Help with image - Confirm it is Wellington and Maybe info on aircraft

[MSIMPSON]

Donald Marshall Clark was posted in to 300 Sqn 15/6/44 from 1662 Conversion Unit as part of a contingent of RAF aircrew posted in to fill out the squadron, which was suffering a temporary shortage of Polish crews. At this point, 300 Sqn was equipped with Lancasters. D.M. Clark was posted to 550 Sqn 20/7/44 as Gunnery Leader. He flew seven sorties there, his DFC was gazetted 23/3/45 and was granted a Class 'A' release 24/10/45.
Hopefully of interest,
Regards, Mark.

[Don Clark]

Wonderful addition. A source for such personal detail would be most interesting to know.

So the Wellington _ _499 is very unlikely to be a 300 Sqn aircraft after all.
So no need for any of the tedious 300 Sqn winnowing of my Post #10.
Try the Serials DB Serial and Type panel to winnow out _ _ 499 Wellingtons?

Out of ideas - not helping all that much, me...

[MSIMPSON]

All information from respective Squadron Operational Record Books.
Regards, Mark.

[Andy Marden]

There were fifteen Wellingtons with a serial ending in 499 (use the search function on the RAF Serials area):
http://www.rafcommands.com/database/...qnum=499&qt=FM

[wwrsimon]

There's another photo taken from a different angle on page 79 of Martin Bowman's 'Wellington - The Geodetic Giant' with the following caption:

Enemy action caused this damage to Wellington III BK499 of 419 'Moose' Squadron.

You can just make out the upward stroke of the top right hand side of the 'K' in the second photo posted in the original post.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/h9suetuy9d...e%202.jpg?dl=0

Regards

Simon

[Don Clark]

Very interesting result, Simon and hat off to you.
While Bowman gives it as a 419 Sqn aircraft (vs your #2, 429 Sqn) & due enemy action (which doesn't exclude enemy a/craft as cause) clearly you were right.

Halley RAF Aircraft BA100-BZ999 confirms
Wellington III BK499 196 Sqn, then 429 Sqn, then 86OTU*
So the aircraft was repaired and soldiered on to be struck off charge 12 May 47.

Unfortunately neither the Form 78 nor Form 1180 for BK499 are in the Lancaster Bombers/Bomber Command History sets, nor does it have an entry in the Aircraft db here (except these posts).

The 429 Sqn Ops Record Book Form 541 confirms
Wellington III BK499, with all crew listed + damage after "collision with other aircraft" which left the gunner (F/O DL Wiley, as already noted by Richard at #3) "jammed in turret".

* 16 OTU (Form 78 thanks to Pavel!) - so ts err in Halley.

[CZ_RAF]

Don, BK499 Form 78:

http://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.co...ile/index.html

pg 91

Pavel

[tcsplinters]

Hi All

Thank you for all the information. I have my grandfathers service records but it seems incomplete.

I think I will have to ask ? to find out when and how he was injured because it is not clear. The confusion still remains about the Wellington damage images with the comment 'The one he walked away from'. I dont have any info on why he received the DFC.

Once again thank you all for your time and energy