ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 293644
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| Date: | Wednesday 21 March 1945 |
| Time: | 03:18 |
| Type: |  Lockheed Hudson Mk IIIa |
| Owner/operator: | 161 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | FK803 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 7 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Bischent, hill about 1km west of Maulusmühle station. -
 Luxembourg
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger |
| Departure airport: | RAF Tempsford, Bedfordshire |
Hudson FK803/N: Took off at 18:48 hrs for on Operation BENEDICT, EXPRESS, LEADER. 20/03/1945
The Hudson was returning to England with the agents, who were not dropped owing to bad weather, when it was shot down. During flight at 00:45 hrs was attacked and set on fire by a night-fighter over the northern tip of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Blown out with his parachute pack on fire when the aircraft exploded, the pilot was the sole survivor, although badly burned about the hands and face. The remaining three crew and three Belgian agents killed. It was thought later FK803 might have been attacked in error by an Allied night-fighter (USAAF P-61 Black Widow).
Crew:
F/Lt (127.041) Terence HELFER DFC (pilot) RAFVR - bale out /injured
F/Lt (143.469) Raymond Frankish ESCREET (WOp) RAFVR - killed
F/O (168.807) Henry Scurr JOHNSON (Nav.) RAFVR - killed
F/O (NZ412766) Forrest Harold THOMPSON DFM (AG) RNZAF - killed
+ three Belgian agents /passengers killed
Benedict, Express and Leader were the code names of the Belgian agents on board.
Sources:
1.Hudson production list
2.ORB 161 Sqdn RAF
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 10-Oct-2022 09:46 | Nepa | Added [Operator] |
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