Wellington crashed Wilhelmshaven

[michel]

Hi all,

Who can help me identify this Wellington Bomber, which crashed into the harbour of Wilhelmshaven Germany.
You can see the first letter of the serienr "R"

Thanks in advance,

Michel

[Theo Boiten]

Hello Michel,

Do you have any info as to a date when the Wellington was shot down, perhaps noted on the back of the photo? I can check the Wilhelmshaven Flak claims but need a time frame in which to search.

Cheers, Theo

[michel]

Hi Theo,
Unfortunately, there's nothing written on the back...that's the problem

Michel

[Alex Smart]

Serial "R1###"
Possibly R16## or R18##
So narrows it down a little as does the wide white bar in the fin marking, May 1940 - July 1942.

[Theo Boiten]

Alas I've no Wellington loss in the Wilhelmshaven bay area starting with R16.. or R18..

Cheers, Theo

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
Have looked in BCL books for 1941/42.
These may be possibilities -
All are "R" a/c
1016 - 15/8/41
1045 - 22/2/41
1604 - 29/30/8/41
1608 - 25/6/41
1608 - 25/6/41
1614 - 15/7/41
1800 - 3/8/41
1802 - 13/3/42

Of the above 1800;1608 and 1045 may deserve a closer look.

Alex

[michel]

Hi Guys,

Many thanks for your info,
Alex I want to a closer look of 1800, 1608 and 1045

Michel

[Theo Boiten]

Hi Alex and Michel -I've checked but none of these three Wellington losses fit to a crash near Wilhelmshaven.

I wil give details on al of these losses in my new series of books with Wing Leader Publishing.

Cheers, Theo

[Alex Smart]

Hello,

Have now checked the BCL for 1940/41/42.

R1045 - 149 Sqdn - 21/22 - 2 - 1941- Op Wilhelmshaven.
Lost without trace.

R1608 - 57 Sqdn - Op to Kiel.
Believed crashed in the sea near the target. Crew of 6, 5 were recovered.

Only R18## serial a/c were -
R1804 - 311 Sqdn - 19-7-1941 on Air Test and crashed into a steam roller.
And
R1800 - 101 Sqdn - G1 )2/3-8-1941 "SR-T" Op to Hamburg.
S/d by night fighter(Few. Siegfried Ney,e 4./NJG 1 ) and crashed in the Ijsselmeer.
Two bodies were recovered from the water. The rest have no known graves.

Alex

[Delmenhorst]

It is not R1608. That plane crashed on land