460th BG patch 460th Bombardment Group (H) 460th BG tail

42-52380 - Annabelle

This aircraft was assigned to the 761st Squadron of the 460th Bomb Group on January 18, 1944.  It was a B-24 H-15 built by Ford.  On April 13, 1944, this aircraft was being flown by Minton A. Prideaux and his crew on mission #8 of the 460th BG.  The target was the Duna Repulogepgiar Aircraft Plant, Budapest, Hungary.

Pilot Prideaux, Minton A. 2nd Lt. 0-682896
Co-Pilot Guraedy, James F/O T-120425
Navigator Steck, Laurence S. 2nd Lt. 0-461934
Bombardier Lisanti, Vincent G. F/O T-122629
Engineer Schleger, Arthur T/Sgt. 32510095
Radio Operator Walker, Hardy J. T/Sgt. 12190914
Assist Engineer Johnson, Samuel R. S/Sgt. 17166293
Assist Radio Operator Conner, Harry W. S/Sgt. 39849554
Armorer/Gunner Natoli, Fred J. S/Sgt. 32390075
Assist Armorer/Gunner Dotson, James W. S/Sgt. 15017636

 After hitting the target, the aircraft began losing altitude due to a feathered #1 engine.  It was attacked by two ME-410s and was lost.  MACR #4035 described the loss of this aircraft.

MACR #4035

The aircraft finally came to rest near the town of Ratkovo, Serbia that was part of Hungary during WWII.  The Hungarian Air Force disassembled the aircraft.  Anton Erhardt (1922-2012) was an aircraft mechanic serving in the Hungarian Air Force at the time of the crash.  He managed to get a few photos of the crash site.  His son, Mike Erhardt, has been nice enough to contact me and share these photos for the website.

42-52380

Courtesy of Mike Erhardt

The serial number of the plane is visible on the tail.

42-52380

Courtesy of Mike Erhardt

View of work being done on the plane.

42-52380

Courtesy of Mike Erhardt

Men working on disassembling the plane.

42-52380

Courtesy of Mike Erhardt

Men working on disassembling the plane.

42-52380

Courtesy of Mike Erhardt

Items in the photo that helped to identify the plane as 42-52380, Annabelle.

42-52380

Courtesy of Mike Erhardt

Anton Erhardt standing at the far left in this photo.

Vincent G. Lisanti Interview