Help with spectacular Beaufighter photo please?

[Rob Romero]

Although I’ve found some spectacular shots of Beaufighters on the Web, there is one famous shot in particular I’m looking for but for some reason, can’t find. It shows about a dozen Beaufighters rocketing a ship from every conceivable direction with collisions seemingly inevitable –I consider it one of the most remarkable combat photos ever taken. If you have this photo or can paste a link, please post!

Thanx,
Rob

[SMF144]

Rob,

Almost every anti-shipping wing strike looked like what you describe. Can you provide more specifics on the photo you saw? Having studied No.404 Squadron for sometime now, I've seen some real dandy strike shots, both stills and moving images.

Stephen

[Chris Goss]

...and I have hundreds of camera gun shots from 252 Sqn, many of which are remarkable

[Rob Romero]

I don't think I can be to more speceific than 'about a dozen Beaufighters rocketing a ship from every conceivable direction with collisions seemingly inevitable'. I've seen this photo in a number of books from the 70s on. If you have any photos like that, I'm sure a number of people would like to view them. I have come across one web site that has excellent high res shots of one Beaufighter squadron.

Thanx,
Rob

[stefaan]

Hi Chris
On a number of occasions the Balkan A/F Beaufighter albums/archives show target or air to air photo's,including of AR 196's and Ju 88's.
I have come across archival entries congratulating 235 and later 253 Wing Baltimore crews with the excellent air to air photo's they took of enemy a/c.
They were 15 SAAF,500 RAF, and 454 RAAF sqdns.
I have tried to find them for many years but always drew a blank.
Have you ever seen them.
I know our archives have beautifull photo albums of 16 and 19 SAAF Beau strike photo's
Stefaan Bouwer

[Jon]

Hi Rob,
Is it the picture with what looks to be a barrage balloon of all things in amongst the attack, flown from one of the ships, i have that picture somewhere in a book and will dig it out, the details may give a beter internet search option.

[JG53_Volto]

I'm sure you're not looking for these,But I think these are spectacular anyway.

I've found these pics on the web, 1 year ago,but I don't remember where,& I don't know the owner...BTW this is the 455 Squadron RAAF on anti-shipping strike's against German ships somewhere [near Norway(?)]











Alessandro

[Hans Nauta]

Hi Alessandro,

Those pictures are from the website http://www.oldcmp.net/ns1.html
where more of such pics can be found.

To be more precise about the location: The 1st and 3rd picture are made during the Strike at 25th September 1944 between Den Helder and Texel (the Netherlands).

The first picture is also the most dramatic one. The big splash in front of the armed trawler (Vorpostenboot) is from the crash of Beaufighter NT987 UB-W of 455 Squadron. The crew, F/O C. E. A. Cock DFC and W/O A. R. Lyneham, lost their lives.

Regards,
Hans Nauta

[JG53_Volto]

hi Hans,
thanks for the info & the link (great site)!!!

Ciao
Alessandro

[Rob Romero]

Thanks for the photos. Those are from the site I had in mind, however these do NOT depict the photo I was refering to. The second photo looks closest to the one I’m talking about, except that in that photo, the DOZEN or so Beaufighters are coming and going in all directions around the target which is smothered in splashes –in the second photo here the FIVE visible aircraft are heading in the same general direction. Like I said, this photo I’m refering to may be the most spectacular combat photo I’ve ever seen. I say the photo I’m refering to is famous, because, if I had to guess, I think I’ve seen it in ten or so publications over the years –though none that I own.

P.S. I might have found it, however, in my (impresionable) memory, the photo I had in mind was even more spectacular.

http://pro.corbis.com/search/searchFrame.aspx

Type in “Beaufighters” in SEARCH



Thanx,

Rob