I am looking for some details on 174 squadron from operations on 1st April 1945, RB396 XP-W. Does anyone happen to have seen them at any point? I wanted to try and find out what the mission was that day and what happened to F/LT House, he burnt his aircraft but then I believe he was captured. I would love to know what happened to him afterwards and what he went on to do after he left the RAF.
Thanks for any help
By: ericmunk - 25th April 2013 at 20:00
it seems to have literally been unbolted and is complete with the brackets to attach to the cockpit. The paint is still original on the one site and it still has the flak holes and scars from the forced landing. There were more parts of the Typhoon at some point but unfortunately they were lost/borrowed/taken.
Yeah, it’s stunning. One side restored, the other original. If I remember correctly from the text at the museum (it’s been a long time), it had been ‘liberated’ by an enterprising local who used it for a shower cabin or something like that. There were other parts, mainly small bits found on site, or returned by locals long after the war to the museum. I remember the tail wheel tyre, and cockpit compass, amongst others. Sorry, no pics (lost in a house fire some years ago).
By: CeBro - 25th April 2013 at 19:31
I think we have a prophub somewhere, don’t know if it is from this one.
Cees
By: DaveR - 25th April 2013 at 19:24
Thanks for all the information in the ORB. It is a coincidence that Chris House joined 175 Squadron as one of my Uncles friends in Australia is Tom Hall, published a book on his wartime Typhoon experiences with 175 Squadron. He sent me a personal copy of his book (1st and 2nd edition), assuming he was still with the squadron he may remember Chris House (you never know).
ericmunk: the fuselage is an amazing survivor….it seems to have literally been unbolted and is complete with the brackets to attach to the cockpit. The paint is still original on the one site and it still has the flak holes and scars from the forced landing. There were more parts of the Typhoon at some point but unfortunately they were lost/borrowed/taken.
By: ericmunk - 25th April 2013 at 14:12
I remember seeing that rear fuselage in the museum at Twenthe AFB before that closed. At the time a nearby display also contained (by heart) a Typhoon droptank that had been locally converted to a mini-rowing boat.
By: paulmcmillan - 25th April 2013 at 13:09
2nd TAF Volume 3 by Shores and Thomas
has for 1st April 1945
time estimated 1230 174 Sqn Typhoon IB RB396 W F/L C.W. House hit by flak force-landed North East Denekamp
By: Cranswick - 25th April 2013 at 12:55
from 174’s ORB ….
The incident took place on 174 Sqn’s only operation that day: the unit was part of 121 Wing based at B.100 Goch, the first British airfield in Germany. Four Typhoons were detailed to attack MET (mechanized enemy transport) on a road NE of ‘Henglo’ (presumably Hengelo). The transport was found and attacked with cannon and rockets. 6 MET were claimed destroyed and 6 more damaged.
Red 4 (Flt Lt C.W.House) was hit by intense light flak at about 500 ft and force-landed in enemy territory near Enschede. Lt Higgins’ Typhoon was also hit in the tail but he returned to base OK.
Flt Lt House was known to have landed safely and unhurt and returned on 3 April, near exhausted. “What and adventure” exclaimed the diarist but gave no further detail!
The fact that a Flt Lt was flying Red 4 suggests he was new to this type of operation and in fact he had joined 174 a few days earlier, on 26 March. The squadron was disbanded on 9 April 1945, one of 3 Typhoon squadrons to suffer this fate, owing to a shortage of pilots. 174’s pilots were mainly posted to other squadrons in 121 Wing, Flt Lt Chris House going to 175 Sqn.
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April 24, 2013 at 10:46 pm