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Date: | Tuesday 5 May 1942 |
Time: | 01:14 |
Type: | Avro Lancaster Mk I |
Owner/operator: | 97 (The Straits Settlements) Sqn RAF |
Registration: | R5553 |
MSN: | OF-S |
Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 7 |
Other fatalities: | 0 |
Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
Location: | RAF Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire -
United Kingdom
|
Phase: | Landing |
Nature: | Military |
Departure airport: | RAF Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire |
Destination airport: | |
Narrative:Avro Lancaster B.Mk.1 R5553 "OF-S" of 97 Sqn., RAF. Took off 22:57 from RAF Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire. Target: Stuttgart. Landed back at Woodhall Spa 01:14. Reaching the French coast, undercarriage came down of its own accord, suspected hit by flak, all types of accurate flak coming up when failure occurred. Mission was abandoned, bomb doors failed to open so forced to land with full load without flaps, with result that the aircraft overshot and crashed without injury to the crew. Aircraft a complete write-off.
Crew:-
Pilot : Squadron Leader David John Hatfeild Maltby RAF 60335 (NCO:919002 : Commission Gazetted Friday 21 February, 1941)
Flight Engineer : Flight Sergeant George William Lancey RCAF (Officer:J/15596)
Navigator : Sergeant Max Rupert Haynes Smith RAAF Aus/400262
Bomb Aimer : Sergeant Rouse RAF
Wireless Operator : Sergeant Eric Norman Grimwood RAFVR 1183176
Mid-Upper Gunner : Flight Sergeant Legace RAF
Rear Gunner : Sergeant Humphrey RAF
As all were uninjured, they returned to service immediately. A year later, F/O D.J.H. Maltby, now with 617 Squadron, participated in the Dams raid, gaining an immediate DSO to go with the DFC that he gained with 97 Squadron. Tragically, F/O Maltby, by then a squadron leader, was killed on operations 15 September 1943. Of his crew, Sgt Grimwood was lost on 26 July 1942
Sources:
1.
http://www.bansteadhistory.com/Memorial/2_G.html 2.
http://www.rafinfo.org.uk/BCWW2Losses/1942.htm 3.
http://www.bcar.org.uk/1942-incident-logs 4.
http://www.sonsofdamien.co.uk/Man-Lanc%20serials%20page2.htm 5. Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database
Revision history:
Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
29-Dec-2014 21:14 |
Dr. John Smith |
Added |
06-Jun-2015 09:44 |
Charlie Harper |
Updated [Operator] |
19-Dec-2017 19:22 |
Red Dragon |
Updated [Cn, Operator] |
10-Nov-2018 22:29 |
Nepa |
Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Operator] |
06-May-2022 13:55 |
TigerTimon |
Updated [Other fatalities, Destination airport] |
03-May-2024 06:52 |
Rob Davis |
Updated [Source, Narrative] |
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