ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 175055
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| Date: | Wednesday 25 October 1944 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito PR Mk XVI |
| Owner/operator: | 654th (BR) Sqn USAAF |
| Registration: | NS582 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | farm field at Vladslo, Diksmuide, West Flanders -
 Belgium
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Watton /AAF Sta.376 Norfolk |
Mosquito NS582: Took off at 02:15 hrs for Night PR mission (Joker) over Duisburg. 25/10/1944
Crew now had to take pictures of the damage done for attacked RAF bombarders.
The plane swiveled to the left shortly after taking off, but Brooks corrected, straightening the plane and climbing into the night. Taylor gave Brooks the first course when they crossed the British coast at Claxton at around 15,000 feet (5,000 meters). When Taylor asked Brooks how the plane behaved, he answered "OK."
During the Channel crossing, Brooks said something was wrong with the supercharger. The altimeter indicated 18,000 feet and Taylor told Brooks that that supercharger only hit 21,000 feet. Brooks climbed further and at 21000 feet the supercharger started to work. (The supercharger ensures that air is pumped into the ignition, which increases engine performance)
They crossed Ostend, Belgium, at 22,000 feet. Brooks encountered difficulties in keeping the plane on course and the artificial horizon indicated that the right wing was lower. Brooks thought a landing wheel was hanging out and said he was planning to return above the Channel to try and retract the wheel there. Taylor then gave Brooks a course of 309 °.
Then Taylor felt the plane begin to slip - it actually hit a stall, after which Taylor immediately said, "Get ready to jump." Taylor lowered his table, stood up, and pulled the handle of the canopy that immediately flew away. The plane then went into a steep spin.
(The aircraft lost all its carrying capacity and crashed into a spiral flight. The mid-point flying force made it extremely difficult for the crew to move around in the already narrow cabin of the Mosquito.
Taylor grabbed at his chest parachute but it seemed as if he had been nailed to the bottom because of the centrifugal forces. Yet he managed to click one side of his parachute on his armor, crawled from his position across the floor of the nose, and managed to open the hatch. He looked around again and saw Brooks climbing through the upper hatch, his face to the nose.
Taylor wriggled through the hatch and stood briefly with his face to the tail. The next thing he remembered was that he fell through the sky. During that free fall he successfully clicked the other side of his parachute on the harness. After he had pulled the D-ring, he was blacked out for a moment but before regaining consciousness he had regained consciousness. He saw the Mosquito burn on the ground.
After he landed in a farmer's field, he sat on his parachute for a few minutes. He then moved to a nearby farm, about two miles away. The residents let him in, and immediately informed the police of Diksmuide. Moments later the police arrived with a car and informed him that Taylor was found on the sidewalk, about a mile away, and that he was dead. His parachute was not open. (It is assumed that Brooks, after he jumped, hit the vertical stabilo and was killed instantly, or unconscious).The plane was totally destroyed and all photo bombs had exploded. 25.10.1944
Crew:
1/Lt (O-2044827) George M. BROOKS (pilot) USAAF - killed
2/Lt (O-????) Richard C. TAYLOR (nav.) USAAF - Ok
Sources:
1.http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/_DH98%20prodn%20list.txtt
2.http://www.americanairmuseum.com/aircraft/18598
3.https://www.luchtvaartgeschiedenis.be/content/mosquito-ns582-te-vladslo
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 03-Apr-2015 12:03 | Thomas Fuk | Added |
| 21-Sep-2015 19:20 | Nepa | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Narrative] |
| 18-Jan-2016 10:40 | BlB | Updated [Operator, Nature] |
| 12-Mar-2019 20:26 | Nepa | Updated [Other fatalities, Location, Narrative, Operator] |
| 20-Sep-2019 11:17 | Nepa | Updated [Departure airport, Operator] |
| 20-Sep-2019 12:38 | Nepa | Updated [Date, Operator, Location, Nature, Source, Narrative, Operator] |
| 10-Oct-2019 19:27 | TigerTimon | Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Location, Source] |
| 27-Nov-2019 21:32 | Nepa | Updated [Other fatalities, Departure airport, Operator] |
| 29-Jan-2021 10:42 | Nepa | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Departure airport, Operator] |
| 31-Aug-2021 17:29 | TB | Updated [Time, Source, Narrative, Operator] |
| 29-Oct-2021 19:21 | Nepa | Updated [Source, Narrative, Operator] |
| 26-Jun-2022 09:59 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
| 23-Dec-2023 21:14 | Nepa | Updated [Narrative, Operator] |
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