MILLOM residents have helped to solve a wartime aircraft crash riddle.

Military historian Paul Allonby was asked by an American aviation heritage group to look into the mystery of two aircrafts which appeared to have the same serial number - B-17G 42-39913.

It was believed to have either been destroyed in a 1943 crash near RAF Millom, or flew missions until 1945 with the 8AAF.

Mr Allonby said he had "helped greatly" by a Peter Finn, a man who had seen an appeal in the newspaper.

Mr Finn said: "42-39913, crashed on 23 November 1943. The aircraft was one of five which left the US to be delivered to the UK.

"’913 made an approach to RAF Haverigg approximately three miles west of the town of Millom.

"The aircraft, flying in a North to South direction was seen flying very low over Millom where it did a sharp bank, just missing the Chimneys of the Steel Works. There was low cloud at the time and those on the ground heard a loud explosion shortly after.

"The aircraft had crashed into High Lowscales, a low hill two miles north-west of Millom. The aircraft had exploded, spreading wreckage over a large area."

The crew of two Lt P.J O'Sullivan and Flight-Officer R.L. Garkie were killed in the accident.

Mr Finn searched the area to see if any wreckage remained, but initially was not able to find anything. However, he later found the site when searching just north east of High Lowscales farm.

He said: "I found, on the surface, a small pile of corroded alloy. I did a more detailed metal detector survey of the area and found many fragments, mostly molten metal. Although no confirmation of the B17. With what we know, it is no doubt that the fragments are from the B17."

Another of the many residents to provide information was Joe Gabbert, who told Mr Allonby that his grandad and his friends were some of the first on the scene. He said: “They saw it coming down and so set off after it and got there not long after it crashed. They were around about 13-years-old at the time.’’

Despite extensive inquiries, the cause of the crash remained undefined. As for the other aircraft, the misreporting of the serial number was down to a clerical error, now corrected on the American Air Museum database at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford.