Accident de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito B Mk XX KB364,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 152384
 
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Date:Monday 6 November 1944
Time:20:45
Type:Silhouette image of generic MOSQ model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito B Mk XX
Owner/operator:608 (County of York North Riding) Sqn RAF
Registration: KB364
MSN:
Fatalities:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Location:Bawdeswell, Norfolk, England -   United Kingdom
Phase: En route
Nature:Military
Departure airport:RAF Downham Market, Norfolk
Destination airport:RAF Downham Market
Narrative:
Mosquito KB364: Took off at 17:45 hrs for mission over Gelsenkirchen. 06/11/1944
It was one of twelve aircraft from 608 Sqdn which set out to diversionary raid to draw German fighters away from two bigger raids elsewhere.
The attack commenced as planned, five minutes ahead of the two other raids at 19:25 hrs. The Mosquitos dropped a mixture of red and green target indicators and high explosive bombs from 25,000ft. A few searchlights and very light flak were reported by crews over Gelsenkirchen.
Eleven of the Mosquitoes from 608 Sqn carried out successful missions and returned safely to Norfolk.
During return Cloud and icing conditions were encountered . KB364 is thought to have become severely iced-up during the return descent through cloud over Norfolk , and it was considered likely at the time that the pilot lost control and was unable to maintain height. The aircraft hit some electricity cables in the Reepham Road and struck All Saints Church, setting it on fire. Parts of the aircraft carried on and hit Barwick House and Chaucer House opposite, causing considerable damage to both. Debris was spread over a wide area. The crash took place at 20:45hrs at Bawdeswell Norfolk.
The Dereham Fire Brigade and firefighters from the American airbase at Attlebridge (Weston Longville) attended and it took four hours to control the blaze.
Crew:
P/O (195130) James McLEAN (pilot) RAFVR - killed (NCO:658396 Commission Gazetted : Tuesday 07 November, 1944)
Sgt (1604944) Mervyn Lambert TANSLEY (nav.) RAFVR - killed

Sources:

1.http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/_DH98%20prodn%20list.txtt
2.ORB 608 Sqdn RAF
3.Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
09-Jan-2013 08:12 Nepa Added
25-Jul-2014 14:34 Depak Updated [Aircraft type, Location, Narrative]
31-Aug-2015 18:53 Nepa Updated [Aircraft type, Location, Narrative]
22-Feb-2016 09:43 AlLah Updated [Operator, Source]
03-Nov-2018 08:24 hewman100 Updated [Location, Narrative]
27-Mar-2019 19:23 Nepa Updated [Other fatalities, Narrative, Operator]
13-Oct-2021 09:21 Rob Davis Updated [Narrative]
02-Feb-2022 21:26 Nepa Updated [Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Operator]
01-Aug-2022 13:01 Rob Davis Updated [Source, Narrative]
02-Aug-2022 22:28 Nepa Updated [Source, Narrative, Operator]
04-Aug-2022 19:24 Rob Davis Updated [Source, Narrative]

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