Listed below is the information available for this aircraft which served in 550 Squadron.
Aircraft Details: The column headers should be fairly self-explanatory. The final column (Web links) contains, where given, links to other items on this web-site or indeed to external sources where further information or photographs, etc can be found.
Associated Aircrew: This is the list of servicemen known to have flown on this aircraft at some time or other, it is not a particular crew (that can be found on other lists available on the site such as the crew shown on a specific operation, etc).
Definitions of the abbreviations used are available: here.
In compiling these lists particular thanks are due, as listed below, to sites without which it would have been next to impossible to put the information together. Many thanks to the providers of these pages whose work is gratefully acknowledged.
| Aircraft Details | Associated Aircrew | Id | Service Number | Name | No. of Ops | BQ-Code | Other Information | Web Links | Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| O | ME428 | - | - | BQ-O | FTR 7/8 Mar 1945, Dessau. Crew 3 KIA, 4 PoW. All of this crew had been involved in a serious incident while on the raid to Pforzheim on 23/24 February 1945. One of three 550 Sqdn Lancasters lost on this operation. See also ME503, PA995. Book published 1 December 2011 (Scherzer Militaer Verlag) presents evidence that this aircraft was the 121st, and last victim, of Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer a German Luftwaffe night fighter pilot (known as "The Night Ghost Of St. Trond") and the highest scoring night fighter ace in the history of aerial warfare. This is one of two 550 aircraft believed downed by this night-figher pilot (see also DV309). The ORB lists this aircraft as ME248. The is assumed to be a typo in the ORB (for the following reasons). According to the ORB LM273 "O" was lost with the F/O Grundy crew Pforzheim (23 Feb 1945); the replacement "O" arrived sometime shortly after this. The first appearance of a new "O" appears to be 2 March, as ME248 "O". This aircraft only carries out 3 raids, being lost on the third (7/8 Mar 1945, Dessau). The investigations documentation from 1947-1949 (RCAF Archives, Ottawa), all record ME428. Aside from this the ORB has *many* errors so it seems entirely possible ME248 is another typo, and ME428 is the correct number. See F/O R D Harris crew web-page for details, including the RCAF Archive investigations on the loss of this crew. |
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinz-Wolfgang_Schnaufer |
F/O R D Harris Sgt K J B Smith F/Sgt D J Yemen F/O G J Nicol Sgt G P Kelleher Sgt D J Hicks Sgt E R Robinson F/Sgt K F Wilson Sgt H McKelvie F/Sgt E H Waller F/Sgt E C Eminson F/Sgt A H Clothier F/Sgt E J Davey F/Sgt G E Collinson |
This aircraft is one of the 550 Squadron aircraft that was lost on operations.
The details of those air-crew who lost their lives while on operations in this aircraft are listed on the 550 Squadron Roll of Honour, see: ME428.
Return to the top of the full aircraft listing.
The details were last updated: 24 November 2024
Return to the top of the page.