ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 144130
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Wednesday 2 August 1944 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito FB Mk VI |
| Owner/operator: | 151 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | PZ197 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Minor |
| Location: | Nantes area -
 France
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Predannack, Cornwall |
| RAF Portreath, Cornwall |
Mosquito PZ197: Took off at 15:10 hrs for Day Ranger mission. 02/08/1944
Day Rangers were carried out. W/O Oddie with F/Sgt Mime and W/O Kimber with F/Sgt Ryan successfully bombed and strafed railway targets, but W/O Kimber's aircraft was badly damaged by anti-aircraft fire, with one engine being put out of action. He was successfully guided back home by the other Mosquito, this being the third time that W/O Oddie had guided back one of his colleagues over difficult enemy held territory.
The crew had flown a Mosquito 380 miles on one engine. Landing at 20:00hrs. 02/08/1944
Of this episode W/O Kimber recalls the events as follows:.'
"I was detailed to attack some engine sheds in a low level daylight raid in the Nantes area, and with Bob Oddie in another Mosquito, we both flew at "0" feet to avoid radar detection. Our instructions were to shoot up any enemy targets e.g. army lorries, radio installations, trains etc. When we were over the Channel, we passed over a few small boats and the occupants were waving to us. We crossed the coast at Mont St Michel in clear skies and Bob Oddie let off a burst of gunfire at some army lorries just to let them know that we were still around!
I arrived over the target area after about 1* hrs flying and picked out the engine sheds and made my bombing run when I suddenly noticed tracer bullets coming towards my aircraft, but I dropped my bombs on the target still at zero feet. I noticed that my port engine temperature was rising and looking out saw white smoke pouring from it. I feathered the engine and climbed to 7000 ft and set course towards St Nazaire where we were greeted with flak from German ships. We Were fortunate and lucky not to be hit again. However, we pressed On at 7000 ft approaching to the east of Lorient. I noticed a large layer of cloud covering this part of France, for which I was grateful as all fighter aircraft were unable to operate. I was also concerned about fuel as Predannack was closing in with fog. However, I was directed by radio to Portreath and when I selected the undercarriage lever down, nothing happened and I realised that the hydraulic system was damaged and I had to make a flapless and wheels-up landing, approaching at high speed and cutting the switches just before I slithered along the ground. I was informed later that there were 39 hits on the port side of my aircraft, and only 20 gallons of fuel were left. A very scary sortie."
Crew:
W/O (1377100) Eric Maurice KIMBER (pilot) RAFVR - Ok
F/Sgt (????) V. RYAN (nav.) RAFVR - OK
Sources:
1.http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/_DH98%20prodn%20list.txtt
2.http://www.151squadron.org.uk/
3.ORB 151 Sqdn RAF
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 01-Mar-2012 01:13 | Nepa | Added |
| 01-Mar-2012 04:32 | Nepa | Updated [Aircraft type, Location] |
| 19-Oct-2014 09:17 | Xindel | Updated [Aircraft type, Narrative] |
| 08-Jul-2015 23:33 | T.T.Taylor | Updated [Registration, Narrative] |
| 21-Aug-2015 10:14 | Nepa | Updated [Aircraft type, Location] |
| 17-Sep-2015 11:21 | T.T.Taylor | Updated [Destination airport, Narrative] |
| 22-Jul-2018 12:27 | Nepa | Updated [Registration, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 07-Sep-2018 21:25 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Source, Operator] |
| 16-Sep-2021 11:34 | Nepa | Updated [Aircraft type, Other fatalities, Source, Narrative, Operator] |
| 15-Aug-2022 21:41 | Nepa | Updated [Narrative, Operator] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation