Over Exposed on Higher Shelf Stones - Glossop

Over Exposed

Glossop is well known for the vast amount of plane wrecks that litter our surrounding moorland. It attracts many walkers, climbers’ historians and explorers from around the globe.  The subject has lured many photographers and film crews over the years and they have become the centre of legends.

There are over 50 wrecks in our area and every single one of them has their own story to tell. The most famous of them is the Boeing B29 Superfortress, “Over Exposed”, on Higher Shelf Stones.

The Superfortress was not a standard B29 heavy bomber; she was actually an RB-29, the photographic reconnaissance variant of the aircraft. Soon after the end of the war it became imperative for the western powers to monitor the build-up and deployment of Soviet troops. So photo missions were flown from the UK right up until the end of the Cold War. "Over Exposed" was one of three RB-29s which were tasked to assist with the deploying of the "Able" atomic bomb.

Results at Bikini Atoll

On July 1st 1946, B29 Superfortress "Dave's Dream", accompanied by "Over Exposed", took off from Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands to take part in Operation Crossroads - the Atomic Bomb tests at Bikini Atoll. The B29 was to drop an atomic bomb which was to explode over Bikini Atoll Lagoon. It was then the job of "Over Exposed” and its 25 cameras to photograph 'Dave's Dream', the bomb being released and then to return a few days later, to record results.  The results were truly devastating although they evacuated everyone from the nearby island they sunk three destroyers and two aircraft carriers of their own. 

The Superfortress “Over Exposed” crashed on the 3^rd November 1948, killing all thirteen crew members. Apart from the crew the aircraft was carrying sacks of mail homeward bound to the USA, and a payroll of £7,000 for the staff at Burtonwood.

Sixty four years on, many of the major structural parts remain such as the undercarriage struts, pulley wheels for internal control cables, and even large sections of the fuselage, have survived the ravishes of the Bleaklow weather. The most instantly recognisable parts of the aeroplane are the four 18 cylinder Wright R-3350-23 engines, which are in a remarkable state of preservation.

One of the Wright R-3350-23 engines

A few years ago a gun turret from the RB-29 was found in near perfect condition. It was believed that it had been preserved near a river and was dislodged by recent flooding. It was brought off the moorland by some of the Glossop Mountain Rescue Team and put on display at the Glossop Heritage Centre for the 60^th Anniversary of the crash. 


 By Matthew Cox

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Icelandic Airline Crash 1951 - Crow Stones Edge on Howden Moors

Icelandic Airline Crash 1951

The Airspeed Consul TF-RPM of Icelandic Airline crashed 12th April 1951at Crow Stones Edge on Howden Moors.

The aircraft had begun life as an Oxford in 1942 and was used by the RAF and was used for training purposes. The aircraft manufacturer re-purchased the Oxford and converted it for civilian use by adding windows and passenger seats. The Consul was purchased by an Icelandic airline and was on its delivery flight from Croydon piloted by Pall Magnusson aged twenty six, and acting as the wireless operator was an Englishman, Alexander Watson aged forty two and a passenger another Icelander Johann Rist aged thirty five.

The Oxford before being converted to a passenger plane

It is thought that the pilot decided to fly visual rather than on instruments, despite a poor weather forecast and high wind speeds.

A lone walker, Ronald Yates of Sheffield discovered the wreckage and the bodies of the crew a few days later. They were probably killed instantly.

One of the engines at the site of the crash at  Crow Stones Edge on Howden Moors

Aviation Accident Investigation Branch found there was no mechanical fault with the aircraft and concluded that the aircraft had met the ground at full power. The investigation team believed the pilot got caught in the cloud and climbed to avoid high ground but with head winds of seventy miles an hour slowing his progress he must have miscalculated his position and when he descended through the cloud to establish visual, he flew straight into the ground.

A part of the crash site was excavated a few years ago which discovered the main frame of the aircraft along with one of the engines.

By M. Cox

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