General Discussions
This is the place to discuss general issues related to the U-boat war or the war at sea in WWII.
Re: U-270
Posted by:
Marc Haldimann
()
Date: February 13, 2006 10:06PM
Hello Robert,
To be precise, U-270 shot down on 6 January 1944 Fortress II serial FA 705, coded "U" of 206 Sqn. As mentionned in the Ubootwaffe forum by Roland Berr, the plane sighted U-270 while on patrol north-north-east of the Azores and radioed in a sighting report at 18h12 from 43°53'N - 23°32'W.
According to the KTB of U-270 the action unfurled as follows:
"After two runs in which the boat was strafed but no bombs dropped, the Fortress began a third approach at 19h18. Flak from U-270 fatally damaged the aircraft as she neared. The starboard inside motor was seen to be on fire and the aircraft lost height, releasing four D/Cs as she fell. They exploded 30 - 40 metres from the boat and the Fortress plunged a flaming wreck into the sea 300 metres further on."
The unfortunate "U" 206 Sqn was crewed by:
F/L A J Pinhorn Pilot
F/O J H Duncan 2nd Pilot
F/S T Eckersly Navigator
F/O F D Roberts
W/O D L Heard RCAF
W/O O A Keddy RCAF
Sgt. R Fabian WOP/AG
F/L R Brown (passenger)
F/L Brown was the Squadron Navigation Officer. Anthony James Pinhorn was the Acting Squadron Leader and was awarded a posthumous DFC in February 1945.
For the second action your're refering, which unfurled on 13 June, U-270 shot down Liberator BZ 818, coded "C" of 53 Sqn. The boat was first attacked at 23h42 by Wellington MP 789, coded "Y" of 172 Sqn, flown by P/O L G Harris in position 47°59'N - 05°28'W. P/O Harris carried out a Leigh Light attack on U-270 but the six D/Cs he released only damaged the boat. At 23h58, the crew of the orbiting Wellington sighted an explosion followed by a fire on the water on the position where U-270 was. This was in fact the fiery crash of Liberator "C" of 53 Sqn, skippered by F/L J W Carmichael.
The KTB of U-270 gives the following account:
"Grid BF 5244, time 23.40 hour. Air Attack - Liberator, Leigh Light.Distance 1500 metres, height 50 metres. Strafing, flak. At 23.41 hour, three bombs, they fall 20 metres from the boat. At 23.57 hour, attack, Liberator, no Leigh Light, flak, distance 800 metres. Starboard inside motor is on fire as the aircraft crosses over at 30 metres height. 23.58 hour, three bombs nearby and four far away. When the aircraft is at distance of 600 metres there is a bright flash. 23.59 hour, aircraft plunges into the sea, heavy fire and smoke."
U-270 was damaged in the attack and returned to harbour, the credit going to P/O Harris and crew of 172 Sqn. The unfortunate Liberator BZ 818 "C" of 53 Sqn was crewed by:
F/L J W Carmichael DFC, Pilot
F/S E E Stevens 2nd Pilot
F/S J T McKeown Navigator
F/O A C Peters RAAF
F/O V R White
F/S R H Curner RAAF
F/S K J Campbell RAAF
F/L H C Shaw
F/S I E Martin RAAF
Sgt V M Lusher
Source: Franks, N. and Zimmermann, E. (1998), U-Boat versus Aircraft, Grub Street, London, pp. 102, 160 - 161.
Hope this helps
Marc
To be precise, U-270 shot down on 6 January 1944 Fortress II serial FA 705, coded "U" of 206 Sqn. As mentionned in the Ubootwaffe forum by Roland Berr, the plane sighted U-270 while on patrol north-north-east of the Azores and radioed in a sighting report at 18h12 from 43°53'N - 23°32'W.
According to the KTB of U-270 the action unfurled as follows:
"After two runs in which the boat was strafed but no bombs dropped, the Fortress began a third approach at 19h18. Flak from U-270 fatally damaged the aircraft as she neared. The starboard inside motor was seen to be on fire and the aircraft lost height, releasing four D/Cs as she fell. They exploded 30 - 40 metres from the boat and the Fortress plunged a flaming wreck into the sea 300 metres further on."
The unfortunate "U" 206 Sqn was crewed by:
F/L A J Pinhorn Pilot
F/O J H Duncan 2nd Pilot
F/S T Eckersly Navigator
F/O F D Roberts
W/O D L Heard RCAF
W/O O A Keddy RCAF
Sgt. R Fabian WOP/AG
F/L R Brown (passenger)
F/L Brown was the Squadron Navigation Officer. Anthony James Pinhorn was the Acting Squadron Leader and was awarded a posthumous DFC in February 1945.
For the second action your're refering, which unfurled on 13 June, U-270 shot down Liberator BZ 818, coded "C" of 53 Sqn. The boat was first attacked at 23h42 by Wellington MP 789, coded "Y" of 172 Sqn, flown by P/O L G Harris in position 47°59'N - 05°28'W. P/O Harris carried out a Leigh Light attack on U-270 but the six D/Cs he released only damaged the boat. At 23h58, the crew of the orbiting Wellington sighted an explosion followed by a fire on the water on the position where U-270 was. This was in fact the fiery crash of Liberator "C" of 53 Sqn, skippered by F/L J W Carmichael.
The KTB of U-270 gives the following account:
"Grid BF 5244, time 23.40 hour. Air Attack - Liberator, Leigh Light.Distance 1500 metres, height 50 metres. Strafing, flak. At 23.41 hour, three bombs, they fall 20 metres from the boat. At 23.57 hour, attack, Liberator, no Leigh Light, flak, distance 800 metres. Starboard inside motor is on fire as the aircraft crosses over at 30 metres height. 23.58 hour, three bombs nearby and four far away. When the aircraft is at distance of 600 metres there is a bright flash. 23.59 hour, aircraft plunges into the sea, heavy fire and smoke."
U-270 was damaged in the attack and returned to harbour, the credit going to P/O Harris and crew of 172 Sqn. The unfortunate Liberator BZ 818 "C" of 53 Sqn was crewed by:
F/L J W Carmichael DFC, Pilot
F/S E E Stevens 2nd Pilot
F/S J T McKeown Navigator
F/O A C Peters RAAF
F/O V R White
F/S R H Curner RAAF
F/S K J Campbell RAAF
F/L H C Shaw
F/S I E Martin RAAF
Sgt V M Lusher
Source: Franks, N. and Zimmermann, E. (1998), U-Boat versus Aircraft, Grub Street, London, pp. 102, 160 - 161.
Hope this helps
Marc
| Subject | Written By | Posted |
|---|---|---|
U-270
|
Robert Stitt | 02/12/2006 09:09PM |
|
Re: U-270
|
Marc Haldimann | 02/13/2006 10:06PM |