B26 collided with 350 Sqn Spitfire, 8 June 1944

[braf]

On 8 June 1944, 350 (Belgian) Squadron returning from a mission to St-Vaast, weather deteriorated resulting in several emergency landing on several airfields and the los of Albert "Bertje" Herreman who flying Spitfire Mk VB, BM363 MN-G, collided with a USAAF B-26 over Hailsham/East Sussex. Can someone help me with the unit, the serial of this B-26 and and what hapened to the crew.

Many thanks in advance

Best regards,

Serge

[Andy Saunders]

I have the Spitfire as BM463 (not yet checked accuracy of 363 or 463) and the crash was at West Firle, in East Sussex. This is about seven or eight miles SW of Hailsham. The B-26 was 41-31640 of 558BS, 387BG. I need to dig out the full reports of both incidents, which I have, but am fairly certain all the B-26 crew died. Pilot was Ltn W H Jackson. Wreckage was strewn over 150yards and was close to the Spitfire. A UXB was found in a gully near the crash on 7 July 1944, but the Police report initially stated a collision to be the cause, but this was then crossed out and replaced with "Flew into hill in cloud". I think I also have the MACR on the B-26. I also have a lens from one of the B-26's strike cameras and a Manifold Pressure instrument picked up by a local resident as souvenirs in 1944.

[Leendert]

Serge,

Found this post on b26.com. Different name of pilot as in Andy's reply?

8th June 1944 while flying 41-31640 KX-K "The Underground Farmer" 1.Lt Raymond G Morin; 2.Lts William C Timerding; Ralph W Pitts; T/Sgt Vernon R Simmons; S/Sgt Frank Hall were killed and S/Sgt Charles J Haseman was seriously injured when they flew into a hill near Friston, England.

Aviationarchaeology.com (also) says Lt Morin as pilot.

Regards,

Leendert

[Andy Saunders]

Sorry...I had read across the page incorrectly! Old age + red wine!! Lt W H Jackson seems to have been the pilot of P-38 nearby on the same day. Forgot to say, by the way, that the B-26 crashed at Folkington, which is near Polegate to the South of Hailsham. Will dig our reports over weekend.

[braf]

Hello Andy and Leendert,

Thank you a lot for this precious information


Looking forward for the reports


Best regards,


Serge