Short Stirling N 6046...crashsite located !Recklinghausen /

[Stirling Project]

Well done Karacho. Many thanks for helping to remember the fallen

John L

[Davenport7]

All,

I would like to thank Uwe Benkel, Rene Karassek and the town of Recklinghausen and each and everyone of you for snippets of information to have got me this far the plaque is up and my grandfathers journey from the crash site to POW camps will not be forgotton.

Guys I have pictures for the forum of all wreckage that was found but my file sizes are too big!

Can anyone assist.

Once again thanks Rene, it means so much to my family and the Yardley's!

Regards

Ian Davenport, one happy grandson, im sure my grandfather is looking down on me!

cheers

[jamesinnewcastle]

Hi Ian

I got your phone call and looked at the pics on the site you mentioned. While I suspect that others might better at identifying the items you have it is possible to put big pics on here that have the detail people may need. You have my email and if you send me your pics I'll shrink and size them for you and put them on here.

However the problem I had with your pics are that there are too many items per picture so each one is quite small. Also you need to turn them over and take another photo so that the pics show more than just one side of each item. More pics will help people describe the part to you as well, at the moment it is sort of 5th item in and 7th down. Also put a ruler in the shot, that way you give an idea of the size of the objects.

Look carefully for any numbers stamped on the objects - Look for a single digit followed by 29 then some other numbers. The 29 is Stirling, the first number shows what part of the A/C is is from, the rest are just a drawing serial number. Others can help once you have these figures (all I know is that 3=Wing).


Cheers

James

[Stirling Project]

Hi Ian

The surest way to identify the parts will be for you to bring them all with you when we finally are able to arrange your visit to the Project. I've been collating Pt Nos so if you find any with any luck I should be able to identify them or at least which part of the aircraft they were installed in.

regards

John L

[K4KittyCrew]

Forum member, Ian Davenport has asked me to combine these details and images, here on these pages.
I thank one and all for your help in collating all relevant information on behalf of the crews families.
Regards,
John

[K4KittyCrew]

Here is a photo of Short Stirling MG-Y, albeit, I'm thinking a later model.
John

[jamesinnewcastle]

Hello James,

i will send you the diameters from this peaces in next days.

Hi Karacho

I'm about to draw up the red cover for my model - can you let me have some sizes from it please? Possibly the main circular diameter, the inner diameter where the button goes 'inwards' and the width of the square part that protrudes beyond the round part are all I need!

Many thanks

James

[Davenport7]

All,

After all the excellent news of finding the crash site my research has turned more towards the bomber and its fate on the 8th September 1941. After the bomber took off at 20:01pm it attacked Berlin target on its third attempt. Now I contacted Theo Boiten who wrote the Nachtjagd series of books on nightfighter claims. He said that there was a 'probable claim' for N6046 Stirling near Berlin details below:

Lt Rudolf Altendorf: 7 2./NJG3 pr Viermont N Berlin (Sector C and D): 1400 M attacked Stirling at 00:32 prob.
Coned by Flakscheinwerfer - ABT in Sector C and D

Can anyone locate where my grandfathers Stirling was attacked?

I know that this damaged the Stirling and injured the flight engineer as he had a bullet in his shoulder till the day he died (D Owens). Later the bomber was attacked by flak and this caused the bomber to break up.

Theo said that 4. Flak Division: 1./Res Flak Abt 403 and 2 & 3./Res Flak Abt 366 claimed the Stirling at Polsum Germany east of Marl and 14 miles away from where the Stirling crash site is.

I was suprised to see that they claimed it being so far away but perhaps the Stirling covered some ground on auto pilot.

Things I would like help from the forum on is:

- Can anyone help with researching the Pilot, he suvived the war and would love to know how I go about finding his family.
- How do I go about finding out or researching the Flak crews (guns used and members of the unit)
- specifics around where I know my grandfathers bomber came to rest 14 miles away from the guns supposed to have claimed the Stirling.

One of the eyewitnesses I located through my own research said that there were 88 Flak guns closer than the ones claiming the bomber, he said they were based at Stuckenbusch, near reclinghausen.

Also I know the bomber was shot up bad from flak and nightfighters in and around Berlin and one of the crew said that this dangerously weakened the plane and on route home the Starboard outer engine exploded weakening the wing and the pilot gave the order to bail out. So could it just have been the damage took its toll on the Stirling.

Interested in any help I can get.

Regards

Ian

[Davenport7]

In addition Theo Boiten confirmed Altendorfs combat report said he engaged my grandfather s bomber twice once from starboard side and from behind with a trail of smoke been seen. The bomber flew on gamely to recklinghausen when the starboard outer engine blew and they got hit by flak again. The order to bail out came.

This matched with my grandfather s crew story that they dropped low a few thousand feet to avoid flak and were attacked by a me110. My grandfather said they fired upon gun position s and he fired and put out a searchlight. The Stirling took a lot of punishment that night. Rather scary stuff. I wish my grandfather was alive today. He passed away when I was very young.

this was the start of his long captivity.

ian davenport.

[K4KittyCrew]

Many thanks Ian for your continued contribution.
Several years back, I sent Theo Boiten some photos to include in his then upcoming book.
I'd be interested to hear from anyone as to what images were included.
John