Took off from Croft at 17:01 in Lancaster Mk X (Sqn code SE-P Bomber Command) to Oberhausen Germany.
Aircraft was shot down by 'friendly fire' from another bomber in the stream.
Killed:Flying Officer Donald Daubney Connor DFC RCAF J/86186 pilot KIA Linne Roman Catholic Churchyard Grave 1. Holland, went down with aircraft.Pilot Officer Raymond Conserdine Joiner RCAF C/89437 KIA Linne Roman Catholic Churchyard Grave 2. chute failed to open when he bailed out.
POWs:Pilot Officer J B Ogg RAF POW camp not listed.Warrant Officer Class 1 J W Leppington RCAF R/number POW camp not listed.Warrant Officer Class 2 R B Page RCAF R/number POW camp not listed.Sergeant J M Campbell RCAF R/number camp not listed.
Bombing Oberhausen Germany 1944-November-01 to 1944-November-01
(B) Sqn (RCAF) Croft
288 aircraft - 202 Halifaxes, 74 Lancasters, 12 Mosquitoes - of 6 and 8 Groups. 3 Halifaxes and I Lancaster lost.
The target area was cloud-covered and the bombing was not concentrated. 36 houses were destroyed in Oberhausen and 4 people were killed but other places in the Ruhr may have been hit as well.
source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
Lancaster aircraft KB 817 crashed and burned near Linne, Holland during operations against Oberhausen, Germany. Pilot Officer R.C. Joiner bailed out and was killed when his parachute failed to open. Five Canadians, Pilot Officer J.B. Ogg, WOs J.T. Patterson, G.W. Leppington, R.B. Page, and Sergeant J.M. Campbell were taken Prisoners of War. Flying Officer Connor maintained control of the aircraft long enough for his crew to bail out; he waited too long and went down with the aircraft.
Avro Lancaster
Avro Lancaster Mk. X RCAF Serial FM 213 Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum
The Avro Lancaster is a British Second World War heavy bomber. It was designed and manufactured by Avro as a contemporary of the Handley Page Halifax, both bombers having been developed to the same specification, as well as the Short Stirling, all three aircraft being four-engined heavy bombers adopted by the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the same wartime era.
The Lancaster has its origins in the twin-engine Avro Manchester which had been developed during the late 1930s in response to the Air Ministry Specification P.13/36 for a capable medium bomber for "world-wide use". Originally developed as an evolution of the Manchester (which had proved troublesome in service and was retired in 1942), the Lancaster was designed by Roy Chadwick and powered by four Rolls-Royce Merlins and in one version, Bristol Hercules engines. It first saw service with RAF Bomber Command in 1942 and as the strategic bombing offensive over Europe gathered momentum, it was the main aircraft for the night-time bombing campaigns that followed. As increasing numbers of the type were produced, it became the principal heavy bomber used by the RAF, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and squadrons from other Commonwealth and European countries serving within the RAF, overshadowing the Halifax and Stirling. Wikipedia
History of the Squadron during World War II (Aircraft: Wellington X, Halifax V, III, Lancaster X)
The Squadron was formed in November 1942 as the RCAF's 11th bomber squadron to be formed overseas, at Burn, Yorkshire, UK , as a bomber unit of No 4 Group of RAF Bomber Command. With squadron code letters SE it flew Vickers Wellington Mk X aircraft. In July 1943 it moved to Tholthorpe, Yorkshire , to become part of No 6 (RCAF) Group, at the same time re-equipping with Handley Page Halifax Mk V bombers. It moved again in December 1943 to become part of No 64 (RCAF) Base at Croft, Yorkshire , where it remained until the end of the war. Another change of aircraft, to Halifax Mk. III was made in March of 1944, and finally the squadron was equipped with Canadian-built Avro Lancaster Mk X aircraft from October 1944. After the termination of hostilities in Europe, it was earmarked to form part of the Tiger Force to attack Japan and left for Canada in June 1945. The Japanese surrender following the dropping of the atomic bombs made Tiger Force redundant, and the squadron was disbanded at Dartmouth, Nova Scotia in September of 1945.
