41-18150 in flight (Trevor J Allen Historian)

B26b-4 Marauder 41-18150 Glenn Martin serial No.2722 was delivered to the US Army between the 7/1/43 and the 28/2/43. It was the 176th B26b-4 built out of 211 aircraft of this type. The B26b-4 featured a lengthened nose wheel strut, slotted flaps, enhanced armour, twin 0.50" tail guns, larger carburettor intakes and two Pratt and Whitney R-2800-43 engines which produced 2000hp.

The B26b-4 featured the original short wingspan of 65" which earned the B26 the nickname "Flying Prostitute" or "Baltimore Whore" because it appeared to have no visible means of support referring to it's short wingspan that would be increased in length in later models.

Markings on a propeller that use to lie on the mountainside indicated that 41-18150 was fitted with Curtiss Electric pitch change propellors.

B26 41-18150 original pilot and co-pilot were Captain Jack Wilson Seale and Lt Andrew F. Byrd Jr. The plane was named "Winnie Dee" after Jack's mother, Mrs Winnie Seale while they were training at MacDill Airfield, Florida April 1943.  41-18150 was one of three B26 Marauders named Winnie Dee by Cpt Seale. It was originally assigned to the 449th Bomb Squadron, 322nd Bomb Group however shortly after arriving in England it was transferred to 452nd Bomb Squadron 322nd Bomb Group, Andrews Field and given the fuselage code DR-L having never been flown in combat by Cpt Seale.

It's transfer to the 452nd was probably to replace aircraft lost in the infamous Ijmuiden raid                             ( http://www.b26.com/page/ill-fatted-mission-to-ijmuiden.htm ) one of which was 452nd BS Marauder 41-18090 the aircraft which was originally assigned the fuselage code DR-L.

Whilst at the 449th Bomb Squadron Jack named another B26 41-31741 "Winnie Dee" after the original "Winnie Dee" and he flew this along with Lt Byrd until he was transferred to the 344th BG 495th BS "The Silver Streaks". There he named a third Marauder 42-95858 "Winnie Dee" and it was in this plane that Cpt Seale was killed in action on the 28th May 1944.

B26 41-18150 mission on the 10th April 1944 was a practice gunnery/bombing mission over the Irish Sea close to Greencastle Airfield, Co. Down, N. Ireland. Before take off it was loaded with 960 gallons of fuel, five bombs and 1050 rounds of .50" calibre ammunition. On the day of the accident the plane had accumulated 449 hours 45 minutes flying time. At sometime in either 1943 or 1944 it had been transferred to the 3rd CCRC, Toome from The 452nd Bomb Squadron after being declared "War Weary", prior to it's transfer it had completed 18 credited combat missions, two uncredited missions and three diversionary flights nicknamed "Ducks."

One of the engines along with remains of the rear gunners position and a small part of the bomb bay, Spences River Valley.

B26 Marauder 41-18150 "Winnie Dee" DR-L,  452nd Bomb Squadron, 9th Airforce

Combat record

With the assistance of Ron Bolesta I have be able to put together a record of 41-18150 combat record whilst attached to the 452nd BS.

