Greenland Air Crash
1942-1945
Self censored officers letter
from Capt. Harry L. Strong
- Rescue Officer on Bluie West 1 (22.8.1943).
Capt Harry L. Strong was part of Col. Balchen' team who rescued the last crew
members of "PN9E".
Date |
Location | Plane | Note |
9.5.1942 | 65.40 N - 37.40 W | Lockheed B-34 Ventura |
Royal Air Force ferry flight from BW1 to Iceland, returned to Greenland and crash landed near Angmagsalik. Gallery |
26.6.1942 | 68.42 N - 52.50 W |
Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress (41-9108) "Alabama Exterminator" |
BOLERO: One of three B-17's from 342nd Squadron 97th Bombardment Group flying from Goose Bay to BW8, emergency landing near Egedesminde due to bad weather on BW8. Gallery |
27.6.1942 | 65.47 N - 49.48 W |
Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress (41-9032) "My Gal Sal" |
BOLERO: One of three B-17's from 342nd Squadron 97th Bombardment Group flying from Goose Bay to BW8, emergency landing on the icecap app. 125 km. south of the base. Gallery |
27.6.1942 | 60.58 N - 45.40 W |
Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress (41-9090) "Sooner" |
BOLERO: One of three B-17's from 342nd Squadron 97th Bombardment Group flying from Goose Bay to BW8, emergency landing in the water near Narssaq. |
14.7.1942 | 61.28 N - 44.45 W | North American AT-6 Texan |
Plane from Greenland Base Command on BW1, emergency landing app. 40 northeast from the base. |
15.7.1942 | 65.20 N - 40.20 W |
Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress (41-9101) "Big Stoop"
Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress Lockheed P-38F Lightning (41-7560) Lockheed P-38F Lightning (41-7583) Lockheed P-38F
Lightning (41-7616) Lockheed P-38F Lightning (41-7623) Lockheed
P-38F Lightning (41-7626)
Lockheed P-38F Lightning (41-7630) |
BOLERO: On July 14 two flights of the second BOLERO movement: "Tomcat Yellow" and "Tomcat Green" each comprised of one B-17E from 97th Bomber Group and three P-38F of 94th Fighter Squadron left BW8 for Meeks Field on Iceland. Due to a navigational error the flight stray off course and after 8 hours in bad weather, the flight tried to get back to the Greenland bases. The P-38F were running out of fuel and the section leader Lt. Brad McManus decided to land on the icecap while they still had power. All 8 aircrafts made emergency landings app. 17 miles from the coast at Kjøge Bugt. Gallery
|
5.11.1942 | 61.57 N - 42.10 W |
Douglas C-53 Skytrooper (42-1569) |
Crash landed on the icecap on flight from Iceland to BW1 |
9.11.1942 | 65.15 N - 41.25 W |
Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress (42-5088) "PN9E" |
U.S. Army B-17, with a crew of nine, were searching for the C-53 that was missing over the Greenland ice cap. At almost two hours into the mission, while passing under some overcast, the B-17F made a left turn and while in the turn the left wing struck the top of a glacier causing it to crash. Gallery |
10.11.1942 | 61.25 N - 42.30 W | Douglas Boston IIIA (BF 215) |
RCAF ferry flight of RAF Boston from Goose Bay to Brittan via BW1. Emergency landing on the ice cap due to bad weather in BW1. Gallery |
30.11.1942 |
65.11 N - 40.55 W 65.08 N - 41.00 W |
Grumman J2F-4 Duck (V1640) |
LT Pritchard and his radioman, RM1 Bottoms, departed the CGC Northland in their Duck amphibian to locate and assist the crew of a downed B-17F. They successfully located the crew, landed and flew two of the survivors back to the cutter. The next day they returned to the B-17's crash site and recovered one of the crew before worsening weather forced them to leave. In heavy fog, the aircraft impacted a glacier, killing all three aboard. Gallery |
8.12.1942 | ? N - ? W |
Martin B-26B Marauder (41-17760) Martin B-26B Marauder (41-17832) |
2 planes from 437th Sqdn 319th Bombardment Group both lost during flight from BW1 to Iceland. On the Ice cap or in Denmark Strait ? |
22.12.1942 | 65.59 N - 36.13 W |
Barkley-Grow T8P-1 CF-BMV |
Plane from Maritime Central Airways, Canada. Took part in rescue of the "PN9E" crew. Landed on the sea ice near Angmagsalik during flight from BW1 to BE2. Gallery |
12.1.1943 | ? N - ? W |
Lockheed B-34 Ventura (AE747) |
Royal Air Force. Reported in accident on Greenland. |
16.1.1943 | 61.09 N - 45.25 W |
Lockheed Hudson FH355 |
Royal Air Force. Reported in accident at BW1, Greenland. |
27.1.1943 | 61.08 N - 47.38 W |
Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina (7278) |
Catalina from VPB 126 - crash landed on the ice cap during flight from Ivigtut to BW1. Gallery |
1.3.1943 | ? N - ? W |
Lockheed Hudson IIIA (FH363) Lockheed Hudson IIIA (FH423) |
2 Royal Air Force patrol bombers lost south of Cape Farwell after overnight stop on BW1. Location unknown - may be lost on the ice cap. |
3.3.1943 | 60.45 N - 46.00 W |
Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina (02977) |
Catalina from VPB 126 en-route Argentia to BW1. Hit mountain northeast of Julianehåb. Gallery |
25.4.1943 | 60.52 N - 46.04 W | Douglas A-20B Boston (41-4013) |
Crashed on the island of Igdlutalik in Skovfjord during flight from BW1 to Goose Bay. |
?.5.1943 | 60.25 N - 43.16 W |
North American B-25 Mitchell (?????) "Baby-Shoes" |
Mitchell B-25 patrol bomber on ferry flight from BW1 to Iceland. Crash landed on the edge of Lindenows Fjord after being forced down by lack of gas and zero visibilility Gallery |
2.6.1943 | 61.09 N - 45.25 W |
Lockheed Hudson (FK754) |
Royal Air Force. Reported in accident at BW1, Greenland. |
6.11.1943 | 61.08 N - 45.22 W |
North American B-25 Mitchell II (FW138) |
Royal Air Force. Damaged by storm during stay on BW1, Greenland. |
28.11.1943 | 65.38 N - 50.13 W |
Beechcraft AT-7 Navigator () |
Crashed en route from Sondre Stromfjord (BW8) to Narsarssuaq (BW1). Crew of 3 and 4 passengers killed. Gallery |
1.3.1944 | 61.08 N - 45.22 W |
40 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress 24 Consolidated B-24 Liberator |
Damaged during storm (foehn) on BW1, Greenland. |
24.3.1944 | 61.09 N - 45.25 W |
Douglas A-20B Boston (BZ404) |
Royal Air Force. Reported in accident at BW1, Greenland. |
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Update: 18.3.2011
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