Flying Fortress 42-29752
FLYING FORTRESS 42-29752
Research and identification by Paul Hennessey (Norfolk Wreck Research) and Mandy Frary (North Norfolk Divers)
underwater photography Paul Hennessey
Location ... Off Blakeney PointDepth ... 20mtrsType ... B17FBuilder ... BoeingBlock number ... B17F-70-BOC/N number ...4866Date of loss ...13th May 1943Cause ... AccidentalEn Route ... Grafton Underwood to St Omer
Crew ... Derrol Rogers (Captain), Norville Gorse (Co Pilot), Joe Hudson (Navigator), George Rawlings (Bombardier),Basil Maxwell (Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner), Bob Bennet (Radio Operator), Alf Miles (Ball Turret Gunner), Bob Dominick (Waist Gunner), Edwin Wolfkuhle (Waist Gunner), Ed Youngers (Tail Gunner)
Lives lost1 ... Captain Derrol Rogers, buried at the Cambridge American Cemetery. Awards ... distinguished flying medal, Purple Heart, American Campaign Medal, WW11 Victory Medal.
The loss of 42-29752
On the 13/5/43, 42-29752 took off from Grafton Underwood. Whilst en route for her target in St Omer, one of her waist gunners discharged his 50 calibre machine gun, this resulting in one of the aircrafts stabilisers being shot off. The damage was so severe, she was only able to fly in circles. The path of the aircraft took her out over the Wash, where she jettisoned her full pay load of bombs. All the crew with the exception of the pilot and co pilot bailed out over land, with the pilot and co pilot bailing out over the sea.
Images from left to right .... Stricken 42-29752 in flight ... Waist gunners ... Co Pilot, Norville Gorse ... One of the wrecks fuel tanks.
FORESTERS CENTENARY (Sheringham Lifeboat)
At 4.45pm approx, information was received that an aircraft had come down in the sea off Blakeney point. At 5.30pm, Foresters Centenery put to sea guided by a smoke float dropped by a Stirling search aircraft. On the Foristers Centenery's arrival at the crash sight, the crew found an unconcious Captain Rogers, despite the efforts of the lifeboat crew to revive him, Captain Rogers died of exposure. The co pilot, Norville Gorse was picked up by an RAF rescue launch from Wells, though suffering from exposure, he made a full recovery.
Bailout report by Norville Gorse (courtesy of John Gorse, Nephew of Norville Gorse) Click on page to enlarge and see full report
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Discovery and identification of 42-29752
August 2015
Left to right .. Spar, leading edge of wing with intercooler ... Wheel festooned in fishing net ... Intercooler with outer casing missing.
In the early spring of 2015, spurred on by a discovery the previous year, investigations were set in motion to try and locate and identify downed aircraft in the area. During these investigations it was found that a B17 had ditched off Blakeney Point. Further investigations revealed the aircraft to be that of the Flying Fortress 42-29752. In August 2015, diving on an uncharted position provided by a local fishermen, the remains of what was believed to be an aircraft's air frame were discovered. Further dives revealed 2 wheels, fuel tanks, engine cowlings, but no engines and 2 oil coolers.
Local Knowledge
On arrival back at shore (Wells Next The Sea), mention was made to one of the local fisherman of the further discoveries made on the site. On the mention of lack of engines, the fisherman regaled a story set in the 1970's involving American servicemen who had been involved in the salvage of three engines from a B17 off Blakeney Point and how these engines attracted much attention at the time as they sat on Wells Quay. With this in mind and the lack of engines on site, could it be that the site under investigation could in fact be that of a B17? If this was in fact a B17, there was only one recorded loss of a B17 in the area and that was of the B17F, 42-29752. After extensive research into design and build it can now be confirmed that the wreckage off Blakeney point is that of a B17 and from this can be concluded that the wreckage is in turn that of the ill fated 42-29752.
The 42-29752 today
For the most part the remains of 42-29752 are spread out over a large area, with the most intact section discovered to date being one of her wings. The whole area is littered with all manner of associated wreckage, there was only ever talk of three engines being salvaged, so somewhere in the area will be the fourth engine. On the wing there is a second wheel festooned in fishing net, the thinking on this, is that the wheel was trawled up from associated wreckage in the area and snagged up on the intact wing.