1. 17/7/43 AM Off Cayeux (Draw fighters away from heavies flying over at same time.) Pilot 2nd Lt D.J Wallace, Co-pilot 2nd Lt RS Graham, Navigator 2nd Lt W. E Schuele, Gunners S/Sgt's J.P Ossi, W.A Terhune and C Overby. (Diversion non-credited "Duck".)
2. 27/7/43 EV (evening) Off Le Treport-Dieppe area (Diversion non-credited "Duck".)
3. 28/7/43 EV In Abbeville area, escorted by 11th Group Spitfires (Diversion non-credited "Duck".)
4. 12/8/43 AM Poix/Nord A/D (Aerodrome)  15,000 pounds bombs dropped on dispersal areas and runways, 15 planes damaged by FLAK (Credited.)
5. 18/8/43 AM Lille/Venderville A/D. Aerodrome couldn't be located due to bad weather, planes bombed a target of opportunity, escorted by Spitfires (Credited.)
6. 19/8/43 PM Bryas-SUD A/D Clouds obscured the target and the group returned without dropping their bombs (Credited.)
7. 2/9/43 PM Hesdin Construction works C/W. Described as a mission against a still secret target at Hesdin "Later we found out that this was the beginning of our offensive against the Rocket Coast." Escorted by Spitfires (Credited.)
8. 3/9/43 AM Beauvais-Tille A/D Base bombed with good results, no opposition (Credited.)
9. 4/9/43 EV St. Pol M/Y Marshalling Yards. Group engaged by 14 Fw190's and ME109's who broke through the the covering Spitfires and attacked the formation. Marauders battled them off with no losses (Credited.)
10. 5/9/43 AM Ghent/Belgium M/Y 452nd records state attack on aerodrome at Coutrai, weak FLAK no fighter opposition results poor due to cloud conditions (Credited.)
11. 6/9/43 PM Amiens M/Y attacked with good results (Credited.)
12. 8/9/43 afternoon Pomeranian (Germany) 452nd records record a n attack on Lille Venuville aerodrome, intense HFF and weak fighter opposition (Credited.)
13. 9/9/43 AM Boulogne Coastal defences (Gun Emplacements) Intense FLAK encountered, many planes damaged "But in spite of this the positions were prevented from firing on the maneuvering barges filled with troops" group received commendation for action (Credited.)
14. 11/9/43 PM Rouen Power Station (Bombed secondary target Le Trait Shipyards) primary target Rouen Power Plant covered with clouds "Shipyard obliterated RAF took if off list of targets." (Credited.)
15. 19/9/43 PM Merville A/D fighters recalled. (Non-Credited.)
16. 21/9/43 AM Beauvais/Tille A/D S/Sgt Peloquin KIA when plane attacked by fighters, strong enemy opposition this was described as one of the deepest penetrations made, aerodrome heavily defended, S/Sgt Warren waist gunner damaged a FW190, bombing was described as fair (Non-Credited, 41-18150 possibly had to turn back for some reason.)
17. 24/9/43 PM Beauvais/Tille A/D Sgt Warren destroyed a FW190, mediocre FLAK and fighters, target bombed with good results (Credited.)
18. 27/9/43 AM Beauvais/Tille A/D Sgt Driscoll destroyed two fighters a FW190 and a ME109, strong fighter opposition encountered, battle damage slight bombing produced good results (Credited.
19. 2/10/43 PM St Omer/Longuenesse A/D Six planes from the squadron took part in raid. Weather forced partial abandonment of mission, only six planes bombed the target with undetermined results (Credited.)
20. 3/10/43 Afternoon Beauvais/Tille A/D Aerodrome bombed just before sundown, moderate FLAK a few enemy planes attacked but driven off with no damage to squadron aircraft (Credited.)
21. 18/10/43 Evreux/Fauville A/D Clouds forced abandonment of mission (Credited.)
22. 22/11/43 Morning Evreux/Fauville A/D Fair bombing results, escorted by Spitfires, weak FLAK no damage to aircraft (Credited.)
23. 3/11/43 Afternoon Amsterdam/Schipol A/D results fair, intense FLAK no losses (Credited.)
24. November 1943 41-18150 transferred to 3rd CCRC Toome Northern Ireland as "War Weary."

Below are a number of Aircraft that flew alongside 41-18150 during its combat career with the 452nd Bomb Squadron.

B26b-25 41-31819 "Mild and Bitter" the first B26 in the ETO to complete 100 missions. Airfix would produce a model kit based on this aircraft.

B26b-4 41-18054 "Jezabelle" this plane was also transferred to the 3rd CCRC Toome after being classified as  "War Weary" and was flying alongside 41-18150 on the day of the accident.       

                B26b-4  41-18014 "Silver Streak"

Lt Andrew Franklin Bryd jr

Original Co-Pilot of "Winnie Dee" 41-18150

Lt Bryd would fly alongside 41-18150 in the 2nd "Winnie Dee" 41-31741 in combat missions carried out by both the 449th and 452nd Bomb Squadrons during 1943

LT Bryd survived the war

(Photo courtesy of David Ford Lt Byrd's Grandson.)

"Winnie Dee"  II  41-31741 

Lost in action 13/8/44

"Winne Dee" III 42-95858 

Lost in action 28/5/44