Lancaster Serial No. HK 773

[Thommo]

Greetings folks

I'm wanting to collect research material to build a model of Lancaster serial No. HK773. It crashed near Mildenhall on 23/3/45, and at the time was coded LS-W.

My sister-in-laws grandfather FJ Newton was the pilot (all crew were killed) and I'm looking to build a model of that a/c. He was the only RAAF member on board.

I've found a few pics of a Lancaster coded LS-W, but the lettering on those a/c are bright white in colour and during war time I'm told they would likely have been red so to be less visible. Also many a/c may have been coded LS-W as replacements progressed, but I assume only one was coded serial No. HK773, and that's the one I'm looking for.

I'd like to know what version Lancaster it was (my research so far suggests a Mk1), and any particular markings it had - e.g any nose-art, or a name?

I have found the following info:

RAAF FATALITIES IN SECOND WORLD WAR AMONG

RAAF PERSONNEL SERVING ON ATTACHMENT

IN ROYAL AIR FORCE SQUADRONS AND SUPPORT UNITS

436058 Pilot Officer NEWTON, Frederick John

Source:

AWM 237 (65) NAA : A705, 166/29/231 Commonwealth War Graves records

W RF Chorley : RAF Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War, Page 144

Volume 1945

Aircraft Type: Lancaster

Serial number: HK 773

Radio call sign: LS – W

Unit: ATTD 15 SQN RAF

Summary:

Lancaster HK773 took off from RAF Mildenhall at 1055 hours on the 23 March 1945 to

attack Bocholt by GH bombing methods. The aircraft was seen at approx 1100 hours

flying in a north-westerly direction at 150 feet w2ith the port outer engine feathered and

apparently on fire. The aircraft gradually lost height finally striking the ground in dense

wood and the 4000 lb bomb on board exploded. The aircraft crashed in between Brandon

and Munford, Norfolk, UK.

Crew:

RAAF 436058 PO Newton, F J Captain (Pilot)

RAF Sgt W J Dee, (Flight Engineer)

RAF Sgt C A J Church, (Navigator)

RAF Sgt M F Matthews, (Bomb Aimer)

RAF Sgt G A Cope, (Wireless Operator Air)

RAF Sgt P Cooley (Mid Upper Gunner)

RAF Sgt T E Jenkins, (Rear Gunner)

All the crew were killed and they are buried in the Cambridge City Cemetery,

Cambridgeshire, UK. The cemetery is known locally as the Newmarket Road Cemetery.

The above fatalities were the last fatalities of 15 Sqn in WW2.

Cheers, Thommo

[Big Daddy]

Have you seen the memorial page here?

Church of St. Leonard

Looks like it was a MK I as it had the earlier Merlin 22 engines. Lancaster HK773 Information:

"Serial range HK535 - HK806 This aircraft was one of 200 Lancasters ordered from Vickers Armstrongs (Castle Bromwich) as Mk.11s in Sep42 and changed to Mk.111s Feb43, but built as Mk.1s from Oct43 to Feb45. Up to HK773 had Merlin 22 engines initially installed, all subsequent aircraft Merlin 24 engines."

Lancaster production at Castle Bromwich

Hope this helps.

BD

Edited April 29, 2012 by Big Daddy

[chuck540z3]

I highly recommend you visit the Lancaster Archive Forum found here:

http://lancaster-archive.com/forum/

After registration, post your questions in the Bomber Command forum and you'll get a LOT of really good information from these guys who know everything Lancaster.

Chuck

[Thommo]

I highly recommend you visit the Lancaster Archive Forum found here:

http://lancaster-archive.com/forum/

After registration, post your questions in the Bomber Command forum and you'll get a LOT of really good information from these guys who know everything Lancaster.

Chuck

Yup, done that.