COMMANDEMENT DES TRANSPORTS DE LA ROYAL AIR FORCE, 1943-1945. - Opération MARKET III : ravitaillement aérien des forces aéroportées britanniques dans la région d'Arnhem, 19 septembre 1944. Douglas Dakota Mark III brûlé, KG401, du No. 48 Squadron RAF basé à Down Ampney, Gloucestershire, qui s'est écrasé dans un champ près de Kessel, Hollande, après avoir parachuté des fournitures au-dessus d'Arnhem. L'avion venait de lâcher son ravitaillement de 700 pieds lorsqu'il a été confronté à d'intenses tirs antiaériens. L'empennage, la gouverne de direction, l'aileron bâbord et le moteur, le réservoir de carburant auxiliaire tribord et tous les instruments gyroscopiques ont été endommagés ou mis hors service

• Contributeur: piemags/ww2archive / Alamy Banque D'Images
• ID de l’image: 2X035FG
• Taille du fichier: 14,3 MB (528 KB Téléchargement compressé)
• Autorisations: Modèle - non | Propriété - non
• Dimensions: 2556 x 1956 px | 21,6 x 16,6 cm | 8,5 x 6,5 inches | 300dpi

Informations supplémentaires

Cette image peut avoir des imperfections car il s’agit d’une image historique ou de reportage.

ROYAL AIR FORCE TRANSPORT COMMAND, 1943-1945. - Operation MARKET III: air re-supply of British airborne forces in the Arnhem area, 19 September 1944. Burnt-out Douglas Dakota Mark III, KG401, of No. 48 Squadron RAF based at Down Ampney, Gloucestershire, which crash-landed in a field near Kessel, Holland, after parachuting supplies over Arnhem. The aircraft had just dropped its supplies from 700 feet when it was met with intense anti-aircraft fire. The tail unit, rudder, port aileron and engine, the starboard auxiliary fuel tank and all the gyro instruments were either damaged or put out of action, and one of the Army despatchers was mortally wounded. The captain, Flying Officer L R Pattee RCAF and his co-pilot, Flying Officer A C Kent RAF, flew the crippled aircraft back to the British lines, through three more areas of enemy flak, where they sustained further serious damage, including a five foot hole in the starboard wing which caught fire, and complete electrical and communications failure. Once over the British lines, Pattee gave the crew and despatchers the opportunity to bale out, but they refused and the pilots then made a successful belly-landing in the field. No sooner had they all quit the Dakota, than it was engulfed by flames. The unfortunate despatcher died soon after the landing, while the others were taken to Brussels and the crew returned to Down Ampney.Sixteen aircraft of 48 Squadron participated in MARKET III, flying through intense flak with no fighter escort. Many aircraft were hit and two, (KG401 and KG428), failed to return. Over the following four days the Squadron lost another six Dakotas on re-supply missions to Arnhem Royal Air Force, Royal Air Force Regiment, Sqdn, 48