ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 120976
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| Date: | Sunday 17 November 1940 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Hawker Hurricane Mk I (8x) |
| Owner/operator: | Royal Air Force (RAF) |
| Registration: | |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 8 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Mediterranean Sea -
 Malta
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Ferry/positioning |
| Departure airport: | HMS Argus |
| RAF Luqa, Malta |
Operation White was a British attempt to deliver 14 aircraft—12 Hawker Hurricane fighters and two Blackburn Skua dive bombers—to Malta from the aircraft carrier HMS Argus on 17 November 1940. The operation was thwarted by the presence of the Italian Fleet at sea, which prompted a premature take-off of the fighters, and bad weather, with the result that only five aircraft reached Malta.
The British convoy was 400 miles west of Malta when the first wave of fighters took off from HMS Argus at 06:15. Given the correct speed and the best cruise-range, the Hurricanes would have been left with just 45 minutes of fuel after reaching the coast of the island. But they lost a third of this reserve while taking off and forming up. The fighters flew at 150 mph (240 km/h) at a height of 2,000 ft (610 m), far from the ideal height and speed intended for their maximal range. The second wave was launched an hour later, as the convoy turned back at full speed. The wind veered from southwest to southeast, hampering the southeastward path of the aircraft.
Near the Galite Islands, a Short Sunderland flying boat met them to lead the formation to Malta. Two Hurricanes were lost after running out of fuel at 09:08 and 09:12. One of the pilots was rescued by the Sunderland, the other was never found. Eventually, the four remaining Hurricanes and the Skua landed at Luqa at 09:20.
The second wave missed the Sunderland's assistance when the flying boat failed to take off from Gibraltar to escort them. They also missed the Galite Islands and a bomber sent from Malta to replace the Sunderland. One by one, the Hurricanes ran out of fuel and fell into the sea, with the loss in all cases of both pilots and aircraft. The Skua managed to crash-land near Syracuse, Sicily, just before its fuel tanks became empty, and after being fired upon by an anti-aircraft artillery unit of the Italian army. The two-man crew was taken prisoner
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_White
http://fly.historicwings.com/2012/11/the-disaster-of-operation-white/
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 07-Mar-2011 02:18 | angels one five | Added |
| 07-Jan-2012 01:40 | Nepa | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Narrative] |
| 22-Jan-2012 23:27 | angels one five | Updated [Narrative] |
| 14-Mar-2013 21:42 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 14-Feb-2014 00:58 | angels one five | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Destination airport, Narrative] |
| 14-Feb-2021 16:59 | ABBA | Updated [Operator, Destination airport, Operator] |
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