Blenheim Wreckage in North Africa

[Kuno22]

Whilst we have plenty of information about sunken battleships in the Mediterranean, the Situation regarding lost planes is a little bit more difficult.

Recently somebody mentioned a plane crashed "in the area of KUFRA" into the sand. Sadly the person does not remember, where it exactly was nor did he investigate about numbers, inscriptions etc.

Not much was left at all. But the remnants shown on the photograph were enough to identificate the outer part of a left wing of a Bristol "Blenheim".

So far so good. Whoms bird was this? The first thought was going to the emergency landed SAAF "Blenheims" - but this is not the case. Too far away from the route the group was driving some many years ago.

Here links to those SAAF planes:

http://www.afrika-korps.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3289&highlight=saaf

http://www.afrika-korps.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?p=483#483

http://www.afrika-korps.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=184&highlight=flugpatrouillen

http://rapidttp.com/milhist/vol122jc.html


OK; if it was not the SAAF who lost the planes; maybe the Free French? At least they had "Blenheims" with them and those planes were doing bomb raids on KUFRA prior to the siege of the oasis. Is there any information about any plane losses within the French rows? (I know about one - but this one is lying in CHAD and not in LIBYA).

I would be very thankful for any information about such plane losses in the deep Souteast of Libya.

Further links I have checked out without success:

http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/stories/loss-three-saaf-blenheim-aircraft-near-kufra-7740.html

http://fjexpeditions.com/frameset/blenheims.htm

http://www.scripophily.net/brcoaecoltda.html

http://saharayro.free.fr/bristol1.htm

[Kuno22]

The original thread to the subject is here:

http://www.afrika-korps.co.uk/forum/...pic.php?t=4398

[Kuno22]

Sorry; I have just recognized that you cannot see the photos in the DAKForum if you are not registered users. Here it comes:

[Kuno22]

If somebody knows the book "Bomber Losses in the Meditteranean", he may be able to find the required information :-)

[Kuno22]

Nothing until today... one day I will read the number-plate from a part of the plane :-)

[stefaan]

It is Z7513, one of the three lost by 15 sqdn in May 1941.
The other two Z7610 and T2252 were recovered and flew back to the sqdn.
They got lost due to many factors, resulting in an enquiry.
Only 1 member, a passenger Juul, survived.
Stefaan

[Kuno22]

Hi Stefaan;

Thanks for information. May I ask, what let you be that sure that it is the plane you have mentioned? Are there some refenrence photos (hope so...)?

[stefaan]

I am almost finished with a book on the history of 15 sqdn.
In it there is a large section on the Kufra tragedy.
I also have that book on the military history, which has an artricle written by
a relative of one of the members who died.
He went to photograph the erea that has the mainspar of Z7513.
It is about all that is left of that a/c.
Stefaan

[Kuno22]

Stefaan; as far as I was infomed, the wreckage is definitely not the one related to the "Kufra Tragedy". If I am not wrong, they visited the plane in 2001. If I remeber the pictures correctly; there was nothing left of the surface of the wing...

[stefaan]

Hi
I only got the thumbnail vivible now.
That could be from any Blenheim that crashed.
Do you have any co-ords on where??
I onlyhave one that shows the main spar portion of Z5713, so it may be som other Blenheim,
Unless that photo was taken many years ago and the spar is the later version
Stefaan