Warbird Information Exchange

On the evening of February 25/26, 1943, Lancaster R4886 from RAF No. 106 Squadron, was lost on a raid to Nuremburg, Germany.

Does anyone have any information on this loss?

Cheers,
Tom Walsh.

I thought we had discussed not titling post like this without including dates (like 1943) so we dont freak out and assume that one of the two flying Lancasters crashed today.

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Live to fly, Fly to live.....

Tom

This great website details Bomber Command losses in WWII:

http://www.lostbombers.co.uk

A search on the site shows that 106 Squadron lost Lancaster W4886 on a raid to Nuremburg.

The information on the site states:

"W4886 was delivered to No.106 Sqdn 8Feb43. W4886 also took part in the key Raid against Lorient 13/14Feb43 When lost this aircraft had a total of 44 hours Airborne 1900 25Feb43 from syerston. Crashed near F_rth, where all were buried 2Mar43. They have been subsequently reinterred in the Durnbach War cemetery. F/L Curtin RCAF came from New York City, while S/L (Acting) McGrath was a Sub.Lt RNVR attached from HMS Daedalus. F/L D.J.Curtin DFC & Bar RCAF KIA F/O R.J.F.Windsor KIA P/O A.F.Lear KIA S/L(A) P.M.McGrath RNVR KIA Sgt V.E.Jack KIA Sgt H.Rigby KIA Sgt K.O.Court KIA There is additional information that S/L(A) McGrath was flying as Bomb Aimer. It would therefor appear that Sgt Jack who is listed in the normal place for Bomb Aimer was probably the Flight Engineer. "

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Mark

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Is it big, round, loud and belch flame?

R4886 was a DeHavilland Tiger Moth used by the RAAF.

http://www.dehavilland.ukf.net/_DH%20full%20prodn%20list.txt

Your serial number is probably incorrect, although there were Lancasters in the R-series.

Any reason why you are interested?

Cheers,
Richard

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Richard Mallory Allnutt - Photography - http://www.rmallnutt.com

whew, gave me a scare saying a lancaster was down.

The exact same thing went through my mind as well when I read the title.

Todd

Mark and Richard:

Thank you both for your help. I am almost finished the story of RCAF Flight Lieutenant Joseph Charles McCarthy DSO, DFC and Bar.

He was the only American who participated in the "Dambusters Raid" on the Mohne, Eder and Sorpe Hydroelectric Dams in the early morning hours of May 18, 1943.

RCAF Flight Lieutenant Donald Joseph Curtin DFC and Bar who was killed flying Lancaster W4886 on the evening of February 25/26, 1943, was McCarthy's good friend! They travelled together from Brooklyn, New York to Ottawa, Ontario and enlisted in the RCAF on May 5, 1941. They trained at the same four training fields in Canada all the way to Wings level and were Commissioned together in Brantford, Ontario.

F/L Curtin is an intregal part of McCarthy's story and I was wondering if anyone knows if he was shot down by flak or claimed by a German nightfighter.

Cheers,
Tom Walsh.