6 Group Unavailable
168 Heavy Transport Squadron RCAF Rockcliffe. B-17 Flying Fortress aircraft 9207 took off from Prestwick, Scotland on the first leg of a trans-Atlantic mail flight to RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ottawa, Ontario. The aircraft climbed steeply under full engine power, stalled, dropped the port wing and spun in, bursting into flames. All 5 members of the crew were killed. It was suspected that the mail, and possibly other cargo, shifted aft during the takeoff causing the aircraft to stall and crash. The aircraft was apparently heavier than normal and strapping to stop the cargo from shifting in flight had not yet been installed
Flying Officer N C Cathcart (USA)(RCAF), Flying Officer G T Gaunt (RCAF), Flying Officer H C McFadden (RCAF), Flying Officer J D Shanahan (RCAF) and Corporal E I Lavergne (RCAF) were all killed in action
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