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Date: | Wednesday 12 June 1940 |
Time: | day |
Type: | Vickers Wellesley Mk I |
Owner/operator: | 223 Sqn RAF |
Registration: | K7747 |
MSN: | AO-K |
Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
Location: | RAF Summit ALG, near Port Sudan -
Sudan
|
Phase: | Landing |
Nature: | Military |
Departure airport: | RAF Summit ALG, near Port Sudan |
Destination airport: | RAF Summit ALG, near Port Sudan |
Narrative:Vickers Wellesley Mk.I K7747 (AO-K) 223 Squadron RAF: Written off (damaged beyond repair) when involved in combat operations on 12 June 1940. Of the two crew, the pilot was uninjured, but the Air Gunner was wounded. According to the official Air Ministry file into the incident (File AIR 81/906): "Wellesley K7747 damaged in air operations over Gura Aerodrome, Eritrea, 12 June 1940. Corporal R Stevenson: injured"
Took off from RAF Summit ALG, near Port Sudan to attack Gura Aerodrome in Eritrea. Whilst over the target, shot at by a Fiat CR.42 of 412 Squadriliga of the Reggia Aeronuatica (Italian Air Force) piloted by Mario Visintini and severely damaged.
Visintini claimed Wellesley K7747 as the first of his 16 air victories during the conflict in Eastern Africa. K7747 managed to make it back to RAF Summit, but crashed on landing. The pilot was uninjured, but the air gunner, Corporal R Stevenson, was seriously injured.
Sources:
1. Royal Air Force Aircraft K1000-K9999 (James J .Halley, Air Britain, 1976 p 64)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/906:
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14502608 3.
https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/79233-vickers-wellesley-mk2/&tab=comments#comment-873668 4. Gladiator vs CR.42 Falco: 1940–41 By Håkan Gustavsson, Ludovico Slongo
5.
http://www.aviastar.org/gallery/256.html 6.
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/airfixtributeforum/a-matchbox-wellesley-t40655-s15.html 7.
http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/223_squadron.html#1606 8.
https://peoplepill.com/people/mario-visintini/ Revision history:
Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
28-Sep-2019 21:01 |
Dr. John Smith |
Added |
28-Sep-2019 21:05 |
Dr. John Smith |
Updated [Source] |
29-Sep-2019 08:28 |
stehlik49 |
Updated [Operator] |