identify Wellington Bomber Holland
 

Hi All,

Who can help identify this Wellington Bomber which crashed somewhere in Holland.
look at the factory on the right side "Ijsel"

On thew back is written Wellington am IJsselmeer.

Thanks in advance,

Michel

Re: identify Wellington Bomber Holland
 

Hello,
The weapons are still in the turret, the Luftwaffe "Guard?" I expect is there because of this.
There is a picture of I believe to be the same a/c with weapons removed in the SGLO Research site.
Another picture which shows an a/c of 9 Sqdn "L o WS" partially burnt could be this one stripped of skin and in a scrap area ?
Then again it may be another a/c as yet still unidentified.
The SGLO have three known Islemere Wellingtons listed.
N2844 - HA-M.
R1322 - SM-F.
Z1663 - KO-J
Alex

Re: identify Wellington Bomber Holland
 

Hello,

The photo depicts No.99 Sqn Wellington IC R3170, which was lost on 5/6-7-1940 raiding Kiel. The aircraft was hit by flak and crashed near Haarlem (Noord Holland).

P/O (Pilot) R A G Willis - PoW
P/O (2nd Pilot) J W P Perkins - PoW
Sgt (Nav.) K A R MacArthur - PoW
Sgt (W.Op./Air Gnr.) G F Scanlon - PoW
Sgt (Rear Gnr.) G F Sexton - +

You will find another photo of the wreck in:

Wimpy:A Detailed Illustrated History of the Vickers Wellington in Service 1938-1953.
Bond,Steve.
London:Grub Street,2014.
p.45

and...

The story which unfolds is attributed to Mr Aad Neeven, a Dutch War Historian and a member of the Historical Society of Haarlem, Holland.

Willis and his crew decided that on their return journey to the United Kingdom they would drop their bombs on Schiphol (Amsterdam) airport. All but two of the bombs were dropped, but missed the airport. On crossing the Dutch coast Willis decided to make one more attack and chose the main hangar as a target. A descent was made to 1,000 feet and bombs were released. Whilst this was happening the aircraft was hit and damaged by anti-aircraft fire, the co-pilot, Pilot Officer J. W. P. Parkins[sic], being injured and the port engine set on fire. The aircaft rapidly lost altitude and drifted towards the town of Haarlem. On the eastern side of the town a wheels-up landing was made at 0340 am resulting in the aircraft slicing its way through fields, across a ditch and over a road. It finally came to rest on crashing into a row of seven houses which, along with the Wellington, instantly erupted in flames. Some of the houses were unoccupied and the occupants of the remainder, having been alerted by the anti-aircraft fire, managed to escape before the impact. The Wellington and all the houses were destroyed.

See:
Each Tenacious:A History of No.99 (Madras Presidency) Squadron (1917 - 1976)
Edgerley, A G (Sqn.Ldr.).
Worcester:Square One Publications,1993
pp.74-5.

see also: BCL1(2nd.ed.)/162-3.

and... http://verliesregister.studiegroeplu...php?SGLO=T0743

Col.

Re: identify Wellington Bomber Holland
 

Col,
Many thanks for the info, I know Aad, and will send him a email,

you the best..


Michel

Re: identify Wellington Bomber Holland
 

Hello,
Here is a link to the photo I mentioned in my earlier post

http://www.studiegroepluchtoorlog.nl...mation-wanted/

Alex

Re: identify Wellington Bomber Holland
 

Alex, thanks for the link,

I have another Wellington which crash-landed, can you also help identify this plane?

Thanks

Michel

Re: identify Wellington Bomber Holland
 

Hello,

Possibility:

Code looks like OT or QT, indicating No.142 Squadron. Looks like port propellor feathered, or not turning, when crash-landed.

12/13 August, 1941
No.142 Sqn.
Wellington II W5433:QT-?
Op: Berlin.

Took off 2046 Binbrook. Last heard on w/t indicating the port engine had failed and the Wellington was being abandoned.

F/L A D Gosman - PoW
F/O J R Gibbon - PoW
F/L R McD Durham - PoW
Sgt L Frith - PoW
Sgt K S Holman - PoW
Sgt J Jackson RNZAF - PoW

See:BCL2/116

Col.

