The Crash Site Of The "Over-Exposed" B29 Superfortress
When I first saw this on here by a fellow explorer (shatner) a few years ago, something made me want to head here and check this out, respect and care of course, but something drew me to it, so fast forward a year and after my mountain climbing around the lake district, I decided I should explore a few places, so the day after camping inside a mountain 1000 plus foot up, I was headed here the next day, on little to no sleep crazy I have to say but none the less this was a target along with a few other places.
The walk was long and in boiling hot weather and bad leg ache from climbing and camping in mountains over the last few days, I really had to push myself not to find the place, but to walk back to the car, honestly my legs felt bad but what an experience this trip actually was, I knew it was going to be hard to really try and photograph this let alone give it my certain twist aswel as show respect, as many up there seemed rather none caring, yet to me I found this rather personal, maybe its the subject matter. None the less I gave it a shot and hopefully it portrays it perfectly my way. A very somber feeling indeed here.
Most know the history on this, but I have included it below.
When I first saw this on here by a fellow explorer (shatner) a few years ago, something made me want to head here and check this out, respect and care of course, but something drew me to it, so fast forward a year and after my mountain climbing around the lake district, I decided I should explore a few places, so the day after camping inside a mountain 1000 plus foot up, I was headed here the next day, on little to no sleep crazy I have to say but none the less this was a target along with a few other places.
The walk was long and in boiling hot weather and bad leg ache from climbing and camping in mountains over the last few days, I really had to push myself not to find the place, but to walk back to the car, honestly my legs felt bad but what an experience this trip actually was, I knew it was going to be hard to really try and photograph this let alone give it my certain twist aswel as show respect, as many up there seemed rather none caring, yet to me I found this rather personal, maybe its the subject matter. None the less I gave it a shot and hopefully it portrays it perfectly my way. A very somber feeling indeed here.
Most know the history on this, but I have included it below.
Boeing B29 Superfortress of the 16th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, USAF, crashed at Higher Shelf Stones near Glossop at approximately 11am on 3rd November 1948. Nick-named ‘Over Exposed‘, it got its name from when it was being used by 509th Composite Group to photograph atomic weapon tests for Operation Crossroads at Bikini Atoll two years previously in 1946. Its crew perished that night. The crew had completed their tour of duty and would have returned back to the States three days later. It was en route from RAF Scampton near Lincoln to USFA Burtonwood, near Warrington carrying mail and the payroll for American service personnel - a flight of less than one hour. England was covered with low cloud that day and the flight was to be conducted on instruments. Having flown for the time the crew believed it should have taken them to cross the hill they started to descend. Unfortunately the aircraft had not quite passed the hills and struck the ground near Higher Shelf Stones and was destroyed by fire.
The aircraft was reported missing and the local authorities and nearby RAF Mountain Rescue Service team were put on alert. At the time the MRS team were on a training exercise in the Kinder Scout area about three miles away. They made their way as quickly as possible to the southern side of Bleaklow to begin a search for the crash site. Arriving at the crash site at around 16:30 they discovered that there were no survivors and with the light fading fast left the recovery of the crew until the following morning. The bodies were recovered from 200-yard long debris trail along with a $7,400 pay-satchel the plane was carrying. After the crash investigation teams had finished the tail fin which still stood up-right was destroyed as it could be seen for miles around and was attracting too many sightseers.
Souvenir hunters and the elements have taken their toll on the wreckage over time. A gun turret was removed at the MOD’s permission and is now in the air museum at Newark. Despite all this the remaining wreckage is still very extensive. Incredibly, a man from nearby Hadfield found a wedding ring at the crash site in the 70’s which turned out to be Capt Tanner’s ring which was then duly returned to his daughter.
The aircraft was reported missing and the local authorities and nearby RAF Mountain Rescue Service team were put on alert. At the time the MRS team were on a training exercise in the Kinder Scout area about three miles away. They made their way as quickly as possible to the southern side of Bleaklow to begin a search for the crash site. Arriving at the crash site at around 16:30 they discovered that there were no survivors and with the light fading fast left the recovery of the crew until the following morning. The bodies were recovered from 200-yard long debris trail along with a $7,400 pay-satchel the plane was carrying. After the crash investigation teams had finished the tail fin which still stood up-right was destroyed as it could be seen for miles around and was attracting too many sightseers.
Souvenir hunters and the elements have taken their toll on the wreckage over time. A gun turret was removed at the MOD’s permission and is now in the air museum at Newark. Despite all this the remaining wreckage is still very extensive. Incredibly, a man from nearby Hadfield found a wedding ring at the crash site in the 70’s which turned out to be Capt Tanner’s ring which was then duly returned to his daughter.
And after this trip I sat down for awhile and enjoyed the scenery around here... Beautiful.
More coming soon thank you for looking 