In the course of operations the squadron flew 2584 sorties (including 11 bringing PoWs back to England) at a cost of 72 aircraft destroyed. Approximately 14000 tons of bombs were dropped. Aircrew awards were 1 DSO, 63 DFCs, 10 DFMs, 2 CGMs and 1 MiD. Battle Honours were: English Channel and North Sea 1943-44, Baltic 1943-44, Fortress Europe 1943-44, France and Germany 1944-45, Biscay Ports 1943-44, Ruhr 1943-45, Berlin 1943-44, German Ports 1943-45, Normandy 1944, Rhine, Biscay 1944.Moyes, Kostenuk and Griffin
MAP 1: 431 Squadron Bases 1942-45 (marked in green). Right-click on image to display enlarged in new tab
431 Squadron History Summary 1942-45
History of the Squadron Post-WWII (Aircraft: Tutor)
No. 431 (Fighter) Squadron re-formed at RCAF Station Bagotville, Quebec on 18 January 1954, using the new Canadair Sabre. The squadron was formed on a temporary basis until there were enough new CF-100s available to fulfill RCAF squadron needs. No. 431's duties included aerial combat training and displaying the capabilities of jet operations to the public at air shows: the team from No. 431 Squadron consisted of four Sabres and a solo aircraft. This was the first Sabre team to be authorized to perform formation aerobatics in Canada. 431 squadron was disbanded on 1 October 1954.
In 1969, Colonel O.B. Philp, base commander of CFB Moose Jaw and former leader of the defunct Golden Centennaires aerobatic team, considered using several of the leftover Golden Centennaire CT-114 Tutor aircraft for another team. These Tutors were still fitted for aerobatic flying. Philp, at this point, did not receive approval to form the new team; however, approval had been given for single Tutors to provide simple flypasts at local football games. To further the cause of an aerobatic team, Philp began informal enhanced formation practice for the instructors at 2 Canadian Forces Flying Training School with the aim of providing multi-aircraft flypasts at special events. In 1970, four-aircraft formations began providing flypasts at fairs and festivals, as well as Armed Forces Day at CFB Moose Jaw . In July 1970, a white Tutor was introduced to the formation for flypasts. Four white Tutors were finally flown together at the Abbotsford Air Show, followed by a flypast in Winnipeg. Known as the "2 Canadian Forces Flying Training School Formation Team", or informally as the "Tutor Whites", the team grew in size to seven aircraft in 1971 using eleven pilots, and gradually gained recognition. Formation flypasts were replaced with more complicated manoeuvres, and more aircraft were added as the team matured. A contest to give the air demonstration team a formal name was held at Bushell Park Elementary School at CFB Moose Jaw, and resulted in the name "Snowbirdsâ€, which was formally adopted on 25 June 1971. The Snowbirds were officially authorized to be designated the "Canadian Forces Air Demonstration Team" on 15 January 1975, and were formed into their own squadron by reactivating 431 Squadron (renamed 431 Air Demonstration Squadron) on 1 April 1978. .Wikipedia
288 aircraft - 202 Halifaxes, 74 Lancasters, 12 Mosquitoes - of 6 and 8 Groups. 3 Halifaxes and I Lancaster lost.
The target area was cloud-covered and the bombing was not concentrated. 36 houses were destroyed in Oberhausen and 4 people were killed but other places in the Ruhr may have been hit as well.
source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
Lancaster aircraft KB 817 crashed and burned near Linne, Holland during operations against Oberhausen, Germany. Pilot Officer R.C. Joiner bailed out and was killed when his parachute failed to open. Five Canadians, Pilot Officer J.B. Ogg, WOs J.T. Patterson, G.W. Leppington, R.B. Page, and Sergeant J.M. Campbell were taken Prisoners of War. Flying Officer Connor maintained control of the aircraft long enough for his crew to bail out; he waited too long and went down with the aircraft.
