Date:	Saturday 4 November 1944
Time:	15:45
Type:	North American B-25 Mitchell Mk II
Owner/operator:	226 Sqn RAF
Registration:	FW163
MSN:	MQ-Y
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 4
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Location:	B.80 Volkel Airfield, Noord-Brabant -   Netherlands
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	B.50 Vitry-en-Artois, France
Destination airport:

Narrative:
4 November 1944
No.226 Squadron
Mitchell FW163: Y
15:45

Hit by Flak (Venlo) Force-landed B.80 . Cat 'B'.

Sgt.H.J.Lorkin
Sgt.N.Semple
F/Sgt.T.V.Flint +
F/Sgt.R.A.Smith +

At Volkel, Typhoon pilots of 245 Squadron waiting to enter the runway for take-off, were horrified to see two crew attempt to bale out of a crippled Mitchell shortly before it touched down; both fell in the undershoot area and were killed instantly. The Mitchell, which had been hit by Flak while attacking the road and rail bridge at Venlo (a particularly stubborn target), crash-landed; the pilot and navigator survived.

https://verliesregister.studiegroepluchtoorlog.nl/rs.php?aircraft=&sglo=T4635&date=&location=&pn=&unit=&name=&cemetry=&airforce=&target=&area=&airfield=



RAF #226 squadron, Robert's unit, was
> stationed at Vitry-en-Artois France. He was the radio operator and
> air gunner of Mitchell Mark II B-25D serial # 42-87602 known as
> FW163Y. It is interesting that a plane designed for a five man
> crew only had four when it crash landed at Volkel. The plane had
> been damaged by flak over the Venlo target however the extent of
> the damage was limited to the landing gear and the electrical
> retractable belly turret where Robert was trapped. The plane was
> later repaired and remained in service. The pilot circled the
> landing runway as crew members tried to repair the electrical
> system to extend the landing gear or retract the belly turret but
> time ran out. That is why the Typhoon pilots of 245 squadron were
> waiting to take-off. A war corresponded was there at the time and
> documented the action.

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
17-Dec-2008 11:45	ASN archive	Added
07-Jun-2009 21:07	jpicken	Updated
30-Nov-2009 09:42	picken66	Updated
17-Oct-2019 19:43	TigerTimon	Updated [Aircraft type, Cn, Operator, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
17-Oct-2019 19:47	TigerTimon	Updated [Damage]
16-Jun-2022 08:15	Ron Averes	Updated [Location]