Blenheim MkIV RAF 53Sqn TEN L4841 line up England Jan 1939 01
Bristol Blenheim MkIV RAF 53Sqn Coastal Command based RAF Odiham Hampshire L4864 (L4851 is centre) and L4839 01
Bristol Blenheim MkIV RAF 53Sqn PZB L9466 France 1940 01
Bristol Blenheim MkIV RAF 53Sqn PZF L4843 shot down 16th May 1940 01
Bristol Blenheim MkIV RAF 53Sqn PZN R3602 shot down France 6th June 1940
Bristol Blenheim MkIV RAF 53Sqn PZN R3602 P/O J.N. Bether and Sg.t Randall shot down France
Bristol Blenheim IV. Serial number: L4852, PZ-B. Operation: Reconnaissance. Lost: , all three crew survived but were injured/badly burned:
F/L B.B. St G. Daly - badly burned; Sgt W.R.B. Currie - badly burned; AC2 P.J. Blandford - badly burned; Took off from Poix. Damaged by anti-aircraft fire from Allied troops, then attacked in error by Sgt Crozier of 85 Squadron near Amiens.(In other words, a "friendly fire incident") Crashed and burned out during emergency belly-landing at Glisy, 16.30 hrs. during landing approach. Missing on reconnaissance to locate enemy troops.
Bristol Blenheim IV, serial number: L4843, PZF. Operation: Strategic reconnaissance, Lost: .
All three crew survived, but were taken PoW: Pilot Officer R.I.C. Macpherson - POW; Sgt A.T. Moreland - POW; A/C2 S. Robinson - POW; L4843 took off from Poix. Failed to return from strategic reconnaissance to Charleville-Mézières and reported crashed at Mainbressy, east of Rozoy, 11.00 hrs. Missing on reconnaissance mission to locate enemy troops.
Bristol Blenheim IV. Serial number: L4861, PZP. Operation: Reconnaissance sortie, Belgium Damaged: . Three crew survived, one injured
F/L A.C. Brown - unhurt; Sgt Brooks - unhurt; A/C2 W. Cavett - badly wounded in leg; Took off from Poix. Damaged by ground fire and forced-landed on one engine at Vitry, 07.35 hrs. Aircraft repairable.
Bristol Blenheim Mk IV Serial number: L9329, TEL Operation: Reconnaissance over the Ruhr Lost:
Pilot Officer (Pilot) John L.G. Butterworth, RAF 40798, 53 Sqdn., age 21, , Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany. Sergeant (Obs.) Maurice G.A. Pearce, RAF 565936, 53 Sqdn., age 24, 03/05/1940, Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany. Aircraftman 2nd Class Robert A. Wood, RAF 624992, 53 Sqdn., age unknown, 03/05/1940, Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany
Shot down near Hornisgrinde, 21.00 hrs.
Sources: CWGC and Peter D. Cornwell, The Battle of France, Then and Now, 2008
Bristol Blenheim Mk IV Serial number: R3634, PZY Operation: Reconnaissance over Germany Lost:
S/L W.B. Murray - unhurt AC Voules - unhurt Sergeant (Obs.) Douglas G.B. Falconer, RAF 523067, 53 Sqdn., age 28, 09/05/1940, Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery, F
Lost bearings due to ground mist on return from reconnaissance over Hamm and the Ruhr Valley. Unable to locate airfield forced-landed at Laboissière, north-east of Montdidier, 02.45 hrs. Sgt Falconer baled out but fell dead on road between Erches and Andechy. Sources: CWGC and Peter D. Cornwell, The Battle of France, Then and Now, 2008
Bristol Blenheim IV Serial number: L4862, ?-? Operation: German Bomber attack, Metz, France Damaged:
Abandoned later Aircraft caught on the ground at Metz in bombing attack. Damaged but repairable, later abandoned.