4 x Rolls-Royce, Packard or Ford UK built Merlin XX, 22, 24, 28, 85 or 224 liquid-cooled V-12 piston engines with power output between 1,280 hp (954 kW) and 1,635 hp (1,219 kW) each
Lancaster Mk.II:
4 x Bristol Hercules Mk.VI or XVI air-cooled 14-cylinder radial piston engines with power output of 1,615 hp (1,204 kW) each
Propellers:
Lancaster Mk.I, III, VI, VII & X:
3-bladed de Havilland, Hamilton Standard or Nash Kelvinator Hydromatic constant-speed fully feathering metal bladed propellers, 13 ft (3.96 m) diameter
Lancaster Mk.II:
Rotol electric constant-speed fully feathering wooden bladed propellers, 13 ft (3.96 m) diameter
Performance:
Maximum speed:
Lancaster Mk.I, II, III, VII & X: 287 mph (461 km/h)
Lancaster Mk.VI: 315 mph (507 km/h)
Cruising speed: 207 mph (333 km/h)
Range: 2,530 mi (4,073 km)
Service ceiling: 23,500 ft (7,162 m)
Armament:
Standard:
Two 0.303-inch (7.7 mm) Browning Mark II machine guns in:
Nash and Thompson FN5 nose and
FN50/150 mid-upper turrets,
four 0.303-inch Browning Mark II machine guns in Nash and Thompson FN20/120/121 rear turret
Alternative/additional:
Nash and Thompson FN64 ventral turret with two 0.303-inch (7.7 mm) Browning Mark II machine guns
Glenn Martin 250CE electrically operated mid-upper turret with two 0.5-inch (12.7 mm) Browning AN/M2 machine guns (Lancaster Mk.VII and late production Lancaster Mk. X only)
Nash and Thompson FN82 rear turret with two 0.5-inch (12.7 mm) Browning AN/M2 machine guns (Lancaster Mk.VII &late production Lancaster Mk.I only)
Rose Brothers Type R rear turret with two 0.5-inch (12.7 mm) Browning AN/M2 machine guns (late production Lancaster Mk.I & III only)
Ventral 0.303-inch (7.7 mm) Browning Mk.II machine gun in a free mount (Lancaster Type 464 only)
Ventral 0.5-inch (12.7 mm) Browning AN/M2 machine gun in a free mount
ARI 5559 A.G.L.T. 'Village Inn' Mk.I: Radar guided gun laying system (incorporating Infrared IFF recognition system) fitted to FN121 rear turret with four 0.303-inch (7.7 mm) Browning Mark II machine guns
Bomb loads:
Typical:
14,000 lb (6,350 kg) consisting of varying combinations of 2,000 lb AP, 2,000 lb HC, 4,000 lb HC, 8,000 lb HC, 250 lb, 500 lb, 1,000 lb bombs, or various sizes of incendiary bombs installed in Small Bomb Containers or Cluster Projectiles
1 x 12,000lb (5,443 kg) HC bomb
6 x 1,850 lb (839 kg) Parachute Anti-Shipping Mines
Specialized:
1 x 5,500 lb (2,494 kg) Capital Ship Bomb
12 x 500 lb (226 kg) JW 'Johnny Walker' Oscillating Mine
1 x 9,250 lb (4,195 kg) Vickers-Armstrongs Type 464 'Upkeep' revolving depth charge
1 x 12,000lb (5,443 kg) MC Vickers-Armstrongs 'Tallboy' deep penetration bomb
1 x 22,000 lb (9,979 kg) MC Vickers-Armstrongs 'Grand Slam' deep penetration bomb
Communication and navigation equipment:
TR9F: HF R/T radio transceiver
TR1196: HF R/T radio transceiver
TR1143/SCR522: VHF R/T radio transceiver
T1154: Medium and High frequency W/T transmitter
R1155: Medium and High frequency W/T & direction finding receiver
ARI 5033/5083 GEE Mk.I/II: Radio navigation system
ARI 5560/5564 H2S Mk.II/III: Radar navigation/target finding system
TR3190/3160 Lucero Mk.I & II: H2S adapter to permit interrogation of radar navigation beacons, Eureka beacons & IFF
ARI 5525/5597 GEE-H Mk.I/II: Radio navigation/target finding system
AN/APN-4 LORAN: Long range radio navigation system
ARI 5148/5514/5582 Oboe Mk.I & II: Radar bomb aiming system
AN/AP1 (AYD): Low range radar altimeter
SCR-718-C: High range radar altimeter
