Hi all crikey havent been on this site for ages. I was especially interested in this thread I located whilst doing an Internet sweep on B17 AN 536. This was partially because I have covered this crash in my book “War Torn Skies Cambridgeshire published by Red Kite Books. But also for another reason Im am a keen metal detectorist and have been searching the Shepreth area for ages. I too had a passing interest in this Fortress but never came across anyone who remembered it. Well to cut along story short whilst in the area the other day I came across a 0.50 calibre bullet and a few scraps of alloy. It wasnt until I checked the headstamp to see it was “50 ACL. X . 1940” that I realised I was onto something very interesting. Several trees bore scars of violent impact and the area was covered in globules of once molten alloy. I found plexiglas a lovely tear drop shaped access panel handle and more 1940 dated cases. Basically after years of half hearted searching I had stumbled across the crash site of AN 536 by accident….whilst I was really out that day looking for Roman and Saxon coins. I intend to investigate site intensely so cant reveal exactlyy where it is. But I can be contacted on [email]j.evenhart@ntlworld.com[/email] by any interested parties and will pass on pics of trees and artefacts so far located………cheers everyone Jules.

Excellent finds Denis well done…Jules

Hello Alan I dont live too far away from Hunsdon…there is still alot left, including a superb new memorial with crashed Mosquito blade as its central design…..many buildings exist and there are even more just to the edge of adjacent woodland….I too think its great that its aviation heritage still carries on. Its a very evocative place to visit, I was always interested in the Heinkel He 111 that flat panned there in 1940 and even traced some “locals” who have bits of it. It would be nice to see such a place marked with a “memorial” to the raid having taken off from here. ….fascinating stuff I was fortunate enough to accompany Simon to the crash site of Pickards Mossie a few years back an amazing experience. Cheers Julian

This is going to be great stuff Im certain..I was initially involved in this work at the outset in a small vestigial stage, but I do know for a fact how many times the text has had to be re-worked and polished until the publishers are satisfied…and when you obsessively quest for perfection how easy is that? I feel that this will come as near to “definitive” as possible unless something stunning is revealed or unearthed in the associated documentary world. I imagine that the book will also be stirring, rousing, and probably responsible for straightening a few dyed in the wool crooked literary spines” One always ponders on such matters…will we ever know the real truth? well there are some totally new factual revelations here that will eradicate many previous ponderings….as well as some issues that will have new considerations. Its all tied up in the most remarkable research…so prepare for some apple carts to be tipped over and never set back up…….and depending on your opinions prepare to be shocked….well worth waiting for I reckon…cant wait to get my copy….should be out quite soon I reckon….cheers all Jules.
PS now Im sitting here looking and fiddling with two brass 20mm cannon shell cases…..both of them once forming the ammunition compliment on Pickards Mosquito for this very raid…….perhaps its me that`s obsessive!!!!

Yes I experienced some mild “hassle” outside Amiens Prison.. totally my fault……In my feverish excitement to get footage and photos…I forgot this was a modern day penitentiary and not just an historic WW2 aviation milestone. A very attractive female Prison guard came out and informed me after some lengthy questions that I could film the wall but mustnt take shots of the wall top showing visible internal building structures. I totally complied….despite pondering for a millisecond the potential desirability of being locked up with aforementioned guard…Jules