Bristol Blenheim IV Serial number: P6916, ?-? Operation: (-) Damaged:
Aircraft caught on the ground at Metz in bombing attack. Damaged but repairable.
Source: Peter D. Cornwell, The Battle of France, Then and Now, 2008
Blenheim MkIV RAF 53Sqn PZZ L9332 damaged by light Flak over Belgium and abandoned near Vitry-en-Artois
Bristol Blenheim Mk IV Serial number: L9332, PZZ Operation: Reconnaissance, Belgium Damaged:
Abandoned later P/O D.P. Massey - unhurt Sgt Whetton - unhurt AC1 Vickers - unhurt Damaged by light Flak during recce sortie over Belgium and was abandoned after the crew landed to report at the advanced airfield at Vitry-en-Artois, 11.40 hrs.
Source: Peter D. Cornwell, The Battle of France, Then and Now, 2008
Bristol Blenheim IV Serial number: L9459, PZ-C Operation: photo-reconnaissance sortie over Belgium Lost:
F/O A.D. Panton - wounded, evacuated to England Sgt W.A. Christie - wounded, evacuated to England AC2 R. Bence - wounded, PoW Took off from Poix. Forced-landed and burned out near Borlez during photo-reconnaissance sortie over Belgium. Possibly that claimed by Lt Braxator of 3./JG1 near Overijse, 16.55 hrs. AC2 Bence was severely wounded. His leg was amputated and he was later taken Prisoner of War.
Source: Peter D. Cornwell, The Battle of France, Then and Now, 2008
Bristol Blenheim IV Serial number: L4861, PZ-? Operation: Reconnaissance sortie, Belgium Damaged:
F/L A.C. Brown - unhurt Sgt Brooks - unhurt AC2 W. Cavett - badly wounded in leg Took off from Poix. Damaged by ground fire and forced-landed on one engine at Vitry, 07.35 hrs. Aircraft repairable.
Source: Peter D. Cornwell, The Battle of France, Then and Now, 2008
Bristol Blenheim IV Serial number: L9460, PZ-? Operation: Reconnaissance Damaged:
P/O R.I.C. Macpherson - unhurt Sgt A.T. Moreland - unhurt AC2 S. Robinson - unhurt Took off from Poix. Returned slightly damaged by Me 109's, 08.30 hrs. Aircraft repairable. See 16/05/1940
Bristol Blenheim IV Serial number: L9399, PZ-? Operation: Reconnaissance Lost:
Pilot Officer (Pilot) Peter K. Bone, RAF 40795, 53 Sqdn., age 27, 15/05/1940, Templeuve Communal Cemetery, Tournai, Belgium Sergeant (Obs.) William J. Cronin, RAF, 365686, DFM, 53 Sqdn., age 31, 15/05/1940, Templeuve Communal Cemetery, Tournai, Belgium Leading Aircraftman Jack Bromley, RAF 550718, 53 Sqdn., age 20, 15/05/1940, missing (buried as 'unknown airman' in Ramegnies-Chin Churchyard, Belgium, according to Cynrick De Decker and Jean Louis Roba in 'Mei 1940 boven België'. Took off from Poix. Shot down by F/L Owen of 504 Squadron and crashed near Couture de Froyennes, near Tournai (Doornik). 'At 09.00 hrs planes from 53 Squadron fly via Tournai to Dinant. British soldiers transported on the Tournai-Lille railroad see a Hurricane attacking a twin engined aircraft and shooting it down. Wildly cheering they watch this aircraft exploding in a ball of fire at Ramegnies-Chin near Couture de Froyennes. In the wreckage the bodies of P/O Bone and Sgt Cronin are found. A third charred body is pulled by parachute ropes out of the molten metal and buried in Ramegnies-Chin Churchyard. As combat broke out there was no time to identify him.'
