The first of these aircraft crash site investigations to involve a major dig was at a crash site for the recovery of a Messerschmitt Me410 that had crashed at the village of Radnadge just outside High Wycombe near Stokenchurch Bucks
During 1972 there were three major digs under taken the first of these was a U.S.A.A.F. operated reconnaissance Mosquito. The aircraft from the 802nd Reconnaissance Group, (later re-designated the 25th Bomb Group)
During in the closing stages of The Battle of Britain, aircraft took-off from Luton airfield, 8th October 1940 at 21.59 hrs. for night interception and crashed between Marlow and Booker, Bucks, just off the Marlow Road at 22.50 hrs.
Aircraft was on a ferry flight from Henlow to Hulavington when it crashed at Holly Green near Princess Risborough Buckinghamshire in poor weather conditions.
Vickers Wellington Ic L7891 aircraft belonging to No. 23 O.T.U. took-off from its base at R.A.F. Preshore, on the 24th June 1942 at 1655 hrs, the crew were on a two hour test flight. Aircraft crashed one and a half hours later at Waterstock Village in South Oxfordshire killing all five crew on board.
Aircraft from No1 P.R.U. Benson was on a high altitude reconnaissance mission, weather was fair to fine and good visibility. R7029 Crashed at Cookeley Green, Oxfordshire, England. Suspected Oxygen failure, Pilot Sgt, Leonard Branton 539199 R.A.F. (Age 26) (Killed)
Vickers Wellington Mk. X LN660 KJ-O from No.11 O.T.U. took-off RAF Wescott at 2005 hrs for a night cross-country. The aircraft crashed at 2223 hrs just to the East of Quainton Railway Station, 6 miles North West from Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
At the time of our investigation this aircraft was totally unknown to us; it had crashed in a field adjacent to the field in which Lancaster PB475 had crashed that was brought to our attention by the land owner Mr. Mathews who had rented the field during World War 2.
The only clue we had was that it was an American aircraft as the USAAF had taken responsibility for the damage done to the field. See attached (1) letter from solicitor.
Avro Lancaster Mk. III PB475 60-C No. 582 Squadron, Took-off from Little Staughton at 1733 hrs for a raid on Chemnitz, Germany. Aircraft crashed on return at 0100 hrs near Bellingdon, 2 miles North West from Chesham in Buckinghamshire.
Frequently Used Sources used in Support and illustration of Society Remembrance site pages
Organisations :
I.W.M. (Imperial War Museum) C.W.G.C. (Commonwealth War Graves Commission) P.R.O. (Public Records Office) (National Archives) N.A.A. (National Archives of Australia) The Air Forces Memorial Runnymede Panels (WW2Talk) Chilton Aircraft Preservation Society Archives (David King & Alexander D King) Booker Aircraft Museum Archives, (David King & Alexander D King) Aircrew Remembrance Society Archives
Publications, Authors, Records, Reference works, Press & Press Photography :
Bomber Command Losses (W.R. Chorley All Volumes) Fighter Command Losses (Norman L. R. Franks All Volumes) Air-Britain Serials, Individual Aircraft Files & Publications, Ai-Britain, Fleet Air Arm Aircraft 1939-1945 (Ray Sturtivant, I.S.O. with Mick Burrow) After The Battle Publications The Blitz Then And Now Volumes 1,2 & 3, The Battle Of Britain Then And Now, The Battle Of France Then and Now, (Editor Winston G. Ramsey, Assistant Editor Gordon Ramsey) Bomber Losses Middle East & Mediterranean (David Gunby & Pelham Temple) Coastal Command Losses (Ross McNeill,) The Nuremberg Raid (Martin Middlebrook), The Source Book (Ken Delve) Mighty Eighth war Diary (Roger A. Freeman) The B-17 Flying Fortress Story (Roger A. Freeman) Daily Telegraph (Harry Flower War Correspondent), Kent Messenger, Planet News, Fox Photos,
Aviation Artist & Profile Illustrators:
Robert Taylor, Mark Postlethwaite, Adam Tooby, Robert Tomlin, Simon Atack, Roy Grinnell, Gerald Coulson, Nicolas Trudgian, Keith Aspinall, Iain Wyllie, Ivan Berryman, Darryl Legg
Individual contributors & Historians:
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