Loss ex RAF Albemarle P1645 during delivery flight to Soviet Union 27.4.1943

[Theo Boiten]

Dear all,

On 27 April 1943, ex RAF Albemarle P1645 was on its delivery flight to the Soviet Union (from Scotland to Moscow Vuknovo) when it was shot down by a German fighter. All of the crew (commander 1st Lieutenant F.F. Ilchenko) were killed.

Can anybody tell me from which airfield the Albemarle took off, and what was the time of take-off and the planned flight route?

Cheers and thanks for any info,

Theo

[Stig Jarlevik]

Theo

As per Vladimir Kotelnikov the take off was from a place called Errol.
Planned route, at least initially, was Errol - Skagerrak - Norrköping (in Sweden) -Chudovo - Bologoe - Kalyazin - Vnukovo. A dedicated training unit had been set up at Errol to train the Russian ferry crews (305FTU)

No idea how Norrköping ever entered the equation since I find it far fetched that Sweden would have allowed war material to pass through.
Sweden did allow certain breaches of its neutrality (1940 and help to Finland) and 1945 (help to Norway), but I have never heard of anything like this passing through.

It seems however in the end that the aircraft flew directly (extra fuel tanks installed) to Soviet held areas, since the first aicraft delivered, P1567, flew directly to Vnukovo and I believe all the others did the same. Other routes were considered (via North Africa) for example.

All direct flights were made at night, Kotelnikov states no departure time but mention that contact with the aircraft was broken 2½ hours after departure.
So if you have the time when the German nightfighter made his claim you can get at least an appx time of departure.

Cheers
Stig

[Theo Boiten]

Hi Stig,

Excellent, many thanks for sharing these details. The NJ claim was at 23.34 hrs, 30 km NE of Skagen over the Skagerrak.

Cheers, Theo

[Stig Jarlevik]

Thanks Theo

Seems a departure around 21.00H is possible then, since Britain and Germany had the same time in late April.

Cheers
Stig

[Theo Boiten]

Yes, that's correct Stig,

cheers, Theo

[RSwank]

There is some information about the Soviet Albemarles included in this article:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armstr...orth_Albemarle