Any photos of the Whitstable Dornier that came down on 16 August 1940?

Thanks Andy.

So the photograph is of 5K + LM

Nick

Thanks Andy.

So the photograph is of 5K + LM

Nick

No, this is the well photographed Dornier on the beach at Sandwich Flats, 4./KG3, on 31 August 1940.

The Whitstable crash resulted in the total destruction by impact, fire and explosion of the aircraft. This aircraft landed intact and was fired by the crew.

No, this is the well photographed Dornier on the beach at Sandwich Flats, 4./KG3, on 31 August 1940.

The Whitstable crash resulted in the total destruction by impact, fire and explosion of the aircraft. This aircraft landed intact and was fired by the crew.

Hi all,

I wonder if this is a possible candidate.

I came across it some years ago when I was researching this crash. Adrian you may recall that I have a couple of data plates from the crash and you were kind enough to let me have one or two other bits from your collection plus copies of the various newspaper articles you have mentioned.

Andy – I would particularly like your view. The letter clearly visible on the wing is an L but U5 + LL is generally recorded as being Lt. Mollenbrok’s aircraft which did not crash on the beach. I wasn’t ever able to discover the markings for Oblt. Brandenburg’s aircraft and have only seen it recorded as U5 + ?L.

Nick

Hi all,

I wonder if this is a possible candidate.

I came across it some years ago when I was researching this crash. Adrian you may recall that I have a couple of data plates from the crash and you were kind enough to let me have one or two other bits from your collection plus copies of the various newspaper articles you have mentioned.

Andy – I would particularly like your view. The letter clearly visible on the wing is an L but U5 + LL is generally recorded as being Lt. Mollenbrok’s aircraft which did not crash on the beach. I wasn’t ever able to discover the markings for Oblt. Brandenburg’s aircraft and have only seen it recorded as U5 + ?L.

Nick

There was a very brief piece in the Canterbury paper (name uncertain, now) at the time, and a longer account full of thrilling derring-do in the Whitstable Times for the following week. No pictures in either edition – of anything, 100% text, though I’ve never forgotten the ads that every woman should read Nurse Drew’s leaflet. The illustration left no doubt that said Nurse did not let little things like the phase of the moon get in her way! Funny what you recall…

There was also a later piece reporting Battle of Britain Sunday in 1943 or 1944 with a slightly different report, confirming the earlier report – described at the time as “a coastal town” – as Whitstable. The only photo was of the parade – maybe 3 or 4 photos in the whole edition.

It’s possible that the Kent Messenger archive might have something as I recall one of H R Pratt-Boormann’s books had a photo of the Seasalter crash in it – the one used in the Daily Mail report of Andy and Joe Potter’s activity. I believe that I’ve also seen that one on a Whitstable website (Simply Whitstable?), as I did the picture of the body being carried ashore. Another view appears in Richard Collier’s “Eagle Day”, and I have a feeling there’s at least one more out there. There’s also film somewhere as a few seconds of appeared in “Spitfire Ace”. It seems they used all their film on the 13th, and had none left for the 16th… Since the publication of Andy’s article in the Mail the photos in that are on line – I liked the source of this one!
http://liveghana.tv/trending/bodies-of-two-luftwaffe-pilots-that-have-lain-in-unmarked-grave-since-1940-to-be-relocated-after-historians-finally-identify-them.html

As far as I can recall from the eye-witness accounts I gathered it crashed at low tide, and could have been exposed for several hours depending on the state of the tide – on a spring tide it goes out way past the site, while it is not uncovered at neap tides. One witness recalled that it burnt for some time and a group of soldiers approached it as the fire seemed to burn out, when something exploded much to their chagrin. I have a piece of bomb casing that was recovered much later, rusty enough to suggest that it had been hanging around since 1940 in that state, that suggests to me that at least one bomb went off at the time. However a number remained to be unearthed by RN bomb disposal in 1991, and they in turn managed to bury an SC50 under a pile of mud for yours truly to stumble across it in 1992! I think how the bombs managed to remain there after the site had been dug at least once before the RN got there is best left to those who dug there… They came scarily close to owing me a new pair of pants!

Andy, Elliot – if anything I have is of use to you email me!

Adrian

WP,

There’s nothing in The Times, but have you tried the Kent Library Service to ask if archived local newspapers carry a report of the incident.

I’ve found libraries very generous with this sort of enquiry, although there’s sometimes a small copying fee.

Try [email]libraries@kent.gov.uk[/email]

I’ve heard that rumour also Steve, but where could they be hiding. Are there any areas of the archives in the UK that are yet to be trawled? What a find they would be. 🙂

Are there any photos of the Seasalter crash online?… I’ve never seen any

Sorry, I can’t help with a photo…but, the subject raises a question that I have.

Whilst doing a bit of research on the Bf-110 that crash landed at North Shoebury on 3rd September 1940, I spoke to one of the author’s of the Jagdwaffe series of books.

He told me that the intelligence section photographed every Luftwaffe aircraft that came down, from all four angles to give a good photographic record of each aircraft (if conditions allowed). The problem was, that it was felt/known that these photos still existed, but their whereabouts are unknown. Is there any substance to this claim? If it is the case, that would be quite a stash to unearth! The Bf-110 that I’m interested in has just one known photo, taken from a front quarter port view with guards blocking a fair few of the marking details of the aircraft. To have views of each side would be fantastic! Wonder if and where these photos survive?

Regards;
Steve

I strongly suspect there are none, but never say never!

The thing blew up on the sand (not sure of the state of the tide, but worth researching) and the tide, anyway, probably came in and out a couple of times before any photographer could get close. We do know that a great deal of the wreck was buried in the sand, and we know this from subsequent excavations there. Thus, any impact crater would have probably filled in pretty instantly with sand and water so I doubt there was much, if anything, to photograph.

Join the club. If either of you ever find one, I’m first in the queue for a copy, please!

Adrian

Never seen one! But I’d like to find one.