Bristol Blenheim IV Serial number: L4841, PZ-? Operation: Reconnaissance Damaged:
P/O P.F.C. Villiers-Tuthill - unhurt Sgt A.H. Payne - unhurt LAC D.B. Mearns - unhurt
Took off from Poix. Crash-landed at Vitry, damaged by Me 110, 09.15 hrs. Aircraft repairable.
Bristol Blenheim IV Serial number: L9460, PZ-? Operation: Photo-Reconnaissance Damaged:
F/L B.B. St G. Daly - unhurt Sgt W.R.B. Currie - unhurt AC2 P.J. Blandford - unhurt
Took off from Poix. Damaged in attack by F/O E.J. Kain of 73 Squadron on return from operation, 09.30 hrs. Aircraft repairable.
Sources: CWGC; Peter D. Cornwell, The Battle of France, Then and Now, 2008; Cynrick De Decker and Jean Louis Roba, Mei 1940 boven België. De luchtstrijd tijdens de Achttiendaagse Veldtocht, De Krijger, 1993
Bristol Blenheim IV Serial number: L4860, PZ-W Operation: Strategic reconnaissance, B Lost:
P/O M. Lovell - badly wounded Sgt D. McLeod - wounded AC1 Kenneth - unhurt
Took off from Poix. Shot down over the Albert Canal 06.00 hrs. Crash-landed at Wadelincourt, in Henegouwen / Hainaut province, Belgium.
Bristol Blenheim IV Serial number: L4843, PZ-? Operation: Strategic reconnaissance, F Lost:
P/O R.I.C. Macpherson - POW Sgt A.T. Moreland - POW AC2 S. Robinson - POW
Took off from Poix. Failed to return from strategic reconnaissance to Charleville-Mézières and reported crashed at Mainbressy, east of Rozoy, 11.00 hrs.
Bristol Blenheim IV Serial number: L4852, PZ-? Operation: Reconnaissance Lost:
F/L B.B. St G. Daly - badly burned Sgt W.R.B. Currie - badly burned AC2 P.J. Blandford - badly burned
Took off from Poix. Damaged by anti-aircraft fire from Allied troops, then attacked by Sgt Crozier of 85 Squadron near Amiens. Crashed and burned out during emergency belly-landing at Glisy, 16.30 hrs. during landing approach.
Source: Peter D. Cornwell, The Battle of France, Then and Now, 2008
Bristol Blenheim IV Serial number: R3699, PZ-? Operation: Reconnaissance Damaged:
P/O S.G. Collins - unhurt Sgt Service - unhurt AC Cowling - unhurt
Took of from Poix. Returned starboard cowling damaged by light flak during recce sortie over Rethel and Vouziers, 13.30 hrs. Aircraft repairable.
Source: Peter D. Cornwell, The Battle of France, Then and Now, 2008
Bristol Blenheim Mk IV Serial number: L4841, PZ-? Operation: Reconnaissance Lost:
Aircraftman 1st Class (W. Op.) William A. Christie, RAF 552522, 53 Sqdn., age 18, 18/05/1940, St Hilaire Cemetery, Frevent, F Sergeant (Obs.) Anthony Gothard, RAF 581060, 53 Sqdn., age unknown, 18/05/1940, St Hilaire Cemetery, Frevent, F Pilot Officer (Pilot) Leslie J. Huggett, RAF 42346, 53 Sqdn., age unknown, 18/05/1940, St Hilaire Cemetery, Frevent, F Shot down by a Bf-109E of 1./JG 2
Bristol Blenheim Mk IV Serial number: ?, PZ-? Operation: ? Lost:
Pilot Officer (Pilot) Gerald M. Bailey, RAF 42330, 53 Sqdn., age 24, 26/05/1940, Bayenghem-les-Seninghem Churchyard, F Sergeant (Obs.) William J.K. Evans, RAF 580951, 53 Sqdn., age 22, 26/05/1940, Bayenghem-les-Seninghem Churchyard, F Aircraftman 1st Class (W.Op.) Alan A. Gillmore, RAF 552644, 53 Sqdn., age 19, 26/05/1940, Bayenghem-les-Seninghem Churchyard, F
Bristol Blenheim Mk IV Serial number: ?, PZ-? Operation: ? Lost:
Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gnr.) Daniel B. Mearns, RAF 628503, 53 Sqdn., age 19, 27/05/1940, Faumont Churchyard, F Sergeant (Obs.) Alfred H. Payne, RAF 366401, 53 Sqdn., age 30, 27/05/1940, Faumont Churchyard, F Pilot Officer (Pilot) Percy F.C. Villiers-Tuthill, RAF 42165, 53 Sqdn., age 23, 27/05/1940, Faumont Churchyard, F
Bristol Blenheim IV with test pilot Bill Pegg later RAF 53Sqn near Filton 29 May 1939 IWM HU104771
Bristol Blenheim Mk IV L4842 being flown by test pilot Bill Pegg near Filton, 29 May 1939. The aircraft served with No. 53 Squadron and was shot down on 17 May 1940 over France.
