Pilots notes here

Pilot's Notes for Beaufighter 2nd Edition

Ditching gen on page 38

If they ditched it 'gear up' might not the deceleration- which must have been mighty- tended to lower the gear?

Granted, the motion through the water would tend to push it aft, but as speed reduced, the gear could drop.

Just a thought.

There's a Mk21 (I think) at Duxford getting slowly rebuilt, speak to the guys there, they'll have a lot more system knowledge than Pilots Notes.

Yes, it is an Oz built Mk21, Kitbag. :ok:

Maybe he ditched it with the gear down and conveniently forgot to mention it in his report.

Diving
 

I dived on the wreck described in this thread, as part of a RAF Sub Aqua Association expedition in late 89/early 90 (can't remember the exact dates and can't find my diving logbook without a protracted search of the loft).
We identified it as DW805, flown by Sgt Moody, who was later commissioned during the War.
Interestingly, despite working closely with the Air Historical Branch, who provided us with significant data to help us identify the wreck by analysis of its part numbers etc, we actually ended up identifying it by reference to the pilots fly-away pack, which contained his clothes brush, into which was stamped his service number!
During the exped we raised a Vickers K gun, with its accompanying ammunition. The ammunition began fizzing alarmingly on contact with air and was unceremoniously hurled back into the ogsplosh by our resident armourer.
We later handed back several personal effects to the pilot (who was (rather brilliantly) still alive) such as a cap badge and sidearm, the latter of which had been rather clumsily snapped in half by one of the Maltese boat crew, who treated it rather roughly for an item that had been submerged for almost 50 years.
As an aside, if I remember correctly, I think this was the first military sports diving expedition to use dive computers, as opposed to RNPL Table 11.

Halcyon days.

Sun Who.