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Contact Info
Home Town Deer Park, Maryland
Last Address Camp Davis, North Carolina
Date of Passing Mar 27, 1944
Location of Interment South Side Cemetery - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
During basic training in Houston, she lost her two front teeth after running into Margaret Cook during a baseball game. Initially, Frances reported to Love Field, Dallas, Texas. Later she was transferred to Camp Davis, N.C. She lost her life in an A-24 Dive Bomber shortly after take off near Otis Field, Massachusetts.
Frances was born in Deer Park, Maryland, but grew up with her two sisters in West Virginia. She was quite an athlete. She received the Governor's Award as West Virginia's outstanding athlete. She excelled at both tennis and golf. She later became a CPT instructor and member of the CAP before joining the WASP.
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FRANCES FORTUNE GRIMES
Class: 43-W-3
Born: Deer Park, Maryland
Graduate: High school,
West Virginia,
West Virginia University University of Pittsburgh
Frances entered WASP flight training at Houston Municipal Airport, Houston, Texas on January 15, 1943 and graduated at Avenger Field, Sweetwater, Texas, July 3, 1943.
Her active duty assignment was to the 5th FG/ATC at Love Field, Dallas, Texas.
She was killed shortly after take-off from Otis Field, Massachusetts in an A-24 attack bomber on March 27, 1944.
1944-1944, A-24 Banshee
From Year 1944
To Year 1944
Personal Memories
Not Specified
Image
A-24 Banshee Details
Aircraft/Missile Information
The U.S. Army had its own version of the SBD, known as the A-24 Banshee, which lacked the tail hook used for carrier landings, and a pneumatic tire replaced the solid tail wheel. First assigned to the 27th Bombardment Group (Light) at Hunter Field, Ga., A-24s participated in the Louisiana maneuvers during September 1941. There were three versions of the Banshee (A-24, the A-24A and A-24B) used by the Army in the early stages of the war.[1]The USAAF used 948 of the 5,937 Dauntlesses built.
General characteristics
* Crew: Two * Length: 33 ft 1 in (10.08 m) * Wingspan: 41 ft 6 in (12.65 m) * Height: 13 ft 7 in (4.14 m) * Wing area: 325 ft� (30.19 m�) * Empty weight: 6,404 lb (2,905 kg) * Loaded weight: 10,676 lb (4,843 kg) * Max takeoff weight: 10,700 lb (4,853 kg) * Powerplant: 1� Wright R-1820-60 radial engine, 1,200 hp (895 kW)
Performance
* Maximum speed: 255 mph (410.38 km/h) * Range: 773 mi (1243.8 km) * Service ceiling 25,530 ft (7,780 m) * Rate of climb: 1,700 ft/min (8.6 m/s) * Wing loading: 32.8 lb/ft� (160.4 kg/m�) * Power/mass: 0.11 hp/lb (0.18 kW/kg)
Armament
* 2x 0.50 in (12.7 mm) forward-firing machine guns in engine cowling * 1x 0.30 cal (7.62 mm) flexible-mounted machine guns in rear (later versions fitted with 2x machine guns of the same caliber) * 2,250 lb (1,020 kg) of bombs
