Armstrong Whitworth Whitley....

[Lucky13]

On the night of the 20/21 October 1940, a Whitley took off from Linton-on-Ouse, but was shot down by a German intruder, Karl Hulshoff of I/NJG 2...
The target was the Škoda Works in Pilsen, Czechoslovakia..
What I'm wondering is, as with some targets in Italy, Turin to mention just one, with the Whitley, which route would they have considered safest and shortest?

 

[Civettone]

The shortest would have taken them over Paris. I guess the safer would be to head south over Vichy territory, then straight eastwards. But that might stretch the range too much.


Kris

 

[Lucky13]

Cheers Kris,

I also see that later on, 1941, Wellingtons were sent to targets in Italy....

Must have been at their maximum range, on targets like these, those Whitleys and Wellingtons...

 

[Lucky13]

On the night of 26/27 September 1941, a Wellington piloted by Sergeant Musalek of 311 (Polish) Squadron, reached and bombed Genoa, alone....

 

[nuuumannn]

Hi Lucky13, in an attempt to answer your question, Whitleys of Nos, 10, 51, 58, 77 and 102 Sqns were engaged in attacking targets in Genoa and Turin in mid 1940, the first of which was made on 11 June. These aircraft flew south from the UK to the Channel Islands, where they refuelled, then headed inland and flew over the Alps. At the time the raids were regarded as considerable feats of endurance. The Whitley V had a range of around 1,650 miles with a 3,000 lb bomb load; the V was powered by two 1,010 hp Merlin Xs. I hope this helps.

There's a thread elsewhere here where a chappie had some propaganda leaflets from one of these raids and wanted information about a particular aircraft that was shot down.

 

[Lucky13]

Cheers for that info mate!