FAA Corsairs - Lake Sebago, Maine, USA

[Andy Saunders]

Forum visitors may be interested in an article in the current "Britain at War" magazine relating to two sunken FAA Corsairs in Sebago Lake, lost in 1944.

Here is a recently-taken "taster" image.

[Henk Welting]

Hello Andy,
Any casualties involved in these accidents ?
Regards,
Henk.

[Andy Saunders]

Yes, Sub Lts Knott and Gill.

Both men are still missing. This is Knott's aeroplane.

[Laurent Rizzotti]

This happened on 16 May 1944. Two Corsair I of 732 Sqn FAA,a British training unit based in Brunswick NAS, collided in the air during low level flying over Sebago Lake near Raymond, Maine. Both pilots were killed and are commemorated on Lee-on-Solent Memorial. Sub Lt Vaughan Reginald Gill was flying the Corsair I JT132 and Sub Lt Raymond Laurence Knott the Corsair I JT160.

Source:
http://www.mewreckchasers.com/list-8.doc
http://maps.google.fr/maps?hl=fr&q=Raymond%2C%20Maine&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl
http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2974336
http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2974673

[Andy Saunders]

There is some doubt, actually, about the "collision".

Another pilot in the flight reported that the lead aircraft simply flew into the lake at low level and the other followed.

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Andy and Laurent for this excellent info and link to the website.
Regards,
Henk.

[Amrit1]

Congratulations Andy. Looking foward to reading the article, once my copy arrives. Used to get the magazine from my local Borders....until they went bust

A

[Andy Saunders]

For anyone interested, here is a link to the "Britain at War" website:

http://www.britain-at-war-magazine.com/

Availiable from W H Smiths, Amrit1, now that Borders have gone down the tubes.