Imperial War Museum IWM HU 104771 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205208659
IL-2 Sturmovik Cliffs of Dover - COD/CLOD skins
CLOD game skin by asisbiz Blenheim MkIV RAF 53Sqn L4839 Coastal Command based Hampshire
CLOD game skin by asisbiz Blenheim MkIV RAF 53Sqn L4851 Coastal Command based Hampshire
CLOD game skin by asisbiz Blenheim MkIV RAF 53Sqn L4864 Coastal Command based Hampshire
CLOD game skin by asisbiz Blenheim MkIV RAF 53Sqn PZB L4852 Battle of France 1940
CLOD game skin by asisbiz Blenheim MkIV RAF 53Sqn PZB L9466 Battle of France 1940
CLOD game skin by asisbiz Blenheim MkIV RAF 53Sqn PZC L9459 shot down 11th May 1940
CLOD game skin by asisbiz Blenheim MkIV RAF 53Sqn PZF L4843 shot down 16th May 1940
CLOD game skin by asisbiz Blenheim MkIV RAF 53Sqn PZN R3602 shot down France 6th June 1940
CLOD game skin by asisbiz Blenheim MkIV RAF 53Sqn PZP L4861 shot down 13th May 1940
CLOD game skin by asisbiz Blenheim MkIV RAF 53Sqn PZW L4860 shot down 16th May 1940
CLOD game skin by asisbiz Blenheim MkIV RAF 53Sqn PZY R3634 shot down 9th May 1940
CLOD game skin by asisbiz Blenheim MkIV RAF 53Sqn PZZ L9332 shot down 10th May 1940
CLOD game skin by asisbiz Blenheim MkIV RAF 53Sqn TEG L4837 England 1939
CLOD game skin by asisbiz Blenheim MkIV RAF 53Sqn TEJ L4849 England 1939
CLOD game skin by asisbiz Blenheim MkIV RAF 53Sqn TEL L9329 shot down 3rd May 1940
CLOD game skin by asisbiz Blenheim MkIV RAF 53Sqn TEN L4841 England 1939
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Bibliography:
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Frith, David. Pageant of Cricket. Melbourne: The MacMillian Company of Australia, 1987. ISBN 978-0-333-45177-9.
Keskinen, Kalevi et al. Suomen Ilmavoimien Historia 10, Bristol Blenheim (in Finnish). Loviisa, Finland: Painoyhtymä Oy, 2004. ISBN 952-99432-1-0.
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Lake, Jon. Blenheim Squadrons of World War 2. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 1998. ISBN 1-85532-723-6.
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Warner, G. The Bristol Blenheim: A Complete History. London: Crécy Publishing, 2nd edition 2005. ISBN 0-85979-101-7.
Wheeler, Barry C. The Hamlyn Guide to Military Aircraft Markings. London: Chancellor Press, 1992. ISBN 1-85152-582-3.
RAF No 53 Squadron
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