No. 142 Sqn Battle shot down May 14th 1940

[arnaud]

After having investigated at Ecly, the old population at Ecly and in the villages around didn't have any souvenir of a Fairey Batttle belly landed at Ecly as wrote the Operations Record Book. But population remember very well the Fairey Battle, not far, at Barby near Rethel from another Squadron.

So I guessed no Fairey Battle belly landed near Ecly. I am quite sure, now, that the Battle QToL at Saint-Loup-Terrier was the one located at Ecly. The crew, I guessed, walked from Saint-Loup-Terrier to their base. The crew was, then, picked up there after a phone call or something...

The question remains the same. Does anyone know the serial number of that Battle QToL to confirm my hypothese ?

[Pieter H]

Based on the descriptions - e.g. by Petter Cornwell and Gillet - only one of the four Battles of 142 Sqn that were shot down on May 14 made a controlled belly landing. According all sources this was the K9333 QT-K.
I assume this is correct.

Then this would imply QT-L was not a May 14 loss.
Although sometimes - and presumably wrongly - listed under May 14, I have for QT-L the serial P2195. Mentioned e.g. in Rupture sur la Meuse of Sacré/Gillet. Interestingly P2195 is not listed in Peter's magnum opus.
I have no photographic evidence to support this match, but also no arguments to dismiss it.

Does this help?

Pieter

[arnaud]

What is the evidence saying that letter-code of Fairey Battle K9333 is K (QT-K) ?

Any assistance is welcome...