WWII video of Marauder losing an engine in flight

[maxum96]

I've never seen this film clip before

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysQqi0-6His&feature=related

[John Dupre]

There is a well known still photo of a Marauder having an engine shot off. You can see that the prop is still turning even as the complete powerplant assemby with cowlings has fallen about 15 feet below the aircraft. That shot shows a right side engine though so it cannot be the same plane in the video.

[Chappie]

Holy cow, that's a terrifying clip.


Chappie

[p51]

People have been seeing these clips for so long on documentaries, it's desensitized them from the horrors of the fact that everyone in the plane died in extreme pain or terror, probably both.
I talked with a B-24 pilot once and he told of his best friend in the next plane over in formation when the wing exploded and it rolled right over like this B-26 in the clip does. He swore he was talking to him at the time and heard him screaming all the way down and that haunted his dreams ever since 1944.

[Steve Nelson]

I was talking to a B-17 radioman once (interviewing him for a radio news report, actually) and asked what his most vivid memory was. He said watching his best friend's plane explode right next to him on Christmas Day, 1944.

SN