LUFTWAFFE CLAIM FOR WESTLAND WHIRLWIND P6989

[pfP7063]

Hi Malcolm

The following comes from 263's ORB

April has been marked by a succession of tragedies. On the 1st., F/L Crooks DFC was killed. He was in company with S/L Donaldson near the Lizard when a Do.215 was sighted. S/L Donaldson engaged and damaged it. F/L Crooks crashed in flames and was killed. From eyewitness accounts, it appears that he was shot down by the Dornier but S/L Donaldson did not see him after giving the "Tally-Ho". On the 20th., F/O Howe was killed as a result of an accident whilst on a visit to Wittering aerodrome, and on the 30th., P/O Milligan was killed as a result of an accident at Aldermaston. They were all 3 experienced pilots, and their loss is felt very heavily. There were 3 encounters with the enemy during the month, on the 1st., the 6th., and the 7th., but unfortunately no confirmed victory could be claimed. On the 10th. we left Portreath and moved to Filton where the Squadron was originally formed in 1939. Since then the Operational flying has been limited to all intents and purposes to convoy patrols in the Bristol Channel.

1st.
P6998 S/L A.H. Donaldson Patrol 1835 - 1915
P6989 F/L D.A.C. Crooks DFC Patrol 1835 - KIA

A Do.215 was intercepted north of the Lizard. S/L Donaldson attacked and damaged it. F/L Crooks crashed in flames near Helston and was killed. It appears that he was shot down by the Dornier, but S/L Donaldson did not see him after giving the "Tally-Ho".

Kind regards

Paul

[malcolmjameswilson]

Hello Paul:

Many thanks for this/ It is very helpful. However, I am no closer to being able to positively identify the Luftwaffe aircraft involved.

Kind regards – Malcolm.

[brewerjerry]

Hi All

no excuses just a bump of an old thread from the depths .......

Anyone able to post the luftwaffe twin engine losses or info on any damaged aircraft for the 01 april 1941.

cheers
Jerry

[Chris Goss]

Jerry: I am afraid that nothing leaps out whilst the Luftflotte 3 reports for 1 Apr 41 are unavailable

[brewerjerry]

Originally Posted by Chris Goss

Jerry: I am afraid that nothing leaps out whilst the Luftflotte 3 reports for 1 Apr 41 are unavailable

Hi Chris,
Thanks for looking.
Maybe one day the info will turn up somewhere.
Cheers
Jerry

[brewerjerry]

Hi all,
Just another bump from the depths,
As another year has passed already !! and you never know some new info could have come to light somewhere,( he says hopefully).
cheers
Jerry

[Stig Jarlevik]

Jerry

The way I see it, there is a high probabillity there is no claim from German point of view. The rear-gunner simply may not have been aware that he had hit anything. Donaldson was on his tail and no doubt any sane gunner would concentrate his vision (and aim) at THAT Whirlwind and not the other one which he may or may not have realised he had hit. Since Donaldson never saw Crook go down it would be reasonable to think that Crook was behind Donaldson's vision and who knows the rear-gunner might have hit Crook by "mistake" while shooting at Donaldson. As the leader of the two, Donaldson surely was in the lead and Crook following and I am also very positive about a certain tunnelvision from a rear-gunner facing a Whirlwind boring in with full power. From Foreman's 1941 part 1 it also is said the "Do 215" hid in clouds as soon as it possibly could, making any further looking for enemy aeroplane(s) hit impossible.

With regard to aicraft ID, I believe the ID of a Do 215 is fairly accurate. This was an interception, remember, and not a melée with umpteenth aeroplanes in the air. Donaldson could concentrate on what he saw and to me such ID is much more reliable than during big dog fights. Aeroplane could then have been as stated a Do 215, but also of course a Do 17 or a Me 110. Sounds logical if this was a recce machine homeward bound.

Cheers
Stig

[Larry]

I think the Do 215 was quite a rare aircraft over the Uk compared to all the Ju88s and He111s and I think more Do215s were claimed as shot down that were built especially during the BoB!

[brewerjerry]

Hi Guys,
Thanks for the info/thoughts, seems it may never be solved then.
cheers
Jerry

[brewerjerry]

Hi all,
Another bump from the depths, just incase some new info could have turned up.
cheers
Jerry