British Second-Line Aircraft lost in France Sept. 1939 - June 1940.

[Martin Gleeson]

Jerry,

There is very nice information on the Lithuanian Rapides on the LEMB website. See the DH 89 Rapide thread in the 'Captured British Aircraft' section.

Bertrand,

Thanks for that information on R1910. Do you recall if the photo showed any unit markings ?

Regards and thanks once more,

Martin.

[brewerjerry]

Hi
I know wiki is not always the best of sources but.

Two Q.6s of the Lithuanian National Airline were impressed by the Soviet Air Forces in 1940.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percival_Petrel

which could make the aircraft an ex RAF one.

cheers
Jerry

[paulmcmillan]

P1764 24 Sqn DBR during air raid at Coulommiers 16-5-1940 and abandoned.
P1765 24 Sqn Circumstances and dates unclear. Possibly damaged 5-5-1940 and later
. abandoned. (but A-B Serials notes SOC 4-4-1940).
W6423 24 Sqn ex G-ADNH or G-ADNN ?. Damaged by enemy action at Coulommiers 16-5-1940
. and abandoned.
W6424 24 Sqn ex G-AEAM. Force-landed St. Philbert, near Clisson on 23 (22nd ?)-2-1940 out of
. fuel. Hit a ditch. Abandoned at Bouguenais with 21 AD on 16(?)-5-1940.
W6457 24 Sqn ex G-AFSO. Destroyed by 3 Bf 110s on 31-5-1940 (ref. TNA file AIR 35/149) OR
. Engine failure during evacuation flight, F/L near Aneuil close to front line 31-5-1940.
X8505 24 Sqn ex G-AEXP. Damaged by German attack at St. Omer 21-5-1940, abandoned.
X8506 24 Sqn ex G-AFEO. Abandoned at Bricy, May or June 1940. Captured intact ?
X8508 24 Sqn ex G-AFAH. Damaged by German attack at Merville 21-5-1940, abandoned.
X9320 24 Sqn ex G-ACYM. Damaged landing at Moyenneville, near Pas de Calais 12-2-1940.
. Not repaired.
G-AEBW 24 Sqn Abandoned at Bordeaux, on evacuation 18-6-1940. Out of fuel.
G-AEPF 24 Sqn Abandoned at Bordeaux, on evacuation 18-6-1940.


Some DH Rapides from AB Impressements Log


G-ADNH W6423 7.1.40. Delivered to No. 24 Sqn. as G-ADNH and first used on the 11th. Later became W6423 and was damaged bv enemv action at Coullomiers. France. on 16.5.40. The engines and equipment were salvaged, but the airframe was abandoned and SOC on 3.6.40

Note: G-ADNN was a GENERAL AIRCRAFT GAL ST25 MONOSPAR JUBILEE

G-ADNI W9365 Delivered to No. 24 Sqn. and first used as W9365 on 15.5.40. Later damaged in France and collected bv No. 21 A.D., where it was abandoned and SOC on 22.6.40 (not on list above)

G-AEAM W6424 4.1.40. Delivered to No. 24 Sqn. on 4.9.39, G-AEAM was first used by the squadron on the 13th. While on a flight to Nantes on 212.40, the pilot of G-AEAM was forced to land at St. Philbert, near
Clissen, France, due to fuel starvation. He overran the field and piled up in a ditch. Dismantled and conveyed to No. 21 A.D. on the 27th for repair and became W6424, but was abandoned at Amiens on 16.5.40 and destroyed in a dismantled condition.

G-AFSO W64S7 Used by No. 24 Sqn. as G-AFSO from 10.10.39 and later became W6457. During the evacuation from France. W6457 was forced to land near Aneuil on 31.5.40 and came under concentrated machine fire from German troop. The Rapide caught fire and became a total loss.

G-ACYM Delivered to No. 24 Sqn on 17th and first used on the 20th by C'Flt. While transaporting passengers and freight to Amien on 12.2.40, the pilot of G-ACYN encounted as snowstorm that forced him to land at Moyenneville, Franced, and the tail collapsed after a rough landing on frozen ground. SOC on 4.4.40 as Cat.W. G-ACYM was later destroyed and abandonded during the evacuation from France during May/June 1940.

G-AEBW. Delivered to No. 24 Sqn via N.A.C (National Air Communications). First used by the squadron on the 10thh, G-AEBW was based at Le Bourget A/P from 8.11.39. Last used by the squadron in France on December 1st, it was flown back to the U.K. and returned to N.A.C at Ronaldsway on the 21st. G -AEBW continued to be used by the N.A.C., but on 18.6.40 it had to be abandoned at Bordeaux. probably through lack of fuel

G-AEPF - Lost while under N.A.C aegis, Air Commerce G-EPF, which was abandoned in France on 18.6.40. Note: maybe not formally transferred to 24 Sqn on books, but likely used by them.

[Martin Gleeson]

Hallo Paul,

That is terrific information for which I am very grateful. Many thanks.

Regards,

Martin.

[Rémi Baudru]

Thanks for sharing all these informations.


In my first post I spoke of the Miles Magister left in june on the airfield of Toulouse Francazal.
Here is a photo of R1910 taken in july or august 1940 by a pilot of the GC II/6.

RB

[Martin Gleeson]

Hallo Remi,

Thank you very much for posting the photo of R1910. It is wonderful to see it.
I am still trying to determine why it was at Toulouse. I wonder were some RAF aircrew trying to escape via Southern France ? This seems unlikely, but one never knows. Perhaps this Magister had been stationed at Perpignan in connection with the RAF detachment there (No. 1 Armanent Training Station) ? Maybe it had engine trouble ?

Merci beaucoup,

Martin.

[Martin Gleeson]

Continuing the research into this subject I have found one more 'new' loss and two strong possibilities. Any more help very welcome.
.
R3341 4 FPP Hit by Battle L5452 of 226 Sqn while parked at Pouan LG 19-5-1940, DBR.
.
A further DH 89 possibility could be X8507, also 24 Sqn. ex G-AEXO. The most complete history for
this aircraft can be found on the Air-Britain website (DH 89 page). It merely records
"To 24 Sqn, Hendon 27.3.40. SOC 13.6.41". The large gap may indicate a very late 'Struck Off Charge' date.
.
Another DeHavilland possibility is a DH 60G Moth used by 770 and 767 Sqns, Fleet Air Arm. This was W9367, ex G-ABBD. These units had detachments at Hyeres in Southern France, near Toulon from late 1939 to May (770) and June 1940 (767). It seems to have been assigned first to 770 Sqn until it was disbanded at Hyeres on 1-5-1940, then passing on to 767 Sqn. It almost certainly served as a unit 'hack' or liason aircraft. When 767 Sqn flew out their Swordfish aircraft to Malta and Gibraltar soon after 19-6-40 they may have left this Moth behind as it probably did not have the range to fly out. It was "last reported 5.40".
Do any of our French experts know if the Armee de l'Air or the Aeronavale in southern France used this Moth after the FAA departed in June 1940 ?
.
Regards,
.
Martin.