Lancaster PB538

[mattharriseasyflyers]

Hi!
Im looking for some information on Avro Lancaster PB538. I am an avid R/C model designer, builder and pilot who has built many planes. Hawker Hunter, Seafire (with working contra rotationg props), 7ft Avro Vulcan and of course... 7ft Avro Lancaster.
This is acually my third one ive built! But this one is the best flying and most successful so far (pictures below). She will once again be painted up as Lancaster PB538 flown by Captain Edwin Swales from RAF Little Staughton.
Its a memorial to the aircraft and Captain Swales on the faitful night of 23/24th February 1945 when neither returned from a raid on Pforzheim. I would like to know the crash location of the ill-fated aircraft in France. If any one has any information on the location this would be much appreciated.
I would like to visit the site and Captain Swales grave to pay my respects, as well as hopefully one day, with permission, fly my Lancaster at what remains of RAF Little Staughton and most importantly land my aircraft, feeling i have completed the mission for myself and this project, but for Captain Swales and his aircraft.
Hopefully putting somesort of easy on his spirit.

 

[SaparotRob]

Welcome home.

 

[mjfur]

Lancaster PB538 [Royal Air Force Aircraft Serial and Image Database]

This is a individual page for Aircraft Lancaster PB538 of the Royal Air Force. You may find some details of its career, loss details, maybe a photograph, and whatever mention of the serial that occurs in the forum. At the very least you will end up knowing what type of aircraft carried this...

www.rafcommands.com

Accident Avro Lancaster Mk III PB538, 24 Feb 1945

Mission to Pforzheim. Took off from RAF Little Staughton at 1636 hrs as Master Bomber. Sustained very severe damage over the target area at the hands of night-fighters. Exercising skilful...

aviation-safety.net

23/24.02.1945 582 Squadron Lancaster III PB538 Capt. Edwin 'Ted’ Swales VC, DFC, RAF Little Staughton, England, Pforzheim, Germany

Personal history of Allied forces aircrew and support services serving 1935 - 1945 including original research.

aircrewremembered.com

 

[Spitfire Steve]

Hi!
Im looking for some information on Avro Lancaster PB538. I am an avid R/C model designer, builder and pilot who has built many planes. Hawker Hunter, Seafire (with working contra rotationg props), 7ft Avro Vulcan and of course... 7ft Avro Lancaster.
This is acually my third one ive built! But this one is the best flying and most successful so far (pictures below). She will once again be painted up as Lancaster PB538 flown by Captain Edwin Swales from RAF Little Staughton.
Its a memorial to the aircraft and Captain Swales on the faitful night of 23/24th February 1945 when neither returned from a raid on Pforzheim. I would like to know the crash location of the ill-fated aircraft in France. If any one has any information on the location this would be much appreciated.
I would like to visit the site and Captain Swales grave to pay my respects, as well as hopefully one day, with permission, fly my Lancaster at what remains of RAF Little Staughton and most importantly land my aircraft, feeling i have completed the mission for myself and this project, but for Captain Swales and his aircraft.
Hopefully putting somesort of easy on his spirit.

 

[Spitfire Steve]

Hi Matt,
All I can find is that it was a 582 Sqn plane, the Sqn code was on the Lanc was 60-M. Listing only as Abandoned in the air 23/24th Feb 45. So I imagine the crew bailed out. No crash site is recorded as far as I can see. Not much help I'm afraid.

 

[AL90]

Bit more detail here:

Accident Avro Lancaster Mk III PB538, Saturday 24 February 1945

Mission to Pforzheim. Took off from RAF Little Staughton at 1636 hrs as Master Bomber. Sustained very severe damage over the target area at the hands of night-fighters. Exercising skilful...

aviation-safety.net

Also checked:

Form 1180 February 1945 – Bomber Command History

www.lancasterbombers.net

But no Form 1180 was prepared for that day/aircraft
Next place to check would be the 582sqb records at the National archives, they will probaly be free to download
Usualy a Rolls Royce data plate would be attached as per the attached example from a Hurricane we recoverd in Scotland.

 

[33k in the air]

You can view the Form 78 Aircraft Movement Card for PB538 here.

1944-09-02 = taken on charge by 32 Maintenance Unit
1944-09-17 = taken on charge by 635 Squadron
1944-09-23 = taken on charge by 582 Squadron
1944-12-03 = taken on charge by 54 Maintenance Unit
1944-12-22 = taken on charge by 582 Squadron
1945-02-24 = listed as missing
1945-03-08 = struck off charge

 

[JDCAVE]

Dad was on this operation and as with others, I have an essay on it. Dad said it was an especially frightening operation, because of the clear conditions and snow on the ground. This is the Combat Report for the Swales Crew:

The details of the flight of this aircraft after the fighter attack is recorded in the 582 Squadron ORB appendices "AIR-27-2053". Also available in AIR-27-2053 is the Synopsis for the flight of PB.538. I have transcripted this record here, (all errors are mine).

The turning points of PB.538 are recorded in the synopsis, and I have put the route up in yellow together with the plots of the prescribed route by Bomber Command:

February 23-24, 1945 Target Pforzheim - Google My Maps

February 23-24, 1945 Target Pforzheim

www.google.com

Jim

 

[JDCAVE]

I started a thread on RAFComands Forum on the route taken by Swales, here:

Pforzheim. February 23, 1945. Route of Swales Crew after combat at Target. - RAFCommands Forums

The RAFCommands General Category forum is the main area where questions may be asked about specific research topics. Please take your time to review the other categories as well. The forum is home to the Unaccounted Airmen series threads started by the late Henk Welting - which will continue...

www.rafcommands.com

See especially, Joss LeClercq's reply, post #5

Swales is buried in the Leopoldsburg War Cemetery:

Major Edwin Swales | War Casualty Details 2110052 | CWGC

Major Edwin Swales | War Casualty Details | CWGC

www.cwgc.org

Jim