Hebriderne Barra

På Vatersay´s østlige side ligger der vragrester af en Catalina vandflyver, som styrtede ned den 12. maj 1944 med en besætning på ni mand. De 3 omkom og 6 mand blev reddet. Catalinaflyene var en langsom men langtrækkende flytype, som brugtes under 2. Verdenskrig til kystbevogtning, havpatruljering, antiubådsbombemaskine, skibskonvojbeskyttelse, redningsfly og meget mere. Flyet kunne holde sig i luften i mange timer og tilbagelægge en strækning på over 3500 kilometer med fuld last af besætning og bomber/dybdebomber. Nutidig beskrivelse af ulykken (på engelsk): The Catalina Aircraft Type & Background First flown in the United States in March 1935, the PBY was intended as a long-range patrol aircraft. Originally equipped with two 850hp Pratt and Whitney engines, these were replaced in later versions with 1200hp Twin Wasp 14-cylinder radial engines. The aircraft had a maximum speed of 179mph. -- RCAF versions of the Catalina were known as 'Cansos'. The were built by Consolidated, Boeing of Canada, and Canadian Vickers. -- The RAF first began using these flying boats in 1941, renaming the Consolidated PBY as the 'Catalina' - a name first used by Consolidated themselves for their commercial versions, and adopted later by the US Navy. According to the RAF, Coastal Command had 602 Catalinas (or 'Cats') at their disposal. (Higher number are cited elsewhere.) A number of Catalinas remain in civilian use today. -- Aircraft Accident Details: The Catalina featured here (JX273) was built by Boeing of Vancouver, Canada. Sometime after its delivery to the UK, this aircraft was assigned to 302 Flying Training Unit, then operating from RAF Oban (a flying boat base). -- On the evening of the crash, the Catalina took off from Oban on the west coast of Scotland, fully loaded and with depth charges under each wing. The aircraft was on a night training exercise with a complement of nine persons, including the pilot and co-pilot. -- The intended course was via Barra Head. However, the aircraft was flying well off-course, and was no longer above the sea, as the pilot believed. Realising the navigational error, the pilot endeavoured to gain height. However, when he had reached about 213m (700ft), the Catalina—which, by now, was over higher ground—crashed into the side of Heishavel Beag on Vatersay. -- the nine personnel on board, three were killed and the remaining six were injured. -- se who died were: Flt Sgt David Clyne, Captain Sgt R. (Fred) Basset, Wireless OP-AG Sgt Patrick Hine, Rigger (mechanic)-AG. -- The injured were: Sgt E. Kilshaw, 2nd Pilot Sgt P. Lee, Navigator Sgt G. Calder, Wireless Op / Mechanic-AG Sgt Roy Beavis, Engineer Sgt Ron Anstey, Wireless OP-AG Sgt R. Whiting, Flight Mechanic The survivors were taken by the Royal Navy to hospital in Oban. -- RAF recovery teams broke up the aircraft, removing the engines, electronic equipment, and armaments etc. from the site. However, some larger parts were left further down the hill, where they had been dragged by the recovery teams. These parts are still there today. -- the foot of the hillside, stands a new memorial to those who died and to those who survived. The plaque on this memorial pillar can be seen below. Photos of the memorial pillar are available also at South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum. -- ther info can be found at http://www.aircrashsites-scotland.co.uk

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03.03 | 11:48

hej morfar, det er Nicolai. Fed hjemmeside! Håber at du bliver ved med at skrive og opretholde den

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