HP.52 Hampden M o QR 61 Squadron

[Roger Gaemperle]

Hello,

Does anybody know the circumstances when and where the photos published here

http://battlegroundrelics.com/album/...f-hp52-hampden

were taken?

They show a shot down HP.52 Hampden of 61 RAF Squadron sourrounded by German personnel. I guess the photos were taken in 1939/40.

Cheers,
Roger

[Amrit1]

See threads:

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?p=90936

and

http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5997

Interestingly that site misses the most crucial picture - the one with the serial

[Hans Nauta]

Hello Roger and Amrit,

As matter of fact these pictures are also in a photo album which is for sale on ebay right now!

http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...m=130326113434

If you scroll some further the serial is on one of the pictures: it seems to be P4340 at first sight, but I think it actually might be P4346. P4340 was allocated to 83 Squadron and lost 13 August 1940 near Mesum (Germany). P4346 was from 61 Squadron and lost 22 June 1940 near Jollenbeck (Germany).

Regards,
Hans Nauta

[Alex Smart]

Hello Hans,

I wondered about the Squadron code.
and the serial number.
Two a/c from 61 squadron were lost on the same night as the two from 83 Squadron.

12/13 August 1940

61 Sqdn a/c
P4335 - P/O. T.C.Cundill - "QR- " ? - crashed nr Múnster (earlier was presumed as Ditched, all missing).
P4379 - P/O. H. C. Sheldon - "QR- " ? - All b. Hamburg.

83 Sqdn a/c
P4340 - F/L. A. R. Mulligan DFC - "QR-M " - Shot down nr Mesum 5m SE of Rheine, two crew b. Reichswald.
P4410 - F/O. E. H. Ross DFC - "OL-H" - crashed nr Múnster

My though was that the a/c could be P4379 with the "79" distorted in the crash and looks like "40".
BUT
I used "Paint" and inverted the colour on "090824RAFBomber9"
and "QR - M" is quite clearly marked as serial number P4340.

Perhaps the a/c was on loan or about to be loaned.

All for now
Alex

[Martin Gleeson]

Hallo Hans,

It definitely was NOT P4346 as this aircraft, according to both Chorley and THE HAMPDEN FILE had its "tailplane destroyed by flak". Clearly P4340 did not, as per the photos.

Regards,

Martin Gleeson.