Air Ministry Bf109 at Northholt in Oct'39?

No problem Peter- in Notts, there’s much consternation that Yorkshire has nicked Robin Hood (yep, Sherwood Forest does go over the border ) , let alone giving them an airfield a few miles from Nottingham.:) Regards Rad.

Thanks Radpoe.. that’ll teach me to trust the caption on page 67 of “Heinkel, An Aircraft Album” by P.St.J.Turner [Ian Allan, 1970] 🙂

Cheers
Peter D Evans
LEMB Administrator

I agree 110% Tornado. But surely records of a Bf109 being here and then being involved in a landing prang would confirm this theory? There are photo and documented evidence of Heinkel He70’s being used as Kestrel test-beds by Rolls-Royce at Hucknall in Yorkshire, so why no early-series Bf109’s?

Cheers
Peter D Evans
LEMB Administrator

Close Peter! – Hucknall is Nottinghamshire.:)

I agree 110% Tornado. But surely records of a Bf109 being here and then being involved in a landing prang would confirm this theory? There are photo and documented evidence of Heinkel He70’s being used as Kestrel test-beds by Rolls-Royce at Hucknall in Yorkshire, so why no early-series Bf109’s?

Cheers
Peter D Evans
LEMB Administrator

whilst a mix up is the most favourable explanation

i also keep an open mind to the possibility of an earlier one

after all at prototype stages deals were done for technology and engines with handley page ( wing slats ) and rolls royce ( kestrel engines for the v1 prototype )

pre war nothing surprises me as the raf also trialed french dewotine fighters etc !!

Not at all far fetched Chris, its an avenue I’d already briefly looked into and I’ve located three Bf108’s used by the Maintenance Command Communications Squadron (MCCS). Taking a more detailed look in “War Prizes” this morning, of these three, Bf108B-1 (WNr.370114, RAF Serial AW167) which was abandoned at Croydon, was “flown away by the RAF on an unknown date but force landed due to engine trouble, eventually arriving at No.10 Maintenance Unit Hullavington by road on 6th December 1939”. The dates fit but its a shame that no mention is made of when and where this landing accident took place. So perhaps this is our elusive Bf109!?!? 🙂

Cheers
Peter D Evans
LEMB Administrator

It may sound a bit far fetched, but could it be that this is just a typo and he was actually writing about a 108? However, I do not know the book in question, so maybe this suggestion may directly rule itself out…

Many thanks for the response WJ422. Yes indeed, I had seen in my copy of “War Prizes” that the crash landing of AE479 in July’41 did seem to maybe be more than a coincidence, albeit the 18 month difference in the dates is one hell of a memory lapse especially if the information was taken directly from his own diary! I think the fact that no other Bf109’s have been officially recorded as being available before AE479, let alone the chances that the Air Ministry could have actually purchased one, means that AE479 appears to be the only Bf109 it could have been.

One quick question, would the ORB for RAF Northolt for this period record carry a record for the alleged landing incident in Oct’39?

Cheers
Peter D Evans
LEMB Administrator

Don’t know if this is any help from my ancient copy of Air Britain Impressments Log
BF 109E AE479
Captured in France and shipped to the UK in early 1940.Originally delivered to A&AEE Boscombe Down and ferried to RAE as 1304 on 14 May 1940 where it flew on general handling trials. Serial AE479 was allotted June 1940 and first flew in these marks on 27 Aug 1940 for cooling tests.
From Sept 20 to November 20 1940 it was with AFDU at Northolt and frequently flew circuits escorted by a Hurricane!
On 5 January 1941 the aircraft crash landed at RAE and on 24 July 1941 was returned to AFDU at their new Duxford base.
1426 Enemy Aircraft Flight was formed at Duxford in November 1941 and AE479 was transferred to the flight on 11 December 1941.
Sent to 47 MU on 28 January 1942 for shipment to USA aboard SS Drammersford via SW India Dock, London. Destination was the quartermaster Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio so I assume this one met its end in the USA.

This aircraft was certainly involved in a landing accident but neither the dates or locations tie up but it could be a case of memories playing tricks.