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  #1  
Old 11th September 2021, 00:26
sergey sergey is offline
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Unknown torpedo bomber.

Hi,
Colleagues.
At 16:58 on 4 April 1943 west of Lister (Norway), a single torpedo bomber struck the 3845-ton German ship Patria with a torpedo. Please help me find out which squadron this plane was from. He was definitely not from 455 and 489 squadrons. But what other torpedo squadrons were operating from North Scotland airfields at the time?

sergey
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Old 11th September 2021, 14:41
niallc niallc is offline
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Re: Unknown torpedo bomber.

Hi

The sinking of SS Patria is usually attributed to Beaufighters of 144 Squadron. The RAF Narrative "The RAF in Maritime War - Volume IV" places the place of attack as 57 55N, 06 35E - which is about 10 miles off Lista.

The squadron (based at Leuchars in Scotland at the time) had 4 aircraft out on Rover patrol "STAND" (i.e. Stavanger-Kristiansand) during which they found a convoy of a 3,000 ton cargo ship, another of 1,500 tons and 3 escort vessels. All 4 aircraft dropped torpedoes and claimed at least one hit. The pilot of one of the aircraft was wounded by flak from the escort vessels, but all aircraft landed back safely at 16.30 (British time).

Niall
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Old 11th September 2021, 17:18
sergey sergey is offline
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Re: Unknown torpedo bomber.

Thank you very much!
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Old 11th September 2021, 17:41
sergey sergey is offline
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Re: Unknown torpedo bomber.

D/S Trondhjemsfjord (6753 t).
Sunk by British aircraft off Ryvingen lighthouse on April 27-1943 while on a voyage from Bergen to Kristiansand in ballast.

http://www.warsailors.com/homefleet/shipst2.html
Probably, this ship was also sunk by the planes of the 144 squadrons? 455 and 489 squadrons did not take off that day.
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Old 12th September 2021, 04:29
RSwank RSwank is offline
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Re: Unknown torpedo bomber.

Yes it was sunk by 144 squadron. They were escorted by 404 Squadron Beaufighters.

Search for: 27 April
On this next link, which has a description of the attack:

https://rcaf404squadron.art.blog/category/introduction/
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Old 12th September 2021, 14:17
niallc niallc is offline
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Re: Unknown torpedo bomber.

Hi

Again quoting from the RAF Narrative "The RAF in maritime war":

"The other successful operation of the month was on 27 April. A strike of Nos. 455 and 235 Squadons had failed to locate a convoy sighted off Lister by Beaufighters of 235 Sqn. on morning reconnaissance. Four Beaufighters of 144 Sqn and 6 of 404 Sqn were, therefore, ordered to carry out a strike in the vicinity of Obrestad.

At 14.44 hours, a merchant vessel of 4,000 tons and two escort vessels were sighted. No 404 Squadron attacked a flak ship with cannon and No 144 the main target with torpedoes. Position of the attack was south east of Ryvingen Light at 57 57N, 07 31E. Post-war evidence shows that the Norwegian merchant vessel Trondhjemsfjord of 6,753 tons was sunk. A further two Beaufighters of No 144 Squadron were despatched from Tain after the strike but were intercepted by Me 109s and Ar. 196s. M/144 was badly shot up and crashed on landing. The main strike is interesting as an early example of the use of strike wing technique in No. 18 Group."

Note that, although the narrative above implies that the sortie by two aircraft sent out after the main strike was somehow connected with that strike, it was not, but was a completely separate "Armed Rover" to an area near Stavanger - far to the north of the scene of the attack on SS Trondhjemsfjord. The hydraulic system of aircraft M/144 was badly damaged in the Bf 109's attack, and the undercarriage collapsed on landing back at Tain, the engines caught fire and the aircraft (Beaufighter VI (ITF) JL655) burned out. The crew were uninjured in the crash-landing, but the navigator had been slightly wounded in the Bf 109's attack.

Niall
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Old 12th September 2021, 16:53
sergey sergey is offline
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Re: Unknown torpedo bomber.

Colleagues, thank you very much again!
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