No. 248 Squadron Beaufighter question

[Marcel N.]

Hello gentlemen,
I am new to this forum after a hint from the Britmodeller discussion board and I am really impressed how much information I can find here.
Maybe somebody can help me: I am looking for any info on a Beaufighter Mk.VI used by Max Guedj, DFC and Charles Corder. On March 10th, 1943 they shot down a Ju-88 over the Bay of Biscay. I would like to build a model of this particular plane. Thank you very much.

[Bruce Lander]

Hello Marcel,

Max was flying Beaufghter VI.C (JL563) WR-W
Combat Zone

Source :

Source :

Icare 152, p37.

Icarus 152, p37.

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Unique victoire du Flying Officer Max Guedj

Sole victory Flying Officer Max Guedj

Golfe de Gascogne, le 10 mars 1943

Bay of Biscay, March 10, 1943

Ce mercredi, Max Guedj s'apprête à effectuer sa 71ème mission, sa première depuis l'annonce de l'attribution de sa DFC.

On Wednesday, Max Guedj preparing to make his 71st mission, his first since the announcement of the award of his DFC.

Il s'agit d'une patrouille au-dessus du golf de Gascogne.

This is a patrol over the Bay of Biscay.

A bord du Beaufighter VIC codé WR-W JL563, le Lt Guedj alias "Maurice" décolle à 07h19 de la base de Predannack en compagnie de son observateur, le Flight Sergeant Charles Corder.

Aboard the Beaufighter VIC coded JL563 WR-W, Lt Guedj alias "Maurice" took off at 7:19 Predannack base with his observer, Flight Sergeant Charles Corder.

L'objectif principal de la mission est l'attaque des Ju 88 qui patrouillent dans la région.

The main objective of the mission is attacking Ju 88 who patrol the area.

Trois autres Beaufighter forment la patrouille.

Three other Beaufighter are patrolling.

Après une heure de vol au ras des vagues, la patrouille du Sqn 248 aperçoit à 200 miles dans le golfe un Ju 88 évoluant à 4000 pieds d'altitude.

After one hour of flying low over the waves, the patrol of 248 Sqn seen at 200 miles in the gulf a Ju 88 flying at 4,000 feet.

Les "Beau" monte dans le soleil pour mieux fondre dessus.

The "Beautiful" up in the sun to melt better over.

Le Beaufighter WR-U, piloté par Iniss, attaque le premier mais ses canons s'enrayent.

The WR-U Beaufighter flown by Iniss, the first attack but his gun jam.

Alerté, le Ju 88 tente de se réfugier dans les nuages.

Alerted, the Ju 88 attempts to take refuge in the clouds.

Le Beaufighter WR-T, piloté par Stringer, tente de lui couper la route en lui tirant dessus à la mitrailleuse, mais rien n'y fait.

The Beaufighter WR-T, led by Stringer, tries to cut him off by shooting him on to the gun, but nothing helped.

Voyant leur proie s'échapper, Max Guedj se place dans la queue du bombardier et tire une rafale de toutes ses armes.

Seeing their prey escape, Max Guedj located in the tail of the bomber and fired a burst of all its weapons.

Il se rapproche encore et voit ses projectiles percuter de plein fouet le cockpit et les moteurs du Junkers.

It is even closer and sees his projectiles crashed head-on cockpit and engines of the Junkers.

Le mitrailleur allemand réplique et atteint l'avion de Guedj à plusieurs reprises.

The German gunner reply and reached the plane Guedj repeatedly.

Mais le moteur droit du bombardier prend feu, bascule sur la gauche et pique en flamme vers l'océan qui fini par l'engloutir.

But the bomber's right engine caught fire, rocking on the left and dived in flames into the ocean that eventually engulf him.

L'équipage du WR-U prend une photo du Ju 88 abattu afin d'en faciliter l'homologation.

The crew of WR-U takes a photo of the Ju 88 shot down in order to facilitate registration.

Le "Beau" de Guedj est bien endommagé et devient incontrôlable pendant un moment.

The "Beautiful" by Guedj is damaged and becomes uncontrollable for a while.

Le tableau de bord, le câble de commande des réservoirs du moteur gauche et la commande de pas de l'hélice ont été touchés.

The panel, the control cable tanks left engine and pitch control propeller were affected.

Le moteur droit n'a plus de prise d'air, la moitié de l'aileron droit a disparu et le plan droit est fortement endommagé.

The right engine has more air intake, half of the right wing has disappeared and the right plan is heavily damaged.

Charles Corder est ballotté à l'arrière de l'avion.

Charles Corder was tossed in the back of the plane.

Avec sang froid, Max Guedj reprend en partie le contrôle de son avion, mais il n'évolue que sur un seul moteur et perd de l'altitude, les leviers de contrôle étant fortement endommagés.

With cool, Max Guedj features some control of his plane, but changes only on one engine and losing altitude, the control levers being severely damaged.

De son côté, Corder tente de prévenir sa formation et la station, mais la liaison est hors d'usage.

For its part, tries to prevent its Corder and training station, but the link is useless.

Croyant leur camarade abattu, le reste de la patrouille disparaît à l'horizon.

Believing their comrade killed, the rest of the patrol on the horizon disappears.

Corder rampe jusqu'au cockpit pour donner un cap à son pilote, qui maintient désespérément le Beaufighter en l'air.

Corder ramp to the cockpit to give direction to its driver, which maintains the Beaufighter desperately in the air.

Revenu à son poste, il tente une nouvelle fois de prévenir sa base en graphie, mais aucun résultat.

Returning to his post, he tries once again to prevent its basic spelling, but no results.

