. The accident was blamed 40% on weather, 30% on a improper briefing and the rest on pilot error.

I only found two small fragments of The Nipper.

[SixbyFire]

Great find! I have a feeling the site I'm researching now on the peninsula might not have much more at it then you found of "The Nipper." I think I'll consider myself lucky if I can find that much left of this aircraft...

[Matt]

What site are you looking for? Is it the B-24 that went down? "The Nipper" is about a half mile from the PBY we went to last year.

SixbyFire said:

Great find! I have a feeling the site I'm researching now on the peninsula might not have much more at it then you found of "The Nipper." I think I'll consider myself lucky if I can find that much left of this aircraft...

[SixbyFire]

I talked to Nick about the B-24, he said there isn't much left. But, he did say there was some large pieces from an F-4 that went down after a refueling accident that's near to where the B-24 crashed. The next one on my list is a P-39 on San Bruno Mountain. From what I hear, it's a site that nobody in the field knew about. Granted, I doubt there is much, if anything, left up there.

Jeff