RAF Nigh Fighter Ops WW 2

[Pontius Navigator]

My uncle died one night when his Beaufighter crashed.

The Op, and several previous, was recorded in the 541 as Search Light Coop.

What did that entail?

I think the most likely was that the search lights would pick up a target and the cooperating fighter would intercept and engage.

Less likely I think it might be the fighter acting as a target for searchlight crews to practise. As this was training the other might be more accurate. OTOH, as there was no trade that night, it may well have been training.

Any ideas?

[Innominate]

I'm inclined to think the latter more likely - do you know anything further about the circumstances? If the aircraft had been caught and held by a searchlight the bright light might have led the pilot to lose control.

Given the date and unit, the Accident Record Cards held by the RAF Museum [email protected] should give a summary of the Court of Inquiry.

[Pontius Navigator]

Thank you. I had previously had confirmation that there had been no enemy action that night thus refuting family folklore that he had been shot down and possibly taken prisoner. His aircraft was posted missing and somewhere off North Foreland.

While at Coningsby I took the opportunity to read up on the XXX 540/541. It seems he had flown about 14 ops and not once had any trade. He went missing the month before I was born, ie Mar 43.

As the new boy he seemed to be given sorties when VIPs visited etc.

Your suggestion that dazzle and disorientation may have been the cause is plausible and sad. Probably after being coned he would try and evade.

Thanks again.

[reynoldsno1]

This might shed some light on the subject (...sorry...)

he Helmore/GEC Turbinlite was a 2,700 million candela (2.7 Gcd) searchlight fitted in the nose of a number of British Douglas Havoc night fighters during the early part of the Second World War and around the time of The Blitz. The Havoc was guided to enemy aircraft by ground radar and its own radar. The searchlight would then be used to illuminate attacking enemy bombers for defending fighters accompanying the Havoc to shoot down. In practice the Turbinlite was not a success and the introduction of higher performance night fighters with their own radar meant they were withdrawn from service in early 1943.
My uncle was a radio observer (later navigator) on both Beaufighters & Mosquitos as well. He lost his life on the Cherbourg peninsular, sadly in a ground collision with another Mosquito.

[Pontius Navigator]

Reynolds, thank you. He was Gazetted as a Sgt in RAFVR on 5 Dec 41 when he was 18. Maybe AHB meant from Sgt. XXX was to be his first tour. Just checking what I recorded, it was 21 Jan 43 and the mission was an interception patrol and not search light coop as I first said.

[papajuliet]

Vol 2 Fighter Command Losses says..........

21 Jan 1943
29sqdn.
Beaufighter 1 V8281
P/O P M Dunne
Sgt. C Heywood
Interception patrol off North Foreland, took off 1835. Possibly in combat with EA.
Both crew listed as killed.

[Pontius Navigator]

PJ, thank you although that conflicts with the AHB account I was given and the ORB which stated no enemy action that night. The aircraft was VB, he was a FO and Heywood a PO.

According to Mr Hatch, AHB, although tasked with an interception mission there was no EA as stated in the ORB.

Interesting that the FC Vol had such discrepancies from the primary sources.

[PAXboy]

My father was a Radio Navigator and then Radar Operator. He, also, started on the Turbinlite which was considered a washout. As I understand it, no one ever succeeded in bringing down an EA with it. He later went on with Beaus and Mossies and their early radar.

The conflicting reports must be very frustrating but I'm not sure they had their regional reporting working to the same standards?

[papajuliet]

Pontius - not sure if you meant that the serial number started VB but, if so, VB281 was in the serial range VA962 - VB849 which was allotted to DH Hornets most of which were cancelled.
Serial nos. V8131 - 8901 were Beaufighters.
I suspect that an 8 has been mistaken for a B.
8281 seems to have been a Mk. 1f.

[Pontius Navigator]

PJ, I must have misread it then.

[Philoctetes]

An excellent read on the topic - Night Flyer by Lewis Brandon.
Picked it up in a charity shop, don't know if still in print.

[rolling20]

PM Pontius