VIII Air Support Command PHOTO RECCE
18 August 1943Description
4 F-5s are despatched from 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group/22nd Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron to conduct photo recce operations over France. One sustained a mechcanical failure of a trim tab control rod and was abandoned near the coast at Kent. The pilot baled out and was not injured. 1RTD
Mission Details
Description: PHOTOGRAPHIC RECONNAISSANCE MISSION
Aircraft Type: F-5 Lightning
Notes: Photo recce mission to France. One lost to mechanical failure over the English coast, pilot bailed OK. Investigation of the wreckage determined that a trim tab control tab had broken that allowed the elevator to flutter and that led to the break-up of the aircraft. The pilot managed to bail out at about 25,000 feet, but made a free-fall of about 20,00 feet before opening his chute. During the harrowing descent the pilot suffered injury to his face from numerous collisions with hail stones.
Mission Statistics
- People returned to duty: 1
- Aircraft sent: 4
- Aircraft missing in action: 1
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 28-May-2015. On the first edit pass I had this operation flagged as a DUPLICATE. However, on careful examination I determined the it was the original mission date of 31-Aug-43 that was in error. That date error resulted in this operation NOT appearing on the ACTUAL mission date of 18-Aug-43, therefore I had CREATED an NEW Mission for the 18-Aug-43. The changes I made to this operation (date and narrative) made the one created NOT NECESSARY, so I deleted that one I had created. All information is based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman and details from "The Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.
Lee Cunningham 27-May-2015. Flagged as DUPLICATE. The operation described here was actually flown on 18-Aug-43 and is recorded in an operation occuring on that date.
Lee Cunningham, 8th Air Force missions research database / Stan Bishop's 'Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces', the Combat Chronology of the US Army Air Forces and the work of Roger Freeman including the 'Mighty Eighth War Diary'.