Accident Avro Lancaster Mk III NE171, Thursday 25 May 1944
ASN logo
 
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information. You can contribute by submitting additional or updated information.

Date:Thursday 25 May 1944
Time:02:30 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic LANC model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Avro Lancaster Mk III
Owner/operator:576 Sqn RAF
Registration: NE171
MSN: UL-Y2
Fatalities:Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 7
Other fatalities:0
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Location:Mulartshütte, Roetgen, Nordrhein-Westfalen -   Germany
Phase: Combat
Nature:Military
Departure airport:RAF Elsham Wolds, Lincolnshire
Destination airport:
Narrative:
Takeoff at 23:45 hrs for a bombing operation against the Westbahnhof railway station at Aachen.

The aircraft was engaged and brought down by the night fighter crew of Oberleutnant Schulte, Uffz. Sandvoss & Uffz. Fischer of the 7./NJG 6, who were flying Bf 110 G-4 2Z+AR from Hagenau airfield in modern France.
In return, the Messerschmitt was hit by falling bombs and abandoned by its crew. Uffz. Sandvoss did not survive nor did the entire Lancaster crew.
This was Schulte's 2nd victory of the night, and 15th total victory.

Crew:-
Pilot : Flight Sergeant Derrick Gordon Cobley Thorpe RAFVR 1323343 [Killed]
Flight Engineer : Sergeant David White RAFVR 1567188 [Killed]
Navigator : Warrant Officer Class II Alfred Arthur Joseph Tremblay RCAF R/159268 [Killed]
Bomb Aimer : Sergeant Hector Macdonald Mundy RAFVR 947565 [Killed]
Wireless Operator : Sergeant Robert Eric Smith RAFVR 1777269 [Killed]
Mid-Upper Gunner : Sergeant Joseph Willie Conrad Labelle RCAF R/81716 [Killed]
Rear Gunner : Sergeant Noel William Green RAFVR 985847 [Killed]

Sources:

Nachtjagd Combat Archive 1944 part three page 25.
http://www.aircrewremembered.com/AlliedLossesIncidents/?q=NE171
Google Maps
Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
01-Oct-2020 19:01 TigerTimon Added
20-May-2023 21:19 redsix Updated
18-May-2024 12:24 Rob Davis Updated [Source, Narrative, ]

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:

CONNECT WITH US: FSF on social media FSF Facebook FSF Twitter FSF Youtube FSF LinkedIn FSF Instagram

©2025 Flight Safety Foundation

1920 Ballenger Av, 4th Fl.
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
www.FlightSafety.org