On the night of the 17th/18th January 1943, the Luftwaffe launched their first large scale ‘two raids in one night’ attack on London since 1941. Four of the raiders were brought down over the U.K., no less than three of them by one crew of No 29 Squadron RAF – Wing Commander Mike Wight-Boycott, the squadron’s C/O, and his Radar operator, Flying Officer E.A. Saunders.
Initially they claimed three Dornier Do 217s destroyed, and one damaged, plus one Junkers Ju 88 destroyed, for which they were awarded the DSO and DFC respectively, however one of the Do 217s claimed as ‘destroyed’ was later downgraded to a ‘damaged’ by Fighter Command. In fact, only one of their victories that amazing night was a Do 217. This was WNr 5591, U5+MR of 7/KG 2.
The two other aircraft brought down by Wight-Boycott and Saunders were both Ju 88s. Mike Wight-Boycott went on to claim a total of seven aircraft destroyed and two damaged, plus two V-1 Flying Bombs.
Our curator and ‘well known aviation artist’ Geoff Nutkins is working on a painting of W/C Wight-Boycott shooting down the Dornier Do 217 that night, for W/C Wight-Boycott’s son, and has asked me to see what information I can gather to help with the painting.
What Geoff needs are details about the Beaufighter that Wight-Boycott was flying that night. ‘Aces High’ lists it as ‘8270’, so what was the full s/n and what code letter did it carry? Did it have any nose art? How would it have been marked? Are there any photos of the Beau in question, or of 29 sqn Beaus around that period?
Accounts by Wight-Boycott or Saunders of the night in question would also be very welcome. I understand there is an account by Wight-Boycott in ‘Beaufighter squadrons in Focus’ by Parry! Does anyone have a copy of this book & could they let me have a copy of his account?
We have the relevant information from ‘The Blitz, then & now’, but anything else regarding Wight-Boycott’s Beaufighter, or those of 29 sqn at that time, text or images will be very welcome.
Can anyone suggest who we might contact for information or photos re the Beau or 29 Sqn RAF in January 1943?
Over to you guys.
Geoff.
By: von Perthes - 24th February 2005 at 19:33
Is there a 29 Sqn or Beau website? There used to be a really good Beau website at http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pete.myring/beau/ but it seems to have ‘gone’. Has it just moved to another web address, or does anyone have contact details for Pete Myring???
Geoff.
I’ve answered my own question here! The Pete Myring website is now at http://www.myring.org.uk/beau/
Well worth checking out.
Geoff
By: von Perthes - 24th February 2005 at 10:21
bump??
By: von Perthes - 23rd February 2005 at 19:30
Thanks for that Alex
Geoff
By: Alex Crawford - 23rd February 2005 at 19:23
Hi,
If you go here; http://www.associations.rafinfo.org.uk/squadron.htm and scroll down the page you’ll find the 29 Sqn Association details.
Hope this helps.
Alex
By: von Perthes - 23rd February 2005 at 18:45
Thanks Steve, PM on its way in a jiffy.
V8270 is indeed listed as being with 29 sqn in the relevant Air -Britain s/n volume, though as always no dates. Now does anyone know the code latter carried by V8270 on 29 sqn?
Don’t bother about the other 29 sqn nose art, its only (V)’8270′ that we’re interested in, and if it carried any.
What would really help are images of 29 sqn Beaus around the January 1943 period.
Is there a 29 Sqn or Beau website? There used to be a really good Beau website at http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pete.myring/beau/ but it seems to have ‘gone’. Has it just moved to another web address, or does anyone have contact details for Pete Myring???
I wonder if FlyPast or Aeroplane Monthly have done articles on Wight-Boycott or his ‘three in one night’ feat?
Geoff.
By: Arabella-Cox - 23rd February 2005 at 14:20
Hi Geoff,
I have a copy of ‘Beaufighter Squadrons in focus’, which I’m happy to send you. Drop me a pm with your address.
I’ve just had a flick through the article, and although it doesn’t identify the Beaufighter concerned, it does mention that there was in fact a third crew member on board that night. It appears that the flight was originally planned as a non-operational flight, flying along the coast to observe fall of shot for naval coastal batteries. for this purpose, a spotter was carried, Fg Off John McAlister. As the Beau carried no extra seating, Fg Off McAlister was to stand on the escape hatch throughout the flight. Wight-Boycott remarks “This, we thought, would be safe enough for the planned flight”.
Very interesting reading!!
I also have some other information which might help in identifying the aeroplane. 29 Sqn were still on Beau 1F’s at that stage, and ‘Fighter squadrons of the RAF and their aircraft’ by John Rawlins, identifies the following Beau 1F’s on strength at the time:
V8231
V8247
V8284 RO-H
V8324 RO-B
V8346
I would imagine therefore that ‘8270’ would be V8270. 29 Sqn also had 1F’s in the ranges R2072 – R2250, T4646 – T4869, and X7550 – X7826 (including Skysport’s Beau X7688, which was with 29Sqn from Jan – June 1943), but none of these ranges would accommodate ‘8270’.
At least two of 29 Sqn’s Beaufighters carried nose art; famously, V8324 (RO-B) carried ‘Bambi’ nose art, and rather less well-known, then Flt Lt Guy Gibson’s 1F (R2250, RO-C) was named ‘Admiral Foobang III’. A colour spread of ‘Bambi’ (V8324) is contained in Profile 137, Beaufighter I and II. Again, I’ll send these on.
Hope that helps.
Steve
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February 23, 2005 at 1:50 pm