ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 90001
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Saturday 24 August 1940 |
| Time: | 16:40 |
| Type: |  Bristol Blenheim Mk I |
| Owner/operator: | 235 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | Z5736 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | RAF Thorney Island, Hampshire, England -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Thorney Island, Emsworth, Hampshire |
| RAF Thorney Island, Emsworth, Hampshire |
On 24 August 1940 three Bristol Blenheims of 235 Squadron were shot down in error by 1 (RCAF) Squadron over RAF Thorney Island, Emsworth, Hampshire:
Z5736 crashed on landing at Thorney Island 16:40 hrs. Crew: Sgt. K.E. Naish & Sgt. Owen unhurt
N3531 landed safely at Thorney Island 16:45hrs. Crew: Pilot: F/L F.W. Flood & crew unhurt
T1804 crashed into Bracklesham Bay at 16:45hrs. Crew: P/O D.N. Woodgers missing & Sgt. D.L. Wright killed
They were diving at 300 miles an hour, faster & faster, too fast for all to hear McNab’s electrifying scream in their earphones: “Break, break, break! Don’t Attack!”
For at 3000 feet above the dark silhouettes, McNab had seen the gun turrets which Junkers 88s conspicuosly lacked & the white flash on the aircrafts’ fins, marking them as British; he & his section broke violently to port & didn’t attack. But the following planes saw what they took to be long yellow spears of tracer curving towards them, & opened fire-not realizing the Blenheims’ gunners were firing yellow & red Very pistol flares, the colours of the day, which were the recognition signal.
Tyres holed, undercarriage wrecked, Blenheim pilot Sergeant Naish was within an ace of disaster; he escaped the Hurricanes’ point-blank fire only by crash-landing on Thorney Island airfield. Starboard engine holed, his windscreen starred with thick opaque blotches, Flight Lieutenant Flood, was lucky to follow suit. It was the purest tragedy that the third Blenheim, Pilot Officer David Woodgers, never made it. Smoke was streaming from its tailplane, its starboard engine was already on fire, as it spiralled towards the sea, then another two-second burst came as the coup-de-grace.
East of Thorney Island, over Bracklesham bay, it fell apart, blazing like a petrol-soaked brand, in a second before it hit the water. Pilot Officer Woodger had never stood a chance.
(From Eagle Day by Richard Collier)
Sources:
1. Battle Of Britain Then and Now
2. Eagle Day by Richard Collier
3. http://blenheimsociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/BB-Journal-20-29-list-of-contents-for-website.pdf
4. http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=2670&page=42
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 10-Feb-2011 12:57 | angels one five | Added |
| 10-Feb-2011 14:27 | angels one five | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 17-Jan-2012 06:02 | Nepa | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Narrative] |
| 22-Jan-2012 21:59 | angels one five | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 03-Dec-2012 11:06 | Ricardo | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 20-Dec-2012 13:45 | Nepa | Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Departure airport] |
| 06-Oct-2018 06:07 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
| 31-May-2019 20:10 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Registration, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation