ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 68941
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| Date: | Friday 20 September 1940 |
| Time: | dusk |
| Type: | Gloster Gladiator Mk I |
| Owner/operator: | 80 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | K7911 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | About 48 km south of Mersa Matruh -
 Egypt
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Ferry/positioning |
| Departure airport: | Fouka Landing Ground (LG) |
| Haneish Landing Ground (LG) |
Two Gloster Gladiators left the RAF base at Abu Sueir in Egypt bound for a forward landing ground at Haneish on the Libyan Plateau.
After intermediate stops for fuel the two planes arrived at Fouka LG near the Egyptian coast where the pilots were given the co-ordinates for the forward airfield where the squadron they were joining, No.80, was operating.
The aircraft took off from Fouka at 1815 L/T with a little over an hour of daylight left. The flight was estimated to take about 50 minutes.
After the estimated arrival time had passed the pilots were unable to sight the airfield. With insufficient fuel to return to Fouka and daylight rapidly running out, the two pilots had little choice but to attempt an emergency landing in the desert.
One of the Gladiators landed safely but the other struck a boulder with its undercarriage and crashed, bursting into flames.
The pilot suffered serious head injuries which left him temporarily blinded, but was able to get clear with the assistance of his colleague.
Pilot-Officer Roald Dahl recovered from his injuries and took part in the air fighting over Greece the following year, where he was credited with 5 air victories.
He survived the war and became a famous writer.
Sources:
Air Britain The K File The RAF of the 1930s
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 13-Oct-2009 09:04 | JINX | Added |
| 13-Oct-2009 09:06 | JINX | Updated |
| 13-Sep-2011 19:15 | angels one five | Updated [Time, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 13-Sep-2011 22:15 | angels one five | Updated [Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 13-Sep-2011 22:27 | angels one five | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 21-Nov-2011 02:01 | angels one five | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 23-Jan-2012 04:45 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Source] |
| 01-May-2013 07:12 | angels one five | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative] |
| 26-Jul-2013 14:15 | Nepa | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator] |
| 02-Aug-2013 13:49 | JINX | Updated [Operator, Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 01-Oct-2013 07:57 | angels one five | Updated [Operator, Location, Narrative] |
| 15-Jun-2015 11:01 | Oezil | Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport] |
| 20-Apr-2018 06:02 | angels one five | Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative] |
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