B-36 crash, Feb. 12 1943, Labrador

[RuudLeeuw]

Hello,
someone sent me below message, which refers to my webpage
http://www.ruudleeuw.com/search116.htm
The photo on that page refers to a B-36 crash 1950 in B.C.
Comments by a Sean O'Brien there seems to refer to a 1953 B-36 crashsite at Random Island
The person who sent me this message is particularly interested in visiting the Goose Bay crashsite and is looking for its exact location, access and if any remains may survive:

quote
My father Col. George T. Chadwell was one of the survivors of the B-36 crash in 1953 near Goosebay, Labrador which you refer to as occurring on Feb 12 of that year. My father had assumed command of the 7th Bomb Wing just weeks before on 3 Jan. 1953 and was the Wing Commander until June 4 1954.

I was only 5 1/2 yrs. old at the time (I actually do remember the days surrounding the crash) & my Dad died on active duty when I was in my teens, so I never discussed the crash w/him more than briefly. It just became a story I passed on to my children about the grandfather they never knew and that it was the reason we always flew separately as a family.

My mother died 5 yrs. ago and yesterday I finally opened the old trunk marked George Chadwell, Army A C. I found over a dozen 8x10 photos marked Restricted, Security Information. My husband, retired now after 28 years in AF, confirmed the wreckage photos are of a B-36 & are most certainly from the accident investigation. I was really excited to see them.

I've just started going online last night. The 7th Bomb Wing site confirms my father's information I mentioned above. The photos I have clearly show, as you mention, that the plane was in 2 pieces. It was eerie seeing your site's ariel view with the years of new trees compared to the ariel view of the crash in 1953. After viewing all the close up photos, it is hard to imagine how anyone survived the impact.

I hope this email reaches someone who can explain further how people get to these crash sites. It had never occurred to me that these planes still were at their crash scenes.

Thank you,
Tina
unquote

[electraguy]

Well Tina, I know that duriong the making of that BC documentry, the site in BC had been fairly well picked over. The US military came in and blew that airplane up when they found it way back when and removed any evidence of the "bomb" that it was or was not carrying. Its quite the story though and it would sure be interesting to know what really happend. The incident is still listed as "Top Secret" in the US and the surviving crew will not divulge and answers. The wreckage is there, but very little is recognizable but if you do some resarch on the net i know there are some sites with a bunch of pictures on it. The nuclear "birdcage" was recovered by a US treasure hunter and was taken back by the CIA after he published that he was in possesion of it, and that was 30-40 years after the fact. The B-36 was not a great plane for working in the north, it didn't like ice much. Anyways, good luck in you search, and if you do head for that BC site, let me know I would love to jump in on that expedition. A friend of mine from the CF was the griffon pilot from 408 Sqn in Edmonton that flew the discovery channel crew in there.

[wooden spoon]

the b36 in borgoynes cove(30 min north of clarenville in NF near random island) is interesting.wreckage is scattered over the top of the peak.Great hike about 30 min up hill quite the view.must have been pretty violent.they almost made it over the top.nice memorial put there by search and rescue and a discription of the events leading to the crash.worthwhile walk.

[bamboo]

Random Island is an island very close to Clarenville Newfondland (Not in Labrador). Clarenville (CCZ3) is loacated 48 16.48N, 53 55.43W. About 1.3 hour drive from St. John's CYYT.

[waterpooch989]

Now this is what this site was directed towards. Very good pics and an engrossing read. Hope you find the information you are looking for.

[RuudLeeuw]

Thanks guys,
guess you've figured out the year in the header (1943) was meant to be 1953...
Hope to see some reactions on the Goose Bay location too, but expect it to be remote...
Ruud 'Rudi' Leeuw

[FastFlyBy]

I read a story written by a helicopter pilot who helped with the rescue mission in the BC crash. I recall him saying that the plane had picked up icing to the extent that they couldn't hold altitude.

When it was obvious that they would not make it safely anywhere, the captain ordered the crew to bail out over land. He then turned the bomber out to sea because it was carrying an atom bomb, and they obviously didn't want it kicking around where someone could find it.

The captain supposedly bailed out at sea and was never found. According to this helicopter pilot, the story was, that as the bomber descended into warmer air over the ocean, one wing shed its ice before the other, the weight of the ice on the one wing putting the plane into a bank. It turned 180 degrees before the ice fell of the other wing and the bomber flew straight and level until it literally hit land.

I have no idea whether this story is actually true. I wish I could say what the name of the book is, but it's at home and I'm the hell out in the middle of nowhere.

[weasello]

A relative working as a reporter to the Canadian Rangers sent me an issue of their newsletter, that had several photos of the "Broken Arrow" B-36 crash site in BC. They spent a bunch of their time collecting live ammo strewn about the crash site and detonating it.

If anyone wants details or a scan or whatever let me know and I'll slap it down.

[W5]

http://www.air-and-space.com/b-36%20wrecks.htm

[LH]

Approximately 32 years ago I was flying out of Goose Bay with a large R/W doing contract work north of there for approximately 10 months. On one occasion we were at low level because of bad weather on the way back to Goose Bay. We passed over a large a/c wreckage that because of our speed, looked as though it might have been recent. We found a place to land and investigated the crash site. It was indeed a B-36, but had been there for quite some time. I was the only person who removed anything from the a/c and that item was an A/S guage in very good condition considering it's time onsite.

We arrived back in Goose Bay with the intention of mentioning our find to the RCMP the next morning. We were lodging in the PMQ's at the time and that evening I made plans to go out for the evening. After supper, I was getting ready to do that when I received a knock on my door. I opened it to see a senior USAF Officer and and RCMP S/Sgt standing there. They asked me to confirm who I was and after they read out my name, I did so. They then asked me if I had any materiale from the crash site of a B-36. Theyadvised that I had committed a very serious offense, but that since I was probably unaware that I had, I could please hand-over the item from the B-36 and they would not press charges. I gave them the A/S guage from the B-36 and before they started to leave, I asked them what offense I had committed because it was just from an old crash site and I was a bit mystified. They then advised that the B-36 was still considered American Government Property and that I had basically taken same without permission. The S/Sgt further advised that it not only applied to USAF a/c, but to all other a/c that I might discover and that if I wanted parts, souvenirs, etc. that I should report the site to his office and they's see if they could facilitate my request, BUT to leave any a/c alone until then. To THIS day, it is a mystery to me and my onboard crew, as to how the USAF and the RCMP found out about our landing at an extremely isolated place many miles north of Goose Bay, NFLD just 4 hours before. Radar tracking does not account for it because we were below 350' and therefore below radar. Very strange.

Those were the laws in place as of 1975. Those laws may well have changed since then. I only mention this story in case someone else might wish to do exactly as I did, which I still consider harmless after an a/c has been crashed for decades. A seemingly very harmless act almost got my ass into a a bucket of trouble and stirred-up a serious "hornet's nest". To those who might be considering the same actions somedayI suggest that you take note and be careful.

[jbowers]

Tina, my father, John Bowers, was one of the 2 PJ's who jumped into the B36 crash site to rescue your father and crew. In fact there was a Readers Digest article written in 1962 in which the story of this rescue was told. My father shared the details of this event throughout his life and I really never thought about visiting the site until he passed away recently.

[tractor driver]

Was there 15 yrs ago with a documentary film crew. Outdoor Life Network, show called Exploring Horizons. Goose Bay locals know it well. I think I remember it being about a 20 min. flight with a Bell 206.

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