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Allied and Soviet Air Forces Please use this forum to discuss the Air Forces of the Western Allies and the Soviet Union. |
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#1
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Info on 608 Squadron Mosquito KB228, damaged in NF attack Berlin raid 15-16 September 1944
Dear all,
Who can help me with info on the location and time of an encounter between a German night fighter and 608 Squadron Mosquito KB228, which was severely damaged in a night fighter attack during the LNSF Berlin raid of 15-16September 1944. Grateful for any details! Cheers, Theo |
#2
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Re: Info on 608 Squadron Mosquito KB228, damaged in NF attack Berlin raid 15-16 September 1944
Theo,
Do you happen to have the crew names? I was in touch, a long time ago, with some 608 Squadron airmen, while at the Mosquito Aircrew Association...but can not remember by heart their names now...maybe with the Crew's Names we can try to help you... OBS: I do not have the 608 Squadron ORB either, to help....maybe someone else... Cheerio Adriano |
#3
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Re: Info on 608 Squadron Mosquito KB228, damaged in NF attack Berlin raid 15-16 September 1944
The Form 541 section of the ORB is missing for this raid.
Five aircraft of 608 Sqn took off. Bombing for at least three of them was between 02:00 and 02:03 hrs. KB228 C was flown by F/O Wilkinson, with F/Sgt Dale as Navigator. In the book 608 Mosquito Bomber Squadron by Barry Blunt F/O Wilkinson recounts "We were coned by searchlights on the final bomb run at about 21,000ft, some wag broke radio silence to announce, "You're in the limelight chum," as if I didn't know. A night fighter suddenly appeared from astern and fired a burst that clipped the starboard wing. At this point Tich let go the bombs and I closed the bomb doors. Still lit up by the searchlights the hun came in again on his second run just as Tich came out of the nose. This time the fighter was dead on and it raked us from nose to tail - shattering the nose of the aircraft and the rear part of the canopy. Tich was struck in the eye with a fragment of shattered perspex and I was hit in the right cheek - the starboard engine caught fire. I flipped the aircraft on to its back and made a vertical 180 degree turn which took me out of the searchlight cone." He then describes how he managed to feather the stbd engine and return to the UK Therefore the fighter attack was near the target and probably between 01:55 when the markers went down and 02:03 when the third 608 Sqn aircraft bombed. But this is not proven beyond reasonable doubt Regards Martin |
#4
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Re: Info on 608 Squadron Mosquito KB228, damaged in NF attack Berlin raid 15-16 September 1944
Hello Martin,
Thanks a lot for this info, most useful; this fits to an unconfirmed claim by Lt. Welter of 10./JG300 over Berlin! Cheers, Theo |
#5
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Re: Info on 608 Squadron Mosquito KB228, damaged in NF attack Berlin raid 15-16 September 1944
I am a bit curious here...the DH Mosquito was hit at least in two occasions and on the second one, severely....Did we know if Lt. Welter used only 13mm machine-guns or if he used the full lot (20mm+13mm)?
Wouldn't the 20mm (explosive shells amongst them) be able to bring down or cripple the Mosquito? I tend to believe that Lt. Welter was out of 20mm ammo and used only the 13mm on this occasion.... The RAF crew was very lucky to return back home.... |
#6
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Re: Info on 608 Squadron Mosquito KB228, damaged in NF attack Berlin raid 15-16 September 1944
Interestingly the relevant Air-Britain serials book does not show any service with 608 Sqn for KB228.
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#7
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Re: Info on 608 Squadron Mosquito KB228, damaged in NF attack Berlin raid 15-16 September 1944
KB228 served is 608 Sqn as 6T-C from 10.08.44
There is a typo in the Form 78 for the aircraft that states that it went to 108 Sqn from 1655 MTU on that date. KB228 appears in the ORB 24 times for different sorties. It is less clear when it left and why it was SOC E2 on 9/2/1945 Martin |
#8
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Re: Info on 608 Squadron Mosquito KB228, damaged in NF attack Berlin raid 15-16 September 1944
What Andy forgets to mention is that KB228's AM 78 card is available online, and there is no 608 sq
mentioned there either! What is mentioned is 108 Sq with a delivery date 10 Aug 1944 and an allocation later to 105 Sq, unfortunately undated. Is 108 Sq a typo on the AM 78 card? I believe so. 108 Sq was a fighter unit while 608 Sq was a light bomber unit. There are plenty of KBxxx assigned Mosquitoes to 608 Sq but none to 108 Sq. The assigned date fits very well with 608 Sq being "retrained" in the bomber role from 1 Aug. I wonder why Jim left out 108 Sq in his booklet? Perhaps he felt 108 Sq must be wrong? Cheers Stig |
#9
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Re: Info on 608 Squadron Mosquito KB228, damaged in NF attack Berlin raid 15-16 September 1944
Quote:
Someone is always faster..... Cheers Stig |
#10
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Re: Info on 608 Squadron Mosquito KB228, damaged in NF attack Berlin raid 15-16 September 1944
9 minutes!
It often goes the other way though Martin |
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