Lorenz Standard Beam Approach: Runway blind approach system
Radio Countermeasures:
ARI 5000/5025/5640 IFF Mk.II & III: Friend or Foe radar identification system
ARI 5171/5625/5672/5769 Mandrel: Freya and Wurzburg radar jamming system
ARI 5538/5557 Boozer Mk.I & II: Passive radar warning receiver
ARI 5122/5281 Monica Mk.I, III & V ('Lulu'): Active tail warning radar
Tinsel/Special Tinsel: Night fighter radio control jamming system
TR3549 Airborne Cigar (ABC): Night fighter radio control jamming system
ARI 5549 Carpet II: Wurzburg radar jamming system
Coming Soon!
Ventral Turrets
ventralturret.jpeg image not found
As originally designed the Lancaster was provided with ventral defence in the form of a Nash and Thompson FN64 turret, which was fitted to some early production aircraft. However, in common with all other periscope sighted ventral turrets, the narrow viewing angle made it almost impossible for gunners to acquire and track targets, and the few turrets which were installed were soon removed from service.
2_DS707_7-6-44.jpg image not found Mod_925ventral50calMG-1.jpg image not found 3 _W4766.jpg image not found
The ventral .50 inch (50 calib) was approved as Lanc Mod.925 during February 1944, and was one of a number of unsuccessful measures taken to counter night fighter attacks from below.
The growth of the Luftwaffe night fighter force was followed by an increase in the in the number of attacks from below, exacerbated from August 1943 onward by the introduction of aircraft equipped with Schrage Musik upward firing 20mm cannon. A number of responses were considered by Bomber Command including a free mounted ventral .50 calibre Browning machine gun, which was approved on the Lancaster as Modification 925 during February 1944.
The modification was very basic, consisting of little more than an enlarged bicycle seat for the gunner and a simple free mounted gun with open sights which fired through the ventral turret/H2S aperture. On aircraft with bulged bomb doors the mounting (often unpainted) was incorporated into the fairing at the rear of the doors.
Non-H2S fitted aircraft were sporadically equipped with the gun from February 1944 onward, although a clear plan for installation appears to have been lacking. The quantity of aircraft which actually had the gun installed is unknown and photos of the mounting with a Browning actually installed are very rare.
Serious problems quickly became apparent, as noted in the following V Group monthly newsletter for April 1944:- "With the gunner strapped in his seat it is difficult to follow the gun round on the beam; it is difficult for the gunner to get his head down behind the sight as it tends to push the oxygen mask upwards on the gunners face; and also considerable vibration is experienced on the sight when the gun is fired."
These problems, plus the gradually more widespread introduction of H2S saw the gun fall out of use quite quickly, although it does appear to have been retained on some aircraft until war's end (most notably in 3 Group).
The quantity of aircraft which actually had the gun installed is unknown and photos of the mounting with a Browning actually installed are very rare.
75SqnORBextractMarch1945.jpg image not found
Notice on these aircraft the extra position in the eight person crew of Mid-Under-Gunner.
Oberhausen Germany
Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)
Lancaster Bomber
Wikipedia
Harold A Skaarup Web Page
