Unknown Aircraft

[xraymmx]

For some years now I am researching all the planes that came down in my village of Aalst-Waalre, Holland. (just south of Eindhoven).
My interest was triggered by a story of an old neighbour about an crashed aircraft. When I started the research I found many more planes that came down in the village (2 x Dornier 217, a Lanc, a Halifax, a Wellington, a Whitley and a Typhoon). Also I discovered the places were they came down and spoke many eyewitnesses.

Although all those findings and researches I forgot a bit about the first plane that started it all. Lately an eyewitness pointed me a crashlocation I didn't know. My metaldetector gave several findings but nothing with marking stamps. The ammo that I found was British so that is the direction I must look into. Finaly I found a picture of a kid near a plane wreck that was taken in the village. The kid lived near the crashlocation and although the picture is very bad, the piece of plane (tail) that can be seen on the picture doesn't belong to the other planes I researched so it almost certain this is the mystery plane I am looking for.

But after all those years and all the books and websites I checked I still haven't got a idea which plane this must have been. Me and an friend think we reconize a Blenheim tail, but we are not certain.

Anyone know a loss near my village or Eindhoven that could match this plane? Any help is welcome to solve this case.
I hope to post the picture soon, but having some trouble now.

Thanks,
Ray

[xraymmx]

The picture:

[Buffnut453]

Hi Ray,

Interesting picture. The fin flash looks to be a Type C with the narrow white stripe down the middle. I think it would be unusual for a Blenheim to be operating over enemy territory in those markings (although having said that I'm sure someone will chime in to tell me I'm wrong). I was wondering if it might be an early Beaufighter with the horizontal tailplane?

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
Thank you for shareing the picture with us.
My first thoughts looking at is tha the roundness of the fuselage is to me more like that of a DH Mosquito. In my mind the fuselage of the Beaufighter would have a flatness.
Just my thoughts on this picture.
Could it be a 307 Sqdn loss on 7th August 44, HK230 both crew killed ?
Alex

[Buffnut453]

Hi Alex,

Yes, I thought it might be a Mossie...It just seemed the damage to the fuselage wasn't consistent with the wooden fuselage - there's lots of metal framework and I don't think the Mossie fuselage would break the way the one in the picture did. Finally, the tailplane looked a little high rather than the mid-set tailplane that the Mossie had. All that said, I'm far from sure about my Beaufighter theory...and it is just a theory.

Cheers,
Mark

[Alex Smart]

Hello Mark,
Sorry, that mossie was lost near Arnhem,
Then that just leaves the Beauforts, Typhoons, Tempests , Spitfires, Hurricanes and Blenheims downed near/just south of Eindhoven ?
I got my place names mixed up.
Alex

[MarkRS]

I looks like a Beaufighter. At the right of the picture you can see the remains of the turret with a spar sticking through it.
See the attached photo of MRoT.

Mark

[MarkRS]

Here are pictures of the Blenheim and the Beaufort to compare.

Mark

[Alex Smart]

Hello Mark,
Great to see the photo's.
It does show that the Blenheim and Beaufort had a more "streight" edge to their tail fin.
So OK back to the Beau.
by the way, Im not sure but are the numbers "377" in view just behind to the left of the second boy ?
Alex

[MarkRS]

None of my viewers show any numbers. If you are referring to the marks across the bottom of the fin flash, they could be anything, but that is not generally the place where they put the numbers. Should be below or in front of the tailplane.

Mark