1939/45. Airplane crashes.
At 04.20 hrs. on the 28th July 1941, a Junkers 88 aircraft of the German air force crashed in flames behind the old rectory in Rectory Road, Wivenhoe. It had been engaged by a Douglas Havoc night fighter of 85 squadron from Hudson airfield near Sawbridgeworth.
The Crew of the junkers were Leutnant Dr. Lothar Bisang, Gefreiter Fritz Rosenstock and Gefreiter Werner Ulbricht were killed instantly, The plane was a C4 variant of the most successful and versatile types of warplane operated by any of the belligerent nations. Only a small number of the C4 variant were built. in 1941. Deignatedas long range (Zerstorer heavy fighters they were fitted with Additional Reconnaissance Equipment called ,:hilfseekundereinrichtung:.
The aircraft were powered by 2Junkers, Jumo 211 B/G 12 cylinder inverted v liquid cooled engines each developing 1200 HP. These gave a speed of 308 mph, and a range of 1696 miles, with 6 machine guns.
The wivenhoe aircraft was a Junkers 88 C4 serial number0724 ,code marking R4+KK(Kampfgeswader) Bomber wing an element of the Luftflotte(air fleet 2 of the Luftwaffe.
An Avro Anson of the R.AF. made a forced landing in a stubble field between the Horse and Groom pub and the present site of Broom Grove school at about 17.30 Hrs. on 23rd December 1941.It could not be flown and was dismantled and taken away by the R.A.F.
In a field close to the present Wivenhoe football club a Boulton Paul Defiant two seater night fighter made an unscheduled landing on the 12th December 1940 the crew were unhurt and the aircraft undamaged. Powered by a Rolls Royce Merlin engine and 4 machine guns.
The RepublicP47 Thunderbolt Single seat fighter of the United States Army crashed on the site of the Allotments in Rectory Road the plane was completely wrecked and the pilot killed.
The pilot was Captain John.e. Moist of Ohio, he had taken off from wormingford air base on a training flight. Captain Moist is buried at Madingly American Military Cemetery near Cambridge.
No comments:
Post a Comment