ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 19550
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| Date: | Sunday 18 August 1940 |
| Time: | 14:15 LT |
| Type: | Miles Magister Mk I |
| Owner/operator: | Manston SF RAF |
| Registration: | L5955 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | RAF Manston, Kent, England -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Standing |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Manston, Kent |
Miles Magister Mk.I L5955, RAF Manston Station Flight: Believed destroyed in air raid at RAF Maston, Kent, 18/8/40. At 1530 hrs, Hauptmann Wolfgang Ewald, a German Luftwaffe ace, led what is reported to be twelve aircraft of his 2./JG 52 (52nd Fighter Wing), armed with Messerschmitt Bf 109s in a strafing attack on Manston. Ewald’s attention had been caught by a group of Spitfires bunched together on the ground preparing to refuel between sorties, where craters caused by previous attacks on the airfield forced the aircraft to be closer than normal.
Note that other records suggest the raid was at 1415hrs, so there may be a difference in reports between British Summer Time and the time zone of the Luftwaffe records.
After two passes, the attackers claimed the destruction of at least ten fighters with three Blenheim’s thrown in for good measure. In fact, just two of No.266 Squadron’s Spitfires X4061 and X4066 were totally written off, with another six being severely damaged including X4063, but repairable. A single Hurricane belonging to Sgt Griffiths of No.17 Squadron, that had force landed in the morning was also destroyed.
Ground crew that were caught in the open were cut to pieces, with one killed and 15 injured.
Sources:
1. Air-Britain Royal Air Force Aircraft L1000-N9999
2. https://www.manstonhistory.org.uk/manston-attacked-on-the-hardest-day-18th-august-1940/
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 19-May-2008 01:53 | JINX | Added |
| 17-Jun-2013 20:00 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Location, Country] |
| 08-Aug-2013 21:18 | JINX | Updated [Operator, Location, Source] |
| 30-Apr-2018 20:52 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Date, Time, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 03-Dec-2018 16:30 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
| 05-Nov-2019 10:39 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Location, Operator] |
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