Incident Bristol Blenheim Mk IV L8746, Saturday 11 May 1940
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Date:Saturday 11 May 1940
Time:18:20
Type:Silhouette image of generic BLEN model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Bristol Blenheim Mk IV
Owner/operator:21 Sqn RAF
Registration: L8746
MSN: YH-R
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Other fatalities:0
Aircraft damage: Minor
Location:RAF Watton, Norfolk, England -   United Kingdom
Phase: Landing
Nature:Military
Departure airport:RAF Watton, Norfolk
Destination airport:RAF Watton
Narrative:
Twelve Blenheims took off at 15:10 hrs. to attack German armoured columns in Belgium heading west from Maastricht to Tongres, arriving over the target at 16:30 hrs. Some aircraft landed back at RAF Watton, others at the satellite airfield at RAF Bodney.

Blenheim L8746/YH-R: Take-off at 15:10hrs for a attack German armoured columns in Belgium heading west from Maastricht to Tongres. 11/05/1940
Blenheim L8746 was being damaged by ground-fire during an attack on enemy columns between Maastricht and Tongres at approximately 16.30 hrs. The enemy defences created a thick screen of flak when during the Blenheims shallow dive- bombed and gained hits on an assortment of vehicles that clogged the road.
Blenheim L8746 returned at 18.20 hrs. after being damaged by ground-fire during an attack on enemy column.
Blenheim L8746 was damaged shrapnel during the attack, while no less than eight of the Squadron's aircraft were unserviceable due to battle damage (bullet holes) the following morning.
Aircraft was damaged but repairable.
Crew:
S/Ldr.(32232) George Archibald Marshall PRYDE (Pilot) RAF Ok
Sgt.(563808) Albert Thomas SUMMERS (Obs.) RAF Ok
LAC O’CONNOR (WOp/AG) RAF Ok

Sources:

Blenheim production list
ORB 21 Sqdn RAF
CWGC

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
02-Oct-2024 16:47 Nepa Added [Operator, ]

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