ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 79452
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| Date: | Wednesday 5 January 1916 |
| Time: | 09:00 LT |
| Type: |  Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2c |
| Owner/operator: | 2 Sqn RFC |
| Registration: | 1734 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Harnes, Pas-de-Calais 62 -
 France
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Royal Flying Corps B.E.2c 1734 (No. 2 Sqn), shot down by the German Ace Oswald Boelcke on 5 January 1916. A summary of the action taken from Early German Aces of WW1 by Greg Van-Wyngarden:
"As 1916 opened, the wintry weather hampered flying on both sides of the lines until 5 January, which turned out to be a very active day for FFA 62. Two BE2cs from No. 2 Sqn were on a reconnaissance flight to Lille, and Boelcke, eager for his seventh victory that would tie him with Immelmann, took off at 0900 hrs (probably in his two-gun E IV) and caught up with them over Henin-Liétard. He closed in on the rear machine, which was flying escort for the other one. 'There, some joyous shooting began'.
Boelcke fired some 800 rounds during the course of his pursuit, wounding the observer Lt. G.C. Formilli in the shoulder and grazing the right side of the head of the pilot, 2Lt W E Somervill. The rudder control and one of the aileron control cables were also shot away. Somervill tried to land the crippled BE 2c near Harnes, but the aircraft crashed badly. He helped his wounded observer from the wreckage, but could not burn the aeroplane before German troops arrived.
Boelcke landed nearby, and had a long talk with Somervill - the next day Boelcke took some English newspapers and a photo of the BE 2c to Formilli in the hospital. As he chatted with Boelcke, Somervill told him 'We know all about you'."
Sources:
1. http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/index.php
2. http://www.guerre1418.org/html/as28_vict.html
3. https://www.flickr.com/photos/drakegoodman/4605182175
4. http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/showthread.php?t=47471
5. https://stalker6delta.tumblr.com/post/169720727771/captainhellcat-be2c-1734-shot-down-near-harnes
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 17-Nov-2018 22:29 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Country, Source, Narrative] |
| 19-Nov-2018 19:18 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
| 25-Nov-2018 04:10 | JINX | Updated [Total occupants] |
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