Aircraft Losses Database Corrections

[Andy Marden]

Thanks, database amended:
https://www.rafcommands.com/database...php?uniq=ML760
https://www.rafcommands.com/database...php?uniq=ML762

[Don Clark]

In the local AIR 81 db there is an aircraft id duplication, thus also reflected in the Aircraft Serials/Aircraft Losses db.

Blenheim I L1540 of 211 Squadron RAF was lost/destroyed on return leg of a Valona (Albania) raid on 31 Dec 1940 with no survivors.
Although they had been with the Squadron for less than a month, Sgts Bennett, Tunstall and France are well remembered by 211 Squadron "family" today.
It took a good many years to find their resting place: missing so long that they remain commemorated on the Alamein Memorial.

Their loss is correctly recorded from the AIR 81/4772 file summary (and for that matter from that AIR 81 file content, which I have, and also from the Squadron Operations Record Book of the day).
All correctly reflected here in the AIR 81 search db.
Thus also in part correctly reflected here in the L1540 Aircraft Serials/Aircraft Losses db.

However, that page also includes an additional spurious entry:
AIR 81/4801 (Liebold), listed as relating to "Blenheim L1540" (in Jan 41 at RAF Honington!).

Not only physically impossible, but in fact a spurious addition to the actual National Archives UK summary note, that makes no mention of any RAF aircraft.
See https://discovery.nationalarchives.g...ls/r/C16688899
(noting as an aside that the Discovery AIR 81 summaries are known to be occasionally in error - but apparently not in this case).

AIR 81 db correction needed please: delete the L1540 ref for AIR 81/4801 at Page 97 (which will presumably fix the Aircraft Losses entry...)

[Andy Marden]

Don,
Thanks for pointing this out. Correction made.
Andy

[Andy Marden]

Our current entry for Whirlwind P6991 shows it as crashing on 9 Jan 43. The correct date was 9 Feb 43. Entry amended:
https://www.rafcommands.com/database...php?uniq=P6991

[cozzy711]

F/Lt Wilfrid Leonard COX (61474) is shown on the database as having been killed on 01/08/1942 whilst aboard Wellington HF852.
He was in fact killed on that date whilst aboard Sunderland W4000.

Chris

[Andy Marden]

Chris,
Thanks, database amended.
Andy

https://www.rafcommands.com/database...php?uniq=HF852
https://www.rafcommands.com/database...php?uniq=W4000

[Andy Marden]

Two cases where an incorrect serial on the Casualty Report led to wrong links in our database have been corrected:
https://www.rafcommands.com/database...php?uniq=P7115
https://www.rafcommands.com/database...php?uniq=R7115

[Don Clark]

Beaufighter VI V8501 and F/O LJ Summers 414871 shown at
https://www.rafcommands.com/database...&qname=SUMMERS
https://www.rafcommands.com/database...php?uniq=V8501
NAA record cited +ORB cited.

1. V8501 and Summers attributed incorrectly as 211 Squadron
2. The form of words re V8501 is in fact not as shown in the 176 Sqn ORB, ref below, but a poor summary of the NAA accts.

NAA A9300 SUMMERS L J 414871
clearly records Summers as last operational posting to 176 Sqn RAF, from Jan 44
https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/Sear...0&S=62&T=P&R=0
Folios 5c to 6a give a better account of the 5 Apr accident than the brief note of the A705, below.

NAA Cas file A705, 166/38/485 f1A clearly records:
Beaufighter Mk VI V850 (sic) [later as V8501]
176 Sqn Detachment,
Summers and Nav/R Can J20415 F/O RA Dunn both injured (f1A) then
f4A: Summers facial injuries, Dunn bruises, both admitted 68 IGH Chittagong (not SI list) [later A9300 ffs record Summers facial injuries as severe].
https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/Sear...=1078766&T=PDF

Halley, Air Britain RAF Aircraft T1000-V9999
clearly records
V8501 as Mark VIF (not X) and finally as 176 Sqn, engine cut on overshoot, yawed and hit gun pit Chittagong 5 Apr 44

Confirmed by UK NA 176 Squadron Form 540 Summary of Events AIR 27/1113/7 Image 3
https://discovery.nationalarchives.g...ils/r/D8391152
Note also odd formation of A/craft serials in F541 as Xnnnn commonly.

Can this be fixed, please?
V8501 is a Mark VIF, not a Mark X,
of 176 Sqn not 211 Sqn,
crew Summers RAAF + Dunn RCAF as above

[Jagan]

Thanks Don. Made the correction. Thanks to this, I discovered there was a second entry under 176 Squadron but attributed to the wrong L J SUMMERS.. so cleaned those out.

[MagicNeilJ]

Gents Hurricane BE474

There seems to be an error in the database record for Hurricane BE474; noted as coming to grief at Long Kesh 7/11/1941. In fact this a/c crashed at Botolphs Bridge, Lympne, Kent resulting in the death of Canadian pilot William L Fraser, R74355. Fraser's death is registered at Folkestone and he is buried at Hawkinge.

There was an accident (non fatal) to Blenheim K7455 at Long Kesh on this date but I don't see any other connection.

I picked this up whilst reading the war diary of Colonel Rodney Foster, who references the crash of 'one of our planes' at Botolphs Bridge on this date.

DaveW

I think the initial issue may have come about because of the incorrect summary on AIR 81/10133, which suggested RAF Long Kesh, but that has now been updated. I am not sure if that was as the result of my enquiry about that last year or not. The No.607 Squadron records when at RAF Manston also show: "R74356 Sgt/Pilot FRASER, W.L killed as a result of a flying accident near LYMPNE." on that day.