Down In Flames

[buffnut453]

Blenheim V6034 (YH-D) of 21 Sqn engaged on shipping strike on 16 June 1941 flown by Flt Sgt Leavers with Sgt Overheu and Sgt Joseph Phelps as crew. They took off at 1319 from their base at RAF Watton in Norfolk. Their operation was codenamed Beat17.

Three Blenheim bombers of 21 Sqn engaged a German patrol vessel near the Island of Borkum. This dramatic picture was taken during the attack on the ship by the third (and last) Blenheim. On the horizon you see the first Blenheim. On the left is the Flight Sergeant Leavers's Blenheim after it just bombed the ship.

It either hit the ship's mast or was hit by debris from the ship, which tore off a piece of the right wing. The Blenheim rolls over to the right to crash into the sea, just moments after this picture was taken. Flt Sgt Leavers is buried at Den Andel Protestant Cemetery. Sgt Phelps also washed ashore and is buried in Sage War Cemetery in Germany.

Sgt Overheu is still missing.

 

[stug3]

379th BG

 

[Njaco]

 

[Capt. Vick]

Goodness gracious. I hope it was quick.

 

[fubar57]

Nice but very sad. Any story behind the S-2 Tracker, Chris?



Geo

 

[Njaco]

Not that I know of.

 

[Wayne Little]

Agree with you there George...good yet sad too...

 

[GrauGeist]

Nice but very sad. Any story behind the S-2 Tracker, Chris?


Geo

I've seen this and one other photo of this particular S-2...the photos were taken from a carrier. I don't recall the date pr other details, but this S-2 had an engine failure and tried to make it back to the carrier. He was waved off and ditched nearby...I believe there was 5 aboard and all came through ok.

 

[fubar57]

Thanks Dave, can totally understand the wave off.



Geo

 

[Gnomey]

Good stuff but some harrowing ones all the same.

 

[Airframes]

Lockheed Ventura AE910 of 21 Sqn, RAF, on 22 June 1943.
Hit by flak just north east of Abbeville-Drucat, the Ventura plunges down in flames, carrying to their deaths W/Cdr R.H.S. King, CO 21 Sqn,, P/O Henry Gattiker, F/Sgt. J. Koller, P/O Kinglake, and the Station Commander of RAF Swanton Morley for just two weeks, Gp. Cpt W.L. Spendlove, DSO.
Also on board was Fiddle, W/Cdr King's faithful bull terrier, who flew on every operation with him.

 

[parsifal]

March 1970 Burned out remains of RAAF De Havilland Caribou transport aircraft A4-193 in a metal mesh parking area adjacent to the base fuel dump. On 29 March, the 35 Squadron RAAF aircraft had just landed with its load of drums of helicopter fuel when it came under very accurate enemy mortar fire. The port wing suffered a direct hit and the rear fuselage was riddled with shrapnel. Fortunately none of the crew of four were seriously injured and managed to escape to the safety of a nearby bunker. In the early hours of the next morning the enemy attacked the airfield again and further mortar rounds set the aircraft on fire completing its destruction. Burnt out fuel drums litter the site and a US Chinook helicopter is hovering in the rear.

Both Tracker squadrons, VS816 and VC851, suffered major setbacks on 4 December 1976 when most of their aircraft were destroyed in a hangar fire at NAS Nowra. At around midnight that evening, 'H' hangar was engulfed in flames and all but three of the RAN's Tracker fleet were lost. One of these was at the Hawker de Havilland workshops in Bankstown at the time, undergoing inspection.

Around 100 RAN personnel and local Nowra fire fighters risked their lives battling the flames while trying to drag aircraft from the burning building. The Trackers' fuel tanks were fully loaded with volatile aviation fuel to avoid water contamination from condensation forming in the fuel tanks over the Christmas period. In spite of the inherent danger, personnel ran into the building and climbed into the cockpits of the aircraft to release the brakes and tow them clear of the hangar while the planes themselves were ablaze, in some cases, using their own cars to do so. They managed to pull five of the twelve aircraft in the hangar clear; two of them were repaired and returned to service. Their courageous actions drew high praise from the Minister for Defence, Mr Jim Killen,

The remains of a Tracker following the NAS Nowra hangar fire in December 1976.

 

[Airframes]

Those guys should have received more than just 'high praise'.

 

[parsifal]

Footage of two RAAF Beaforts lost in a training accident, 1943 i think

All eight crew members were killed when both aircraft hit the water: Crew of A9-27 F/O Raymond Sydney Green (Pilot), F/O Maurice Francis Hoban, F/Sgt Eric William Sweetnam, Sgt Albert John Bailey. Crew of A9-268 F/Lt David George Dey (Pilot), P/O Jack Norman, P/O Rex Lindsay Solomon, Sgt Hugh Sydney George Richardson."


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfuUvfxWrWM

 

[Capt. Vick]

Bummer

 

[MiTasol]

I've seen this and one other photo of this particular S-2...the photos were taken from a carrier. I don't recall the date pr other details, but this S-2 had an engine failure and tried to make it back to the carrier. He was waved off and ditched nearby...I believe there was 5 aboard and all came through ok.

Given that the fire is all in the rear of the nacelle where flares and sonobouys are carried the engine may have been shut down as an SOP item (to reduce the airflow over the fire because the airflow behind an operating prop is faster than the aircraft's speed thru the air)

 

[Gnomey]

Some harrowing shots guys, thanks for sharing them.

 

[Wayne Little]

agreed.....

 

[vikingBerserker]

Dang....