I recently acquired this rather nice item which is obviously a lead mass balance for a control surface. Allegedly it comes from a P38 Lightning crash site high up in the hills near Midhurst in Sussex. The story goes that it was not recovered at the time due to its remoteness but was found and excavated in the 1960s. Grateful for any information that can confirm its identity, especially the individual aircraft concerned and the circumstances.
By: peter cannings - 16th April 2021 at 21:55
I can tell you the events which led up to it crashing as my brother watched the German plane emerge out of the clouds at the same time as the lightning a short burst of fire and the lightening spiraled into the Bepton hill he didnt mention a pilot baling out the Ly nch crash was totally different WSCC records minute book
War records day by day 1940 to … – West Sussex County Council
http://www2.westsussex.gov.uk › wartime_events › war…
By: Arabella-Cox - 14th January 2017 at 22:14
That would make sense. Although I’m not sure that it was?
By: Versuch - 14th January 2017 at 22:12
KITA…Killed in training accident ?
By: Arabella-Cox - 14th January 2017 at 22:07
Having pulled out my wartime Casini Grid map, I see that the wartime reference puts it (currently) near enough at 849179
By: Arabella-Cox - 14th January 2017 at 22:03
I’d add that there are no local reports which corroborate any P-38 incident ‘near Funtingdon’. I suspect this is some confusion with the Bepton crash, although Wilson didn’t bale out and was killed in the crash, according to my reports.
By: Arabella-Cox - 14th January 2017 at 21:51
The map reference I have for this puts it at 849175, and although the report says ‘Ball Wood’ I suspect this to be Linch Ball Wood. The only problem with that is that Linch Ball Wood seems to be a little bit south of this reference. I have the wartime (Casini Grid) reference of 285375 and will check this against the current OS plot I have, although when walking the South Downs Way three years ago I picked up a piece of Perspex on the path by the Trig Point which I’m pretty sure was from this aircraft.
Aircraft was 42-104417 of 364 FG, 383 FS, 2nd Lt Loren R Wilson killed.
Hope that helps?
By: Nachtjagd - 14th January 2017 at 21:51
I’m now answering my own questions – maybe I should have tried harder first?! The ‘Little Friends’ website shows a 383rd FS (364th FG) P38J N2-K 42-104417 from Honington lost on 8 June. Pilot is listed as Lt Loren R Wilson KITA (no idea what KITA means). The photo gallery has some superb shots of his personalised P38 although it’s a different builder’s number from that listed on the loss record.
By: Nachtjagd - 14th January 2017 at 21:37
Thanks for that. Do we know the aircraft & pilot ID? Roger Freeman’s ‘Mighty Eighth War Diary’ shows a 364th FG P38 lost on this date “near Funtingdon” with pilot baled out. Any chance this is the same incident?
By: Arabella-Cox - 14th January 2017 at 21:15
This was at Ball Wood. Pilot killed and Fireman and Special Constable injured by exploding ammunition. Children also injured by ammo at this site in 1950s and said to have been responsible for rolling one of the engines down the steeply sloping Downs beneath the crash site.
By: Nachtjagd - 14th January 2017 at 19:33
I’m going with the Bepton incident of 8 June 44, especially as it looks very hilly in those parts!
By: Arabella-Cox - 14th January 2017 at 18:41
Typo: Edit function not working, and so to correct 4 July (Graffham)
By: Arabella-Cox - 14th January 2017 at 18:38
I’d suggest 25 Jan 1944 (Fernhurst), 8 June 1944 (Bepton) or 4 July 1944 (Bepton).
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January 14, 2017 at 4:42 pm