L'avion n'est plus qu'à 500 pieds du niveau de la mer. Il rejoint Guedj et tente de l'aider en voulant régler le pas de l'hélice gauche, mais la commande lui reste dans les mains.

The aircraft is more than 500 feet from sea level, he joined Guedj and tries to help by trying to adjust the propeller pitch left, but the order remains in his hands.

La situation devient critique.

The situation becomes critical.

Max Guedj envisage très sérieusement un amerrissage.

Max Guedj seriously considering ditching.

Comme pour confirmer sa pensée, le moteur droit prend feu, ainsi que l'huile répandu à l'intérieur du cockpit.

As if to confirm his thoughts, the right engine caught fire, and the oil spilled inside the cockpit.

Au même moment, la côte apparaît.

At the same time, the coast appears.

Max Guedj décide de tenter le coup.

Max Guedj decided to try.

De retour à son poste, Charles Corder lance par intervalle régulier des fusées de détresse.

Returning to his post by Charles Corder launches regular intervals flares.

L'avion évolue maintenant en une suite de piqués et de montées.

The aircraft is now evolving into a series of dives and climbs.

Le lieutenant "Maurice" dirige tant bien que mal son avion vers la partie la moins élevée des falaises, là où se situe la base.

Lieutenant "Mauritius" runs somehow his plane to the lower part of the cliffs, where is the base.

Apparaissent alors les trois autres avions de la patrouille, ils s'effacent devant l'appareil en difficulté.

Appear when the three other planes of the patrol, they disappear before the aircraft in difficulty.

Le Beaufighter passe de justesse les falaises et les baraques de l'aérodrome.

The Beaufighter narrowly pass the cliffs and the barracks of the airfield.

Charles Corder fixe son harnais.

Charles Corder lays his harness.

C'est avec douceur que Max Guedj pose son avion train rentré, mais le feu envahit l'avion, émettant une étouffante fumée.

It gently raises Max Guedj his aircraft landing gear, but the fire invaded the air, emitting a suffocating smoke.

Les deux hommes évacuent par les trappes de secours et s'éloignent du Beaufighter dont les munitions explosent.

The two men evacuated from the doors back and away from the Beaufighter with ammunition exploding.

Après avoir rendu compte de la mission, Max Guedj se fait enlever par le médecin du camp des débris de métal et de verre qu'il avait reçu sur la tête et aux jambes.

After giving an account of the mission, Max Guedj is kidnapped by the camp physician metal debris and glass that was hit on the head and legs.

Suite à cet exploit, il se verra remettre la DSO en même temps que sa DFC.

Following this feat, he will receive the DSO along his DFC.

Charles Corder recevra la "Conspicuous Gallantry Medal", une centaine seulement seront attribuées durant la seconde guerre mondiale.

Charles Corder receive the "Conspicuous Gallantry Medal", only a hundred will be awarded during the Second World War.

JBR

http://pagesperso-orange.fr/frenchac...ers/dates.html

Hope this is what you require

Regards

Bruce Lander

[andy bird]

Originally Posted by Marcel N.

Hello gentlemen,
I am new to this forum after a hint from the Britmodeller discussion board and I am really impressed how much information I can find here.
Maybe somebody can help me: I am looking for any info on a Beaufighter Mk.VI used by Max Guedj, DFC and Charles Corder. On March 10th, 1943 they shot down a Ju-88 over the Bay of Biscay. I would like to build a model of this particular plane. Thank you very much.

Hi Marcel,

I have quite a few of Charles Corders photographs on disc and about the same amount for Maurice. There is one of the period taken 1943.
I do have one of the crash but it rather out of focus as Charles Corder took it once out of the Beaufighter. As he said: I wasn't in a fit state to take the photo just pressed and hoped for the best!'

Kind Regards

Andy Bird

[andy bird]

Hi Marcel,

Attached a low res photo of a 248 Squadron Beaufighter in flight.

Regards

Andy Bird

[Marcel N.]

Bruce and Andy: Thank you very much, that is exactly what I was looking for. Excellent!

[Stig Jarlevik]

Bruce

Just one problem, the serial JL563 does not exist!
Any other suggestion which one this really could have been??

Cheers
Stig

[Larry]

I think it is a typing error for JL569, which was with 248 Sqn and written off in a crash landing at Predannack on 10th March 1943 after being hit by return fire from a Ju88.

[Stig Jarlevik]

Thanks Larry

Checked the Air Britain booklet and yes indeed, it sounds very plausible!
Thanks for checking!!

Cheers
Stig

[atckyrre]

A Beau VI in March 43 would most likely be painted in Temperate Sea Scheme. Extra Dark Sea Grey, Dark Slate Grey, Sky under. One single, large letter on the side, if anything. This would most likely be in red, possibly Light Slate Grey. Serial would be Light Slate Grey or black, IIRC.
I find it unlikely that it carried full WR-codes at this time, but have been proven wrong on many other occasions.

Typical '42-'43 livery:


Kyrre

Originally Posted by andy bird

Hi Marcel,

I have quite a few of Charles Corders photographs on disc and about the same amount for Maurice. There is one of the period taken 1943.
I do have one of the crash but it rather out of focus as Charles Corder took it once out of the Beaufighter. As he said: I wasn't in a fit state to take the photo just pressed and hoped for the best!'

Kind Regards

Andy Bird

Hi Andy Bird,

Sorry for reviving an old post again but You wouldnt happen to have any other 248 Squadron photos?
I have a higher res version of the one you posted with Marice and Corder. My grandfather Thomas Buckley is sitting to the right of Marice