Friendly fire WWII

[Franek Grabowski]

Brian

10 May 1941: Sqn Ldr Meagher of 41 Squadron claimed a twin-engined aircraft he believed was a Ju88 shot down off Whitby at 0015, but then thought it may have been a Blenheim. I can't find any Blenheim or Ju88 losses that fit the bill. Any ideas?

A He 111 perhaps? One of III/KG1 was lost more less at the time.

6-7 August 1941: Apparently Beaufighter R2157 shot down by another Beaufighter. Any info on either?

I have it lost on 5/6 on a defensive patrol over North Sea with 25 Sqn. Crew: F/L TH Worth & Sgt FP Nekludow both killed.

23 April 1942: Two Polish Spitfire pilots attacked a RAF clandestine He115 in error. Who were they?

That should be identifyable, given the place (off IoW?).

9 August 1943: B-26 41-31634 of 386thBG shot down by a Spitfire. What was the fate of the crew? Who were they? And who was the Spitfire pilot?

Someone had a bad day. Any more details?

[Brian]

Here's another that has been bugging me. On 22/11/44, US P-51s shot down an RAF Lysander from 148 Squadron near Venice, presumably having mistaken it for a Hs126. The RAF pilot was killed, as were his passengers, variously described as two British decorated SOE officers/or/ four Italian agents (according to AHB). Has anyone the facts? Who was the errant US pilot?

Cheers
Brian

[Brian]

Has anyone the story behind the USN PB4Y crash at Eniwetok on 9 August 1944 which destroyed dozens of parked aircraft? Not quite friendly fire but the crash certainly wrote off a substantial part of the USN air force in that area!

Brian

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Originally Posted by Brian

Has anyone the story behind the USN PB4Y crash at Eniwetok on 9 August 1944 which destroyed dozens of parked aircraft? Not quite friendly fire but the crash certainly wrote off a substantial part of the USN air force in that area!

Brian

MISHAPs: 09 AUG 44 PB4Y-1 LOCATION: (Eniwetok) STRIKE: Yes BUNO: 38766 CAUSE: Reconnaissance flight. Pilot aborted take-off due to darkness, load and rolling runway and cut throttles. Pilot thought he was still on the runway mat, but was actually airborne. With a thirty degree cross-wind plane drifted to left and into and crashed into parked carrier planes adjacent to the runway. Plane hit first row of parked airplanes, caring away wing tips off the folded wings, and canopies and crashing into parking area fifty-yards past end of runway. The plane burned, with fire spreading to other parked aircraft, low order detonation of 9 x 500lbs bombs was instrumental in extending sphere of damage to include the loss or damage of 106 aircraft. Crew: Pilot Lt Romone C. Anderson A-V(N) USNR/Killed, Ens T. M. Pettit A-V(N) USNR/Killed, Ens O. B. Tully A-V(N) USNR/(died of injuries Aug 15th, 1944), AMM1c L. Johnson USN/Seriously inj, Sea1c H. A. Heper USNR/Killed, ARM1c J. W. Chalmers USNR/Killed, ARM3c A. F. Burkhartemeyer USNR/Seriously inj, AOM2c J. D. Rothwell USNR/Killed, Sea1c A. A. Van Winkle USNR/Killed, Sea1c E. Petri USNR/Killed, and AOM3c G. A. Ehinger USNR/Killed. Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [10FEB2002]
Source: http://www.vpnavy.org/vp116_mishap_1940.html

(By the way, http://www.vpnavy.org/mishap_vp.html is THE page to bookmark for any VP and VPB loss in WWII or later)

Well, 106 aircraft hit is amazing

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Date is 23 September 1944

"Another accident at Millville is much different from the others. On September 23rd, 2LT Andrew J. Easterwood was killed in a crash in the Atlantic Ocean. Easterwood was the number three man of a flight of five aircraft on an aerial gunnery mission. On his fifth or sixth pass at the target, his aircraft apparently hit the target cable and began a slow roll to the right. The ship continued forward, rolled on its back and started a spiral to the right. The aircraft crashed into the ocean and was never recovered. Easterwood's aircraft crashed as the result of hitting the ¼ inch cable and not the stabilizing bar.

2LT Asa W. Shuler, one of Easterwood's closest friends, thought otherwise. Shuler had been in pilot training with Easterwood and reported to Millville at the same time. When attending his memorial service in Alabama, Shuler mentioned to a family member that he thought that Easterwood had been shot down. This would have been impossible based on the information in the accident report. All of the airplanes in the flight had fired all of their ammunition, but that same report fails to address possible defects in the airplane and health issues. We can only speculate about the cause of this unusual accident, as Shuler was killed in action in France."

http://p47millville.org/history_accidents.html

[Brian]

Hi guys

Here's something for the weekend!!

15-16/8/43 Mosquito shot down Wellington. Who was the errant pilot?

22/10/43 Mosquito shot down FIU Mosquito. Ditto

21/12/43 Two Typhoons 609 Sqn and Spitfire 501 Sqn shot down by P-47s.
Who were the US pilots?

28/3/44 Mosquito 107 Sqn shot down by P-51. Was this Lt CF Anderson 335 thFG?

23/4/44 Albemarle V1610 shot down by RAF nightfighter?

11/6/44 Mosquto 333 Sqn shot down by Allied fighters Orkneys?

28/6/44 Mosquito 192 Sqn damaged by Mosquito.

Hope someone can help with the latest. Sincere thanks. I owe you a drink!!

Brian

[Laurent Rizzotti]

333 Sqn loss was discussed on the RAF forums last week IIRC. Names of crew and faulty pilots were given (IIRC again).