ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 157822
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: | Sunday 15 September 1940 |
| Time: | 12:10 LT |
| Type: | Dornier Do 17Z |
| Owner/operator: | Staffel 8./KG 76 Luftwaffe |
| Registration: | F1+FS |
| MSN: | 2361 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Castle Farm, Shoreham, Kent -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | |
Dornier Do-17Z of 8./KG76 (F1+FS) made a forced landing near Castle Farm, Shoreham, England Battle of Britain 15th September 1940 after a low level chase by two by Spitfires from No.609 Squadron Flight Lieutenant Dundas and Pilot Officer Tobin.
The 8/KG 76 Dornier 17Z piloted by Feldwebel Heitsch was part of a force of about 100 German bombers which approached London over North Kent shortly before noon. The formation was intercepted simultaneously by nine RAF Squadrons. The battle developed into a series of individual fights. During one of these encounters, Heitsch's Dornier was attacked by Flight Lieutenant Dundas and Pilot Officer Tobin of 609 Squadron. After a low-level chase along the Darent Valley, Heitsch was forced to bring his machine down in a field at Castle Farm, Shoreham, narrowly missing the high tension cables that ran over the field.
The Dornier's crew were taken prisoner by the local Home Guard. Heitsch and Feldwebel Pfeiffer, the observer, were uninjured. Feldwebel Sauter, the gunner, had been wounded in the ankle and was taken to Maidstone Hospital. Feldwebel Stephan Schmidt, the wireless operator, died of a chest wound before reaching hospital. One other casualty was a hop picker who had been shot in the leg by a stray bullet from one of the two low-flying Spitfires.
After a certain amount of detective work I found enough information to deduce that John Dundas was flying R6922 (PR-T) and that Eugene Tobin was flying K9997 (PR-C) (Tobin was definitely flying this aircraft because, on his return to the airfield the following occurred: 12:30 hrs: Middle Wallop. Spitfire K9997. 609 Squadron Warmwell P/O E.Q.Tobin unhurt. (Crashed into airfield truck on landing approach).)
Pilot Officer Tobin was an American volunteer from Los Angeles. He saw service throughout the Battle of Britain, and was a core member of the first Eagle Squadron (No.71).
According to one source - see link #6 - the damaged Dornier Do 17Z was placed on an RAF "Queen Mary" low loader (aircraft transporter vehicle) and put on public display at Crown Meadow in Lowestoft, Suffolk (sixpence a time to view!)
Sources:
1. https://www.asisbiz.com/il2/Do-17/Do-17-KG76.8-(F1+FS).html
2. http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/sevenoaks-german-bomber-crash-landing.18641/#post-219227
3. https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234998743-height-of-the-battle-the-castle-farm-dornier/
4. https://forum.keypublishing.com/forum/historic-aviation/35945-luftwaffe-airborne-flamethrower
5. https://theairtacticalassaultgroup.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7361
6. https://www.lowestoftjournal.co.uk/news/the-day-a-bomber-turned-up-on-lowestoft-turf-1-4322912
7. https://www.aviartnutkins.com/limited_editions/13_The_Castle_Farm_Dornier.php
8. http://kenttodayandyesterday.blogspot.com/2009/08/white-cross-of-shoreham-kent.html
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 28-Jul-2013 09:23 | harro | Added |
| 23-May-2019 20:36 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Registration, Cn, Operator, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 23-May-2019 20:38 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 09-Dec-2019 17:24 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
| 04-Jan-2020 20:50 | stehlik49 | Updated [Operator, 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