Aircraft crashes off the Norfolk coast in WW2 and 1961

Just an update in that the airframe piece the chute was attached to appears to have a Whitley part number??? “SP” which would fit with P5089 ditching in the area too.

I’m no expert on Parachutes but it appears to be post war to me due to the construction. There also seems like there could be more than one type of chute. Could they be ordnance chutes?

It was originally my thought that the chute might be related to the Vampire that went missing in the early 60’s but now I’m lost.

This was washed up recently close to the former Heinkel crash site at between Cley and Blakeney point. Its going to take some sorting but there was a large amount of parachute wrapped around a chunk of airframe. Looks like the parachute had been entangled around a the airframe and then washed up.

Im not sure if the chute and airframe parts are linked or whether just coincidence they have ended up coming together. 

Regarding Hampden P2123 that ditched off Cromer on 1st September 1940.

That’s my grandads plane!! Attached is his log book entry showing the entry from that night. 

Apparently they landed ashore in the dinghy only to be told it was a minefield! 

We’ve since found out part of the plane, an engine was trawled up in 1975 and currently sits in the Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum. (Image found on Instagram).

Would the RNLI have any historic/electronic record of the rescue anywhere?

The shape of it reminds me of the outer wing of the Stuka but I guess the dimensions (?) and structure aren’t right for that. Don’t know if they had a panel there though.

Any part numbers on it?

No idea, but you could try asking on PPrune Historic?

DD

I’ve been trying (unsuccessfully) to identify what aircraft this wreckage is from.

I retrieved it at low tide from Holme beach, North Norfolk (not far from Hunstanton) 2 weekends ago.

Any ideas?

Halifax DT509  of 78SQ, ditched 30mls NE of Gt. Yarmouth, 21st. Dec. 1942…

The above photo was posted on facebook today by local diver Rob Spray (his copyright), I’m pretty sure that it was off Sheringham and within half a mile of shore, waiting to know more. Has anyone any idea what it might be from? I’m thinking German and possibly the He115 that crashed on 06-DEC-1939 https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/210077

The Blakeney Heinkel is reported to be He 111H-4 of Stab II/KG 4, werke nummer 8747 (5J+DM), which was shot down early 19 June 1940 by two Bristol Blenheims of 23 Squadron, one of which was crewed by Flight Lieutenant Raymond Myles Beecham Duke Duke-Woolley (33241) and Aircraftman Derek ‘Sandy’ Bell (621628), the other by Sergeant Alan Croxton Close (566591) and Leading Aircraftman Laurence Robert Karasek (581460). Close’s and Karasek Blenheim L1458 (coded YP-S) was shot down and Close was killed, but Karasek bailed out.

Bell was KIA 27-12-41 in Hampden AE428 of 50 Sqn
Karasek was KIFA 25-9-40 in Blenheim L8639 while still on 23 Sqn

Crew

Major Dietrich Freiherr von Massenbach (Gruppenkommandeur): (0bserver)
Oberleutnant Ulrich Jordan (Pilot)
Oberfeldwebel Max Leimer (Radio Operator)
Feldwebel Kark Amberger (Air Gunner)

All captured

The serial of Duke-Woolley Blenheim would be a bonus!

The Heinkel turns up

http://www.northnorfolknews.co.uk/news/recent-tides-uncover-world-war-two-german-aircraft-in-north-norfolk-1-5321682

I saw that today and wondered at the coincidence of the re-emergence of this thread and the EDP story.

Moggy

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/story_of_remarkable_courage_and_tragedy_emerges_as_divers_discover_wreck_of_flying_fortress_off_north_norfolk_coast_1_4329118

The Vampire was probably a T11 of 5 FTS but according to Air Britain’s Broken Wings, XD431 was lost on the 9th of January, not the 13th, 18 miles north of Sculthorpe. It was abandoned over the sea after a fire with one fatality.

