RCAF History.....the big bang

[tail end charlie]

Just checking a site about the RCAF 434 vsquadron and came across this, the rest of the site is good too

434 Squadron - Airfield Activity - Lancaster explosion, KB-832, WL-F (1st of two images)

the following page shows merlins in flight. That is the engines blown completely of the airplane and almost off the edge of the photo.

http://www.rcaf434squadron.com/tholthorpe-croft-photos/tholthorpe-croft-airfield-activity/1177200

 

[Milosh]

"Serial Range KB700 - KB999 This aircraft was one of 300 Lancaster Mk.Xs ordered from Victory Aircraft of Canada and delivered from Sep43 to Mar45 for ferrying to the UK. Up to KB774 were initially fitted with Merlin 38 engines and all subsequent models with Merlin 224 engines. KB832 was delivered to No.419 Sqdn Dec44, joining No.434 Sqdn 10 Jan45. Undertook no Key Operations with No.419 Sqdn. With No.434 Sqdn as WL-F, Zeitz 16/17 Jan 45; Chemnitz 15/16 Mar 45; Essen 11 Mar 45- daylight; Hagen 15/16 Mar 45; Hildesheim 22 Mar 45-crashed on t/o.

Attempted a take-off at 1055 from Croft to bomb the railway yards, but was caught by a gusty cross-wind which took the Lancaster onto the grass. F/O Payne tried to bring the aicraft back onto the runway but over-corrected. He then closed the throttles, but was unable to avoid racing across the airfield, whereupon a tyre burst and before coming to a halt near East Vince Moor Farm, a collision occurred involving No.431 Sqdn Lancaster KB811 (SE-T). Within moments of stopping, a fire started in the port inner engine and this spread rapidly. The crew managed to get clear and a general evacuation order was broadcast. At 1127 the bomb-load exploded, the force of the blast removing the roof of the farmhouse and setting light to hay and nearby buildings. Remarkably, no one was injured but it was late afternoon before the aerodrome was declared fit for operations.

 

[tail end charlie]

"Serial Range KB700 - KB999 This aircraft was one of 300 Lancaster Mk.Xs ordered from Victory Aircraft of Canada and delivered from Sep43 to Mar45 for ferrying to the UK. Up to KB774 were initially fitted with Merlin 38 engines and all subsequent models with Merlin 224 engines. KB832 was delivered to No.419 Sqdn Dec44, joining No.434 Sqdn 10 Jan45. Undertook no Key Operations with No.419 Sqdn. With No.434 Sqdn as WL-F, Zeitz 16/17 Jan 45; Chemnitz 15/16 Mar 45; Essen 11 Mar 45- daylight; Hagen 15/16 Mar 45; Hildesheim 22 Mar 45-crashed on t/o.

Attempted a take-off at 1055 from Croft to bomb the railway yards, but was caught by a gusty cross-wind which took the Lancaster onto the grass. F/O Payne tried to bring the aicraft back onto the runway but over-corrected. He then closed the throttles, but was unable to avoid racing across the airfield, whereupon a tyre burst and before coming to a halt near East Vince Moor Farm, a collision occurred involving No.431 Sqdn Lancaster KB811 (SE-T). Within moments of stopping, a fire started in the port inner engine and this spread rapidly. The crew managed to get clear and a general evacuation order was broadcast. At 1127 the bomb-load exploded, the force of the blast removing the roof of the farmhouse and setting light to hay and nearby buildings. Remarkably, no one was injured but it was late afternoon before the aerodrome was declared fit for operations.

That must have made a hole I wonder if its still there? Its a great pic though.

Snetterton race circuit was a USAAF airfield and has a curve called the bomb hole, I could never find out whether it was a real bomb hole or just a nickname.