Date:	Thursday 5 April 1945
Time:	05:11
Type:	Avro Lancaster B Mk I
Owner/operator:	460 Squadron, RAAF
Registration:	RF196
MSN:	AR-E
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 7
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Rothwell Top Farm, Rothwell, Market Raisen, Lincolnshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Binbrook, Lincolnshire
Destination airport:	RAF Binbrook, Lincolnshire

Narrative:
Avro Lancaster B Mk I RF196/AR-E, 460 Squadron, RAAF: Destroyed 5 April 1945 on return from 'ops', when crashed at Rothwell Top Farm, Rothwell, Market Raisen, Lincolnshire. Took off from RAF Binbrook Lincolnshire at 21:20hrs on 4 April 1945. Target: Wintershall Synthetic Oil Plant at Lutzkendorf, Germany

Lancaster RF196 was on its first-ever 'op' with just 6 flying hours on the airframe. the Lancaster bombed the target at 01:30hrs 5 April 1945 from 12,000 feet then and set course for base.On the return journey back to base (RAF Binbrook) at 05:11hrs on 5 April 1945 the Lancaster crashed when it flew into high ground at Rothwell Top Farm, near Market Rasen, Lincolnshire after descending out of low cloud to 400 feet agl.

Although the Lancaster was wrecked (written off - damaged beyond repair) all seven crew survived with only minior injuries (and for some, none)

Crew of Lancaster RF196
Flt Lt W Langcake RAAF - pilot
P/O B J Vogt RAAF - 2nd pilot (injured)
Sgt J Scoular RAFVR (Flight Engineer)
Flt Sgt A Albans RAAF
Sgt B Gavin RAAF
Flt/Sgt J P Lillis RAAF (W/Op)(injured)

Of the seven crew Flt/Sgt Lillis was the most severely injured: he was thrown forward in the crash impact, and taken to hospital with a broken nose.

1. Air-Britain Royal Air Force Aircraft PA100-RZ999
2. Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War 1945 Page 139.
3. Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database
4. The Lancaster File (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1985)
5. 460 Squadron Operational Record Book (Record of Events for the period 1 to 31 March 1945): National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 27/1910/7 at: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8405781
6. Aircraft Movement Card (Air Ministry Form AM.78): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-78s/Lancaster/
7. Aircraft Accident Record Card (Air Ministry Form AM.1180): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-1180/Lancaster/1945/April/1.html
8. https://gordonstooke.com/460squadron/aircraft_record.htm
9. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/lancaster.htm
10. https://www.ozatwar.com/460sqdn/lanclosses.htm
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._460_Squadron_RAAF#World_War_II
12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Binbrook#Bombers

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
15-Feb-2025 22:13	Dr. John Smith	Added