6 Bomber Group September 27/28,1943
73 Halifaxes from 419, 427, 428, 429, and 434 Squadrons were joined by 9 Wellingtons from 432 Squadron on an attack at Hannover. The crews were over the target at between 17,000 and 21,000 feet, releasing 229,000 lbs of incendiaries and 124,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports, most of the bombing missed the target to the north. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)
Aircraft had been badly damaged by enemy fire over the target, resulting in the loss of the port outer engine. The pilot was able top nurse the aircraft back to England and was diverted to attempt a landing at the US Air Station, Framlington. On approach to landing, the port inner engine also failed , causing the Halifax to flip, strike some trees and crash
Quote from Steve Wilson, son of pilot Sergeant R Wilson, with his father's account of the night his plane crashed.
The aircraft was hit by accurate flak over the target after being caught in searchlights. As a consequence of this, the port outer engine was badly damaged and ceased to function. The bombs were jettisoned over the target and and the pilot turned the aircraft back for home at Middleton St George.
Whilst crossing the coast (Dutch coast I believe) theHalifax was again hit by flak from a German flak ship which damaged the inner port engine, but did not put it out of action. On regaining the English coast, the crew realised that they were now in serious trouble and the pilot was having problems keeping the aircraft airborne due not only to engine problems but also to damaged flight surfaces.
They broadcast the emergency call sign (blackie blackie for that night) and the US air base at Framlingham responded as the nearest airfield. The pilot headed for this base and all were gratified to seethe landing lights ablaze for them. They began a very difficult descent to the runway, but as fate would have it, the damaged port inner engine chose this moment to stop altogether.
The effect of this was to cause the aircraft to flip over onto its port side, the wing caught the tree tops and the plane crashed into the ground before ever reaching the runway.
There were three survivors - the pilot, the mid upper gunner and the tail gunner. The pilot was badly injured having a smashed pelvis, and other serious injuries and indeed when they found him one of his eyes was hanging down on his cheek.The rear gunner was also very badly injured but I do not know the extent of these. The mid upper gunner escaped without a scratch and went for help, but could not get out of the the heavily ploughed and muddy field that they were in due to barbed wire security fences that surrounded the field. It was nearly an hour before American forces got to them.
The official story simply states that the aircraft over shot the landing on return - this is not the case, they never even got to the runway, and the crash was was caused by battle damage.
