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Summary

The approximate location of the crash site of aircraft 32014/G, a Second World War American Consolidated PB4Y-1 Liberator bomber, which crashed in the vicinity of Steeperton Tor on 3rd December 1943. The aircraft was a US Navy adaption of the B24 Liberator. It belonged to unit VB-103, a US Navy fixed wing bomber squadron. It was on a training flight from Dunkeswell when it crashed. In the late 1990s there were reportedly still some small fragments of aircraft wreckage on site, although most of the wreckage had been cleared by that time. Please note that a licence to excavate or recover remains must first be obtained from the Ministry of Defence before any such investigations may be undertaken. Please also note that the site is in a danger area as the vicinity of the Tor is an artillery range.
Status: Not specified.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX68NW129
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1437767

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• AIRCRAFT CRASH SITE (World War II - 1943 AD (Between) to 1943 AD (Between))
• BOMBER (World War II - 1943 AD (Between) to 1943 AD (Between))
• CONSOLIDATED (World War II - 1943 AD (Between) to 1943 AD (Between))

Full description

Smith, D. J., 1997, High Ground Wrecks and Relics; Aircraft Hulks on the Hills and Mountains of the UK and Ireland, 81 (Monograph). SDV352713.

Source notes the approximate location of the crash site of aircraft 32014/G, a Consolidated PB4Y-1 Liberator, which crashed in the vicinity of Steeperton Tor (map reference 6289 on Landranger map 191). The aircraft crashed on 03-DEC-1943. It belonged to unit VB-103; It was on a training flight from Dunkeswell when it crashed. When source 1 was published in 1997, there were reportedly still some small fragments of aircraft wreckage on site, although most of the wreckage had been cleared by that time.

Rendell, P., 2000, Crashed aircraft on Dartmoor (Article in Serial). SDV352716.

English Heritage, 2002, Military Aircraft Crash Sites. Archaeological guidance on their significance and future management, 2-6 (Pamphlet). SDV352715.

Crash sites have significance for remembrance, commemoration, their cultural value as historic artefacts and the information they contain about both of the circumstances of the loss and of the aircraft itself. Crash sites may on occasion also contain human remains, giving them additional value and status as sacred sites and war graves.
Should wreckage be located, please note that a licence to excavate or recover remains from a military aircraft crash site must be first obtained from the Ministry of Defence, before any such investigations may be undertaken.

Ministry of Defence + Defence Estates, 2009, The Military and Dartmoor. Information for Walkers and Riders, Okehampton (Pamphlet). SDV352710.

About 45 aircraft have crashed onto Dartmoor, most during the Second World War. Amongst them was a Liberator that crashed into Slipper Stones in December 1943.

VP Navy, 2013, US Navy Patrol Squadrons (Website). SDV352714.

The letters 'VB' before the unit number denotes a US Navy bombing squadron (known before 1942 as 'VP').

Sandles, T., 2014-2019, Legendary Dartmoor, Accessed 12/09/2014 (Website). SDV356498.

Steeperton Tor - 03.12.1943. A Consolidated Liberator crashed whilst on a training flight from Royal Air Force Dunkeswell. The Royal Air Force Salvage Unit recovered the plane in a nine day winter operation.
(Based on Rendell, 2000).

Historic England, 2021-2022, NRHE to HER website, Accessed 22/03/2022 (Website). SDV364039.

The PB4Y-1 was an American Navy version of the B-24 Liberator bomber, and was used for patrol-bombing (citing Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War 11, 2001, pg 215).
The letters "VB" before the unit number denotes a US Navy fixed-wing bomber squadron (Bluejacket.com, 2006: Blue Jacket: WWII Naval Aircraft Squadron Designations <<http://www.bluejacket.com).

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8679 - Okehampton Range: Management Survey
• EDV8291 - Okehampton Range: Monument Baseline Condition Survey
• EDV8695 - Survey of Okehampton North Dartmoor Military Range
• EDV7620 - Okehampton Artillary Range

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