Hi Rob,

Notes on services from RNLI Rescue Records 1939-46

13th May 1943

42-29752, B-17F-70-BO

MAY 1 3TH. – SHERINGHAM, NORFOLK.
At about 4.45 P.M. information was received that an aeroplane had come
down in the sea off Blakeney Point. The weather was fine with a strong S.W. breeze and a choppy sea. An exercise of the lifeboat had just been carried out by the District Inspector of Life-boats, Commander T. G. Michelmore, R.D., R.N.R., and when permission to launch had been given by the naval authorities the motor life-boat Foresters Centenary put out again at 5.3 P.M. Guided by a smoke float, dropped by a searching aeroplane, the life-boat picked up an American airman at 6.20 P.M. He was unconscious and though the crew tried artificial respiration for over two hours, they could not revive him. Another airman had been rescued by the R.A.F. rescue launch from
Wells, and she spoke to the life-boat and reported that the others had baled out over the land, and that the whole crew of the aeroplane were accounted for. The lifeboat then returned to her station, arriving at 8.30 P.M. – Rewards, £19 18s. 9d.

More to follow

Ross

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/story_of_remarkable_courage_and_tragedy_emerges_as_divers_discover_wreck_of_flying_fortress_off_north_norfolk_coast_1_4329118

Could not work out why the waist gunner was injured in EDP version.
But this version sounds better.

Shortly after taking off from Grafton Underwood the left waist gun, stored internally, accidently discharged while being checked by the gunner. The bullets injured the gunnner and seriously injured the tailgunner, as well as shooting away the right stabiliser and damaging the controls. Returning to base six crew members, included the two injured gunners, baled out safely. A/c was flown to the Wash area of the North Sea, where the bombs were jettisoned and the navigator and bombardier baled out safely. The pilot and co-pilot came down in the sea off Blakeney Point, Norfolk.

Crew list: P Capt Derrol W Rogers, CP 2 Lt Norville J Gorse, N 1 Lt Joe L Hudson, B 1 Lt George D Rawlings, E T/Sgt Basil F Maxwell, RO T/Sgt Robert L Bennett, BTG S/Sgt Alfred G Miles, WG S/Sgt Edwin C Wolfkuhle, WG S/Sgt Robert Dominick, TG S/Sgt Edward C Youngers

The bombardier 1st Lt George D. Rawlings, didn’t do much more flying during the war either. After attending a memorial service for Capt. Rogers, he was called to fill in for a sick bombardier on another crew and was shot down on 17 MAY 43 on a mission to Lorient. Total war service, two take offs, no landings, shot down twice in 4 days. Spent the rest of the war in Stalag Luft III. Continued in the Air Force and served in both Korean and Vietnam. Retired as Colonel in 1972.

HEINKEL He 111H-4 of StabII/KG4

Hi John,

I think that this is Heinkel He 111H-4 of StabII/KG4 on 19/06/40.

Shot down by No.23 Sqn at 00:50 hrs and diched into the North Sea just off The Hood at Cley-next-the-sea, Norfolk. The wreck was blown up in 1969 on orders of Trinity House as a danger to navigation.

Regards
Ross

I live in Cley and as a boy I remember one resident recalling the plane crash landing on the beach and saying that when the pilot was taken prisoner by the army he was asked “Do you know where you are?” “Of course” replied the pilot; “I went to Greshams school near Holt”.

Cheers Ross thanks for that info.

Regards

John

Hi John,

I think that this is Heinkel He 111H-4 of StabII/KG4 on 19/06/40.

Shot down by No.23 Sqn at 00:50 hrs and diched into the North Sea just off The Hood at Cley-next-the-sea, Norfolk. The wreck was blown up in 1969 on orders of Trinity House as a danger to navigation.

Regards
Ross

I heard that a Heinkel crashed into Blakeney harbour and there is an interesting looking crater out on the marsh at 52*57’32.14N 1*00’41.33E.

John