Regia Aeronautica Transfer Flight Sept. 1940

[Brian Bines]

While on a transfer flight from Italy to Belgium several BR20s crashed following weather problems . One book gives the date as 24th Sept. the Falco site shows the 25th while the Luft QM's returns gives the date as 27th Sept. Could anyone confirm which date is correct please. the QM's returns show 3 emergency landings with no damage/injuries, one crashlanding by Spa ? with no details, one BR20 as 70% with one injury, one at 90% with one officer injured, one at 50%, one at 35% and one at 100% by Wasserburg with three airman killed and two officers wounded. Are the aircraft numbers and names of the casualties known,

Regards

Brian Bines

[ClinA-78]

Hello Brian,

I can confirm you a BR20 have crash-landed in the hamlet "Vert Buisson" near Spa. She was dismantled and carried by truck to Malchamps airdrome near Spa where she took off some days later (confirmed by pictures). Will check the date crash of the "Maladetta" as she was nicknamed. If I remember another BR20 crashed near Lustin, south of Namur (don't remember the date but I guess it was related to this transfer)

Hope it helps

Best regards

ClinA-78

[Brian Bines]

Hi ClinA-78,

Thanks for the reply and info. which was very helpful. As far as I can make out the other crashes were at Fl.Pl Brussels/Evere 70%, by Reichenbach 90%, Fi.Pl.Gablingen 50%, Fl.Pl. Ergelding 35% and by Wasserberg 100%. With emergency landings one at Fl.Pl. Gablingen, one Fl.Pl. Riem and one at Fl.PI. Ergelding,

Regards

Brian

[Gianandrea Bussi]

From the book edited by the It.AF Historical Office and written by the late Gen. Corrado Ricci "Il Corpo Aereo Italiano sul fronte della Manica".

13° Stormo B.T. made the transfer flight on 27 september.
A BR.20M made an emergency landing at Augsburg airport because of engine problem; another bomber had to land in a field near Spa. Both aircraft were probably undamaged.
A third BR.20M landed at Evére airport but went out of the field boundaries, being destroyed or very badly damaged (crewmembers slightly injured).

43° Stormo B.T. made the transfer flight on 27 september too.
A BR.20M suffered an engine failure over the Alps: the commander gave order to the other crewmembers to bail out and he made an emergency landing: he was slightly injured and the aircraft was badly damaged.
Another BR.20M landed at Gablingen (Goblingen?) because of engine problems.
A Squadriglia commander because of ice on the pitot tube in very bad weather with heavy clouds bailed out with the other pilot: the other crewmembers didn't manage to escape from the bomber being killed. The two pilots were both injured due to the low altitude. The other aircraft of the same Squadriglia, because of low training level of the crewmembers, wasn't able to go on with the flight and landed in various airport -four at Nurnberg,one at Munchen, two at Erdoding (Erding?): one of these last two bombers landed in a muddy ground, and was written off.

Hope that this helps.

Gianandrea

[Ludovico Slongo]

Dear Brian,
apparently all the accidents occurred during the 27th of September.
40 bombers of 43° Stormo took off from Cameri (North Western Italy). Only 30 arrived ad Chiévres four hours later.
One bomber crash-landed (unknown place) for an engine breakdown while flying over the Alps (pilot wounded, plane heavily damaged, crew jumped apparently safe).
One bomber landed at Gablingen for an engine breakdown (no further info)
One bomber fell in the area of Munchen (bad visibility and ice in the wings) and was lost (pilots wounded and thre crewmembers dead).
Six bombers landed safely in German airports.
One bomber crash-landed while landing at Ergoding (perhaps Ergelding) and was written off.
Crew apparently safe.
37 bombers of 13° Stormo took off from Piacenza.
Only 30 arrived at Melsbroek.
One bomber landed at Augsburg for an engine breakdown (plane and crew apparently safe).
One bomber landed near Spa for an engine breakdown (plane fate unknown and crew apparently safe).
Two bombers were obliged to land for excessive consumption of lubricant.
One was safe at Frankfurth the other went out of the airstrip landing at Evère and was written off (crew wounded).
Three bombers safely landed at Anversa they too had used too much lubricant.

Looking at your info it seems that the first machine of 43° Stormo crashed after passing the Alps could be that 90% at Reichenbach with 1 injured, while the machine fallen near Munchen with three dead is the one 100% at Wasserberg.

Names of the dead I think I can find and possibly more details on the 13° Stormo machines.

Now I have a question for you. What is the "Falco site" you've mentioned?

Regards

Ludovico

[Ludovico Slongo]

Ciao Gianadrea we were writing in the same moment !!!

Ludovico

[Brian Bines]

Gianandrea and Ludovico,

Thanks to you both for the additional information. The Falco site was found under 'The Falco and Regia Aeronautica in the Battle of Britain ' http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/falco_bob.ht

Regards

Brian Bines