Date: 1943 Nov13/13			A/C Type: B-24H Liberator		SN: 42-7650		Code: NB-J		A/C Nickname: - ('292')
File: 100		Airforce: USAAF		Sqn/Unit: 44 BG - 67 BS			Mission/Raid: Bremen
1	Pilot	1Lt. Leroy M. Hansen                    all crew POW					9	LWG	S/Sgt. Jospeh J. Suzdak
2	Co-pilot	2Lt. John D. Hanson					10	TG	S/Sgt. Boyd B. Baker
3	Nav	2Lt. Wilbur J. Pecka					11
4	B	2Lt. William H. Topping					12
5	TTG	T/Sgt. Charles G. Spearman					13
6	RO	T/Sgt. Wilbert C. Schatte					14
7	BTG	S/Sgt. Dan S. Henderson					15
8	RWG	S/Sgt. James W. Norton					16
Returned from raid on Bremen, damaged, losing height. Over Lake IJsselmeer (Old Zuyder Sea) situation became problematic and pilot Hansen decided to turn back to the flat land (the North-East Polder) he had passed over a minute ago. Belly landed successfully on a polder field at the old Zuyder Zee dyke west of Schoterzijl, between Lemmer & Kuinre. All 10 POW because they landed in front of a very remote (with strategic insight placed) German airwar observation post named Flugwache Kooisloot.

The older Austrian soldiers in the OP did not approach the belly landed B-24 at first, because of all the machine guns pointing out (only the waist guns were thrown overboard to loose weight). When the crew came out, standing on the wing, the Luftwaffe soldiers came closer and arrested the crew. Even today, the location is remote and silent. Later the aircraft was camouflaged and taken apart for transport by a German/Flemish team. Below photo is taken at the moment camouflage-nets were pulled over the wreck.



























More photos:

- http://www.americanairmuseum.com/aircraft/9603 

On the photos is well visible that no. 1 engine is smashed-off during the belly landing and the nose of the aircraft is torqued. The heavy B-24 slided over the field for hundreds of meters and mowed some cows down. Above no. 4 engine, a pair of flying boots stands on the wing. These had 'William' written in them and belonged to 2Lt. William H. Topping. He took them off before he stepped down the wing to become POW. Where this aircraft landed used to be sea. The dyke that protected the land is visible behind the aircraft as well as the top of a farm on the other side. Also note that inside engines no.2 and 3 are feathered. They were damaged after Bremen and turned off and feathered by pilot Hansen in the air. Why this B-24 had '292' as marking on the chin is not known.





Sources:

- MACR
- http://www.teunispats.nl/t3084.htm 








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