What happened
During a daylight mission targeting railway bridges near Sinuiju and Antung, a B-29 Superfortress was assigned to provide electronic countermeasures. The aircraft's role involved using jamming equipment and the deployment of aluminum foil strips, known as chaff, to disrupt enemy radar. The aircraft was positioned in the rear slot of the second formation group.
Due to mechanical issues stemming from engine age, the aircraft lost speed. To avoid slowing the rest of its formation, the pilot transitioned from the end of the second group to the lead position of the 2nd Bomb Squadron. This maneuver left the B-29 Superfortress momentarily isolated between two separate flight groups.
During this period of isolation, Russian-piloted MiG-15 fighters intercepted and attacked the aircraft. The resulting combat damage ignited a fire on board, which led to 7 crew members bailing out and subsequently becoming prisoners of war. Although the remaining crew successfully suppressed the fire and navigated the plane toward Suwon AFB in South Korea, the structural damage was too severe to attempt a landing. The crew eventually abandoned the aircraft, which crashed into a hillside approximately 10 miles south of Seoul.
Findings
- The aircraft's transition between formations left it vulnerable to interception.
- The isolation of the aircraft between formation groups allowed enemy fighters to target it without facing concentrated defensive fire.