RAF Coastal Command B-17E Fortress IIa FK191

An absolute pleasure, Avion. 
I have a copy of the above mentioned book (increasingly difficult to find these days), and only realised after posting that some of the links pertained to that book!
I highly recommend it, though, it is an excellent accounting of an aircraft type in use by what I consider the ‘forgotten’ branch of the RAF.

Indeed it does. And comprehensively, too! Thank you, yakoyakdiddy.

According to Robert M Stitt’s “Boeing B-17 Fortresses in RAF Coastal Command Service”:

“Gosport was a relatively small aerodrome, a contributory cause of two accidents involving Fortresses. The first occurred on December 28, 1944, when the long-suffering MK II A FK191 arrived with Canadian pilot F/O Walter C Reynolds at the controls. Failing to appreciate that a short landing was necessary, Reynolds approached too fast, to discover that the brakes were non-effective on the icy surface. FK 191 left the runway and collided with target towing Vultee Vengeance T.T.IV KG810 of 667 Sqn. The Fortress was flown to Prestwick in mid- February for repairs by Scottish Aviation, but, like other Fortresses located at Prestwick, it was later recategorised as scrap -Cat E, and struck off charge”.

I don’t believe there were any injuries from this incident, the crew not being listed as casualties in the losses section of the book. Also, elsewhere I have found mentions of this specific incident stating no injuries:
https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-boeing-b-17e-flying-fortress-gosp…

I hope this answers your question!

As an aside, FK 191 scored Coastal Command’s last Fortress U-Boat kill on September 26th, 1944, with U-871 sunk.

Thank you, Aerotony, I’ll follow up that lead.

The former Gosport Aviation Society amalgamated with the The Lee Flying Association and formed The Daedalus Aviation & Heritage Group.

One of the members may have some more information for you.

https://daedalusaviation.org/

Thank you, both, for those leads. Regrettably, they take me no further. Maybe there is no information beyond the statement that on 28 December 1944 FK191 overshot the runway at Gosport and crashed. But if one doesn’t turn stones, one will never know whether there is anything underneath them!

AA

Hi All,

AA – 3rd paragraph down may be related ?  https://www.key.aero/article/b-17-85-maritime-hunter

3rd Aircraft down:-    https://www.baaa-acro.com/city/gosport

May be of some use ? https://studylib.net/doc/8919775/boeing-b-17-fortress-in-raf-coastal-command-service

Another possible avenue for info ?  https://coastalcommand206.com/pages/206-squadron-coastal-command-aircraft-flown-john-lowe

Scroll down until 2522 – http://cgibin.rcn.com/jeremy.k/cgi-bin/gzUsafSearch.pl?target=41-2460&content=

Scroll down until 2522 (Approx. half way down page page): –    https://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1941_1.html

  Helpful info ? – https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=1395756&resourceID=19191

You never know may lead to somewhere that has the info you require.?

Geoff.

The Hampshire Crashes site has a record of this incident, the only difference being that the operating unit is quoted as RAE. 

Early in WW2 Gosport had four grass runways, the longest measured 4,650 feet.