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Did hope to see them depart past us but alas no, even brought in the box brownie,
Planes that took part in fly-past
You can watch it here https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1090779/Sheffield-flypast-live-video-RAF-2019-Endcliffe-Park-memorial-anniversary-BBC-watch .. |
To all the media whiners. Without 'banal journos' there would be no flypast and no story. Now the whole country knows about it, not least those people of Sheffield who had no idea. Charlie Stayt talking balls for a bit... that's ok.
CG |
Queen's Birthday Honours?
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Originally Posted by Herod
(Post 10397313)
Queen's Birthday Honours?
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Originally Posted by charliegolf
(Post 10397309)
To all the media whiners. Without 'banal journos' there would be no flypast and no story. Now the whole country knows about it, not least those people of Sheffield who had no idea. Charlie Stayt talking balls for a bit... that's ok.
CG |
More Information?
I appreciate the programme focus was on the flypast, and the old gentleman who has a story to tell, but I would have been interested to learn more about the circumstances of the crash. I don't expect a reliable report from a child 75 years after the event (and that's not meant as a criticism), but I wonder if there were any other eye witnesses, or was there any kind of official report at the time? If, as I heard someone say, Mi Amigo was on one engine then I guess her options were pretty limited. But if - as I also found - she was based at Chelveston, what was she doing over Sheffield? There's clearly a story to be told. All I have been able to discover is that the B17 was on her way back from a raid.
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I appreciate Dan Walker's initial publicity and efforts to commemorate the occasion but the way in which it was presented was a disgrace. As MG said, they presented it not as a commemoration but as a circus.
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USAAF B-17 42-31322 ?Mi Amigo?, Endcliffe Park, Sheffield ? aircrashsites.co.uk On 22 February 1944 Flying Fortress ‘Mi Amigo’ crashed in this public park in Sheffield with the loss of all 10 crew men on board. The B-17 had been on a raid on the German airfield at Ålborg in occupied Denmark (apparently Ålborg has the unwanted distinction of being the first city in the world to be taken by paratroopers). The airfield was home to Fw 190s and Bf 109s. These attacked the B-17s overhead, and pursued ‘Mi Amigo’ as bombardier Second Lt Hernandez, aware of the Danish civilians below, was unable to release the bombs due to cloud cover obscuring the target. Pilot First Lt Krieghauser’s aircraft was badly damaged by the attacking fighters. The bombs were released harmlessly over the North Sea as the B-17 limped back towards base in Northamptonshire. It is probable the navigation and communication equipment was out of service, and that some of the crew were dead or wounded from the attack. For whatever reasons, ‘Mi Amigo’ ended up 80 miles off course and circling low over the city of Sheffield. In Endcliffe Park, kids playing football watched as an engine finally cut, a wing dipped and the aircraft spiralled down into a wooded knoll next to the playing field. It is possible First Lieutenant Krieghauser was considering a crash landing on the playing field. This might also account for why some of the crew at least didn’t bail out. Eye witness accounts at the time (and there were many) are extremely harrowing and there seems no point in repeating them here. The memorial is surrounded by 10 American oaks planted in 1969, one for each crew member. |
COURAGE ABOVE THE CLOUDS: THE TRUE HEROIC STORY OF THE CREW OF B17 'MI AMIGO' (Courage in the Skies) Kindle Edition |
As ever - just my opinion. I appreciate - but disagree with - the views of those who would have favoured a more ‘measured’ occasion. Who are we to cast a critical eye on how it was done?Be grateful that it was done. Any act of remembrance is better than none. Those boys and plenty like them were part of a fight that took place so people such as the journalists and civilians would never need to understand what warfare actually entailed. Speaking as as someone who was very conscious whilst deployed that no one back home gave two hoots about the campaigns we were fighting. Would love to get the 135/ Typhoon debrief if anyone has it. |
Bloody good that. The eagle pulling up and punching away so, so evocative.
Great turn out from the public and the fallen were remembered and honoured. And that is all that is important. |
Very well done I thought watching the UTube video - and real people organising it - no "stars", politicians, media people and other low life - just a genuine tribute
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The Breakfast programme for 22/02/2019 is available here until 0915 23/02/19. Flypast starts 2hr:20min in :-
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episod...kfast-22022019 This 4K edited version posted on YouTube:- Well done to all involved in the flypast! |
To Tony Foulds and all those involved in the flypast - chapeau!
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Just asking as someone from little Northern Ireland...was the RAF officer who was interviewed also an Ulsterman?
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For once the meejah have shown that there is still some intelligent life in its ranks. Presentation from Sheffield was a bit themeparkish but in doing it that way it did show respect in a way that even 'yoof' can understand. These days I am no fan of the Beeb and the Breakfast and One shows in particular. I feel the main presenters are banal and unprofessional. Stayt, Marchetti,Jones et al - do not float my boat at all. But I was moved to see even 'roughy toughy northern lass Steph' brushing away several tears today. Good that she could not see me doing similar. It would indeed be deserved if the old boy who has looked after the memorial all these years was to be officially recognised in the Honours List. Much more deserved, than an aging druggie singer or a corrupt businessman? The missing man formation was most effective. Well done and thank you USAF. |
Thanks, Orac. Just for interest sake, here is something I found on a 'USAAF Losses' website at 1942 USAAF Serial Numbers (42-30032 to 42-39757) - Transferred to 305th BG, 364th BS at Chelveston, named 'Mi Amigo'. Damaged in raid on Aschersleben, Bernberg and Halberstadt, Brunde, Wernegerode, Madeburg
and crashed in Endcliffe Park, Sheffield, England Feb 22, 1944. 10 crew killed. Targets don't match - just goes to show you can't believe everything you see on the Internet! |
Yellow Sun: If you followed ORAC's link and then scrolled through the links to the 364th Bomb Squadron, you'd see that it does give Aalborg as their target, Day 3 of "Big Week"
Aalborg was a big Luftwaffe base, with both Bf109 and Fw190 fighters based there, so they were able to get into the formations above their base while the bombers were trying to locate the airfield and avoid bombing civilians. It also implies that 3 of the crew were mortally wounded (seems to be radio operator, ball and rear turret gunners) but how that information was gathered I can't say, perhaps a report did get through to their base. If the navigator was also wounded, that might explain them being so far off course. The weather that day had heavy cloud up to over 20,000 feet, making formation keeping impossible and accounting for the 39 bombers, out of some 790 despatched, shot down and 141 with battle damage. |
Thanks for posting that link Yellow Sun, the data makes for very interesting and poignant reading. There was a mid-air on the same day as the loss of Mi Amigo but what struck me was this one...
38002 (401st BG, 614th BS) shot down by flak and fighter on mission to Ocherslaben Feb 22, 1944. MACR 2661. 2 KIA, 8 POW. Tail gunner was unable to bail out with the other crew members because his parachute was riddled with machine gun fire but he survived because the plane landed itself in a field. If it's not your time to go then fate will intervene. |
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