Re: identify Wellington Bomber Holland
 

Hello Col,
I'm not sure you have the right one this time.
Look's to me like the Starboard(right) engine had been feathered and she came down on the Port(left) still running.
Happy Easter
Alex

Re: identify Wellington Bomber Holland
 

Alec,

Noted!

Col.

Re: identify Wellington Bomber Holland
 

Hello,
Look's like the serial number begins with either a "T" or "W" and at least a 2 and a 4 in the number's.
The roundel and fin flash should also give a time period .
At a glance the code is "OT" but could also be "QT" .
Bomber Development Unit was it seems "OT" but would any of their a/c be over enemy territory ?
Then depending on the "odd/even" camouflage pattern did a/c carry the code differently ?
I.e 115 Sqdn "KO - T" could perhaps also be "K- OT" ?

Alex

Re: identify Wellington Bomber Holland
 

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the info, well I have the watermark removed and you can see behind the astro couple a little antenne ?
I found only one picture with the same little antenne ?
Is this a special specification ?

Michel

Re: identify Wellington Bomber Holland
 

Hello,

It is a VHF whip aerial for communicating with fighters.

https://ww2apa.files.wordpress.com/2...gtonbomber.jpg

Wellington IA N2887 "5", CGS, Sutton Bridge.

For description, see:

Wellington Special
Lumsden,Alec
London:Ian Allan,1974.
p.59

Col.

Re: identify Wellington Bomber Holland
 

Hello,
If we for now dismiss the idea of it being a BDU aircraft and return to 142 Squadron losses we have the following possibilities.
1941
W5433 - II - QT - , 12/13-8-41 - all crew pow.[ Col, I just wonder if at the time of this loss the message received was misinterpreted ? Could it have been that one engine was out and they were proceeding with the port engine ? Is it possible that the picture is printed in reverse in which case we are viewing the right hand side as being the left ? ].
Z1211 - IV - QT - , 7/8-11-41 - 5 pow, 1 kia.
1942
Z1203 - IV - QT-O - 28/29-3-42 - all pow.
Z1319 - IV - QT-W - 26/27-7-42 - 3 pow, 2 kia.
Z1266 - IV - QT-M - 27/28-8-42 - 4 pow, 1 kia.
Z1338 - IV - QT-D - 27/28-8-42 - 1 pow, 4 kia.
DF550 - III - QT-N - 16/17-9-42 - 2 pow, 3 Evd.
BK278 - III - QT-C - 16/17-11-42 - all pow(1 Great Escaper).
BK536 -III - QT-C - 20/21-11-42 - 4 pow, 1 Evd.
Sadly almost all the other aircraft were lost with their complete crews.

Alex

Re: identify Wellington Bomber Holland
 

Hello all,

Skip Z1203 as possibility. That a/c was abandoned by the crew in the air and subsequently crashed in a canal.

Regards,
Hans

Re: identify Wellington Bomber Holland
 

Alex,

Michel's photo depicts a Wellington Mk.III. Note the windscreen wipers, the de-icer gear, the location of the exhausts, indicating Hercules engines, the Rotol (wooden) props, plus the C1 roundel on the fuselage, dating the aircraft mid to late 1942.

Col.

Re: identify Wellington Bomber Holland
 

Hello Col,
So apart from the three Mk.III's listed in my earlier post that leaves ten others of 142 Sqdn in 1942.
They are -
BK281 - QT-M - 5/6-10-42 - 4 Kia,1 inj.
X3960 - QT-Q - 15/16-10-42 - all kia.
DF642 - QT-J - 15/16-10-42 - all returned.
X3455 - QT-D - 24/25-10-42 - all kia.
BK385 - QT-N - 24/25-10-42 - all kia.
BK298 - QT-L - 26-10-42 - 1 inj, 4 safe.
BK198 - QT-P - 7/8-11-42 - all kia.
BJ768 - QT-Q - 8/9-11-42 - all kia.
BJ711 - QT-Z - 9/10-11-42 - all kia.
BK280 - QT-F - 13-11-42 - crew ?

If not one of the above then it must be an a/c of another unit perhaps ex 142 in early 43 before code on the a/c was changed ?
Or we go back to those Mk.III's that were used by the BDU ?
All for now
Enjoy your Easter
Alex

PS- refs for above a/c details was BCL vol 3 book for 1942.