Sounds like an account by S/Ldr J.H. Bryant, whose Typhoon 1B RB225 of 247 Squadron is listed as having crashed near Helmond at 09.50 on 25 March 1945. F/L D. Compton’s Typhoon RB344 of the same squadron is listed as having crashed at “Helmond (burt van vlgv.) at 13.35 the same day.

All information from a pdf file named “1945 sec_tcm5-7286”, which now seems to be online here:

http://www.airwar39-45.nl/media/Downloads/SGLO_Verlieslijst_T_1945_versie_02_28-09-2010.pdf

Might have to contact the Dutch authoriites or the Nederlands instituut voor Militaire Historie for the exact site.

bzzzzt

>blink<

*twitch*

There was one which came down a few km away from the centre of Doorn in the Krakelingenweg in Zeist on 8 March 1944. 42-67719 of the 20th FG.

If your man was one of the Americans who’d joined the RCAF (or RAF, though for obvious reasons the former seems to have been more common), then later transferred to the USAAF (I’ve read that there was sometimes some arm-twisting involved) during the middle of his tour, it’s likely he was left where he was to avoid breaking up the crew.

That seems to have been the policy, at least according to Lou Luma, who flew Mossies with 418 Sqn and who mentions the policy here:

http://books.google.com.au/books?id=gzzoc3KOiQoC&pg=PA150&lpg=PA150&dq=%22lou+luma%22&source=bl&ots=AwufFMqhMB&sig=kEDS9L-A5ds7sxTOGPGS-lSgeS0&hl=en&ei=XJbETNKDFYWOvQPB5r3ACA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CCsQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=%22lou%20luma%22&f=false

I also thought it was a comment from Luma which I remembered re: the strong-arming, can’t find it now.

Apparently the fellows could double their pay if they made the switch to the USAAF, snazzier threads too.

Don’t have an answer for you, however apparently MACR (Missiing Air Crew Report) 9842 deals with this man’s loss.

DK290 was fitted with a tailplane with 10degrees of dihedral in June 42 to try and cure instability with heavy bomb loads. The standard tail was still better though. W4050 was fitted with the small no1 tailplane and then later the no2 larger span one but what the span was I dont know.

Richard

The brillian Italo-Japanese (!) Aero Detail #23 book gives the span of the smaller tailplane as 2.966m, the larger as 3.185m.

It also gives measurements in inches, but as there’s a fraction printed in an extremely small font size, and I’ve spent all day staring at the computer screen, metric will have to do.

“Never mis-under-estimate the metric system.”

Edit – JDK, I think it was the elevator covering which changed, fabric to metal.

Andy Bird’s “A Separate Little War” describes how the investigation of the crash of a Banff Wing Mosquito (aileron detached, IIRC) resulted in a finding of sabotage, and the responsible individual being traced and punished.

Have a squizz here:

http://www.wwii-photos-maps.com/miscellaneoussituationmaps/Luftwaffe%20in%20Normandy%20-%20June%201944/index.html

here:

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/h?ammem/gmd:@field(NUMBER+@band(g5701sm+gct00021))

Click on the map image to get you started, then on one of the frames which result. It’s best to keep on clicking until you find the “download the full map” option – you’ll need the compression software they recommend for full effect, but it’s completely free of bugs and the result is spectacular. The St. Malo area shows up on the maps around early August ’44.

and here:
http://www.lesbutler.ip3.co.uk/jg26/gradnertz.jpg
(has good airfield location info as far as Calais or so)

PM me and I’ll send you a larger map which also covers western France