Boeing 737-400-G-OBME

This memorial to those who died in the Kegworth Air Disaster is on a bridge over the M1.

Location: SK 47433 26467

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Flying Fortress: Arenig Fawr

Flying Fortress: Arenig Fawr
Originally uploaded by wreckhunter

A day out with Matt ZX yesterday on foggy Arenig Fawr looking at the crash site of a Flying Fortress. We found far more wreckage than expected, trailling 300m down the slope in a suspiciously straight line which Matt thought might be the path taken by the recovery team.

Theres' not really much on the 'net about this site, but the link below gives a precis of the circumstances of the crash, and a pic of the crew..

Location: SH 82430 37069 to SH 82649 36942

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Boeing Flying Fortress B-17F 42-3134

Flying Fortress: Arenig Fawr
Originally uploaded by wreckhunter

Formerly molten aluminium from the crash scar at the summit of Arenig Fawr

Location: SH 82649 36942

Boeing Flying Fortress B-17F 42-3134

Flying Fortress: Arenig Fawr
Originally uploaded by wreckhunter

A collection of fair-sized bits further down the hill. Our Flickr site shows lots of other bits we found all the way up to the crash site and memorial. Too many and too small to blog them all.

Location: SH 82565 37052

Boeing Flying Fortress B-17E 41-9098

Fortress: Craig Berwyn
Originally uploaded by wreckhunter

Here's where the Flying Fortress actually crashed, 670m away from the High Ground Wrecks/Doylerush coordinates, and in a different valley altogether. See then next post for our proof.

Location: SJ 07933 33521

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Boeing Flying Fortress B-17E 41-9098

Fortress: Craig Berwyn
Originally uploaded by wreckhunter

Site proving scraps from the scar left when this Fortress crashed: perspex, a buckle, electrical components and various unidentifiable scraps of aluminium and steel.

Boeing Flying Fortress B-17F 42-3134 Memorial: Bala

Fortress B-17F 42-3134 Memorial: Bala
Originally uploaded by wreckhunter

Those who fixed the commemorative plaque to the crew of the Fortress crashed on Arenig Fawr on the Old Town Hall in Bala may not have foreseen its conversion into a Chinese restaurant.

The hoardings unfortunately stopped us seeing if the plaque is still there.

We visited this as a convenient stop-off 50 yards from a cafe where I had an excellent fry-up.

The days' main targets were another Fortress with some controversy as to its identity, and a Lancaster (NE132) which was supposed to be easy to find by virtue of being in quite big bits.

Got the Fortress but not the Lanc. We now understand (from MattZX) that we missed the Lancaster because the High Ground Wrecks coordinates are unusually inaccurate at the site.

Nice walking though, for once dryer and sunnier in Wales than in Derbyshire.

As ever, we'll be back with more info to find the ones we missed on the first pass.

Location: SH 92615 35974

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Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress 44-6005 coded XK-D or 44-8639?

Fortress: Craig Cwm-Llwyd
Originally uploaded by wreckhunter

This unusual stainless steel plaque is reportedly affixed to the wall at the point where an engine rolling down the hill from the crash of a Flying Fortress demolished it.

A number of enthusiast's books gave this site as that of Fortress 44-6005, but we understand that most people now think this is where 44-8639 crashed. (Or is it the other way round?)

The plaque seems to keep out of the controversy over the plane's identity by not giving the aircraft a number.

Location:SH 64343 12395

Turret Assembly

Turret Assembly
Originally uploaded by seansonofbig2

A complete turret assembly from a B29, courtesy of a US rebuilder of B29s. The ring inside the green one is the bit we found. Thanks Taigh..