Pearce, Ronald William

Killed in Flying Accident 1945-05-16

Male Head

Birth Date: unkown date

Born:

Home: Black Harbor, New Brunswick

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: Unknown

Service

RAF

Unit

461 Sqn- Squadron

Base

Rank

Corporal

Position

Corporal

Service Numbers

575901

First Burial
Google MapRedgrave, Uk

461 Squadron (They shall not pass unseen) RAF Station Pembroke Dock Sunderland V aircraft PP 116, on test flight, porpoised and nosed in on take-off. Cpl RW Pearce (RAF) was killed. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair

Short Sunderland

Source: Harold A Skaarup Web Page (DND Photo)
Short Sunderland, coded Z, 15 Apr 1943
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The Short S.25 Sunderland was a British flying boat patrol bomber, developed and constructed by Short Brothers for the Royal Air Force (RAF). The aircraft took its service name from the town (latterly, city) and port of Sunderland in North East England.

Developed in parallel with the civilian S.23 Empire flying boat, the flagship of Imperial Airways, the Sunderland was developed specifically to conform to the requirements of British Air Ministry Specification R.2/33 for a long-range patrol/reconnaissance flying boat to serve with the Royal Air Force (RAF). As designed, it served as a successor to the earlier Short Sarafand flying boat. Sharing several similarities with the S.23, it featured a more advanced aerodynamic hull and was outfitted with various offensive and defensive armaments, including machine gun turrets, bombs, aerial mines, and depth charges. The Sunderland was powered by four Bristol Pegasus XVIII radial engines and was outfitted with various detection equipment to aid combat operations, including the Leigh searchlight, the ASV Mark II and ASV Mark III radar units, and an astrodome.

The Sunderland was one of the most powerful and widely used flying boats throughout the Second World War. In addition to the RAF, the type was operated by other Allied military air wings, including the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), South African Air Force (SAAF), Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF), French Navy, Norwegian Air Force, and the Portuguese Navy. During the conflict, the type was heavily involved in Allied efforts to counter the threat posed by German U-boats in the Battle of the Atlantic.Wikipedia

Wikipedia Wikipedia Short Sunderland

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

YouTube YouTube Short Sunderland (1940-1949)