Look for Details of Wellington Loss on 2/3 Dec 1942

[JohnT]

I was looking to try and identify a Vickers Wellington 1c of 1474 Flight RAF that set itself up for an interception by a Luftwaffe night fighter on the night of 2/3 December 1942 to get the frequencies of the Luftwaffe radar AI intercept. The aircraft came under attach by a night fighter thought to be JU88 and was badly damaged after several attacks. It eventually evaded and made it back to the UK but the pilot elected to ditch and the aircraft was lost.

The story is told in RV Jones "Most Secret War" and elsewhere (Max Hastings book "The Secret War has it too but says is 1943 and 1473 Flight and that's not what is in all the other sources) including here - its worth a read. Portal called it "a splendid performance" - Huge understatement frankly - I'd say miraculous and astonished no VC awarded albeit a DSO and DFC were handed out.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/60/a1141660.shtml

Mind boggling. Bad enough to try and hide from Night fighters on operations but to go and try and be bait for one in a Wellington of all things

I had a long Google search and found a fair amount about the operation but nothing to identify the actual aircraft used. I also looked at the National Archives web site and see that some info is available on line for the operational record book but I have no idea if thats the source I need to go to to try and find the actual aircraft serial and codes and if that info would be included in same.

I did wonder if there was a list of Wellington losses that might assist as some books I have in my wee library here contain that info - I just don't have anything that detailed on the old Wimpey.

Anyone on here used to doing that sort of research and can give pointers?

Also what modifications would the 1c have had for that operation other than internals that I might need to add to any model?

Thanks in advance for any pointers and assistance as always

John

[Vicarage Vee]

Yes, the ORB is what you want, it should give the serial and possibly individual code.

[JohnT]

Yes, the ORB is what you want, it should give the serial and possibly individual code.

Thanks. That a start in the right direction hopefully. I have a 1/48 Wellington 1c in the stash looking for a subject so hopefully I can narrow this down

[brewerjerry]

Hi

it might be worth trying a post here :-

http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/

cheers

jerry

[Graham Boak]

Given the date of the loss, and the unit, you will probably find the serial by searching through the Air Britain RAF serial books, but that'd be a long drag and the ORB should be a much quicker route. The Air Britain books do not give codes. 1473 and 1474 Flights were both formed out of 109 Sq for this kind of mission and later combined as 192 Sq. For 1473 Fight I have DF601/Q but suspect this is a Mk.III? The Aircraft of 100 Group quotes it as a Mk.III but DV845 as a Mk.Ic. This also lists R1797, Z1047,Z1162, N2272, AD596, AD600 and MF837 as Mk.Ic with 1474 Flight when it became 192 Sq, so that rules out those examples.

[Simon]

The story is mentioned here:

http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?994-What-WW2-story-would-you-like-to-see-filmed-today-(2002-Zombie)

And gives the serial DV819. If you Google Wellington DV819 you'll get more information.

Regards

Simon

EDIT: it carried the codes DT-G according to this page of amendments to Bill Chorley's Bomber Command Losses books:

http://www.rafinfo.org.uk/BCWW2Losses/HCU-Misc.htm

Edited April 23, 2016 by Simon

[brewerjerry]

Hi

the combat report is here

http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?8255-Boozer

cheers

jerry

[JohnT]

Guys

Many thanks for that

Now I know it's the ORB I'll get online to Kew. I will post up any new info I find .

At the moment it's very much looking like serial DV819 and codes DT-G

Now if a photo existed.........aye, and next weeks lottery winning numbers too!

Thanks again all and appreciate the trouble you chaps have taken. Hopefully of interest to anyone who didn't know the story. Doing it in a Mosquito is brave enough but in a Wellington is Charge of the Light Brigade stuff