1944 Neuleiningen Douglas DC-3 shootdown

1944 Neuleiningen Douglas DC-3 shootdown
Shootdown
Date24 September 1944 (1944-09-24)
SummaryShootdown
Site
Aircraft
Aircraft typeDouglas C-47 Dakota III
Operator437 Sqn RCAF
RegistrationKG653
Flight originRAF Pershore
1st stopoverCagliari Elmas Airport
Last stopoverRAF Castel Benito
DestinationKarachi
Passengers20
Crew3
Fatalities23
Survivors0

On 24 September 1944, Douglas C-47 Dakota serial number KG653 operated by 437 Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force was shot down over Neuleiningen by a Messerschmitt Bf 109 after it veered off course into Germany, killing all 23 occupants on board.[1]

Accident

The flight took off from RAF Pershore at 3:30 local time. Mid-flight, it encountered poor weather (dark low clouds, heavy rain, thunder, and lightning) and entered Germany.[2] Later, a Messerschmitt Bf 109 piloted by Julius Meimberg of the Luftwaffe attacked the C-47, firing at its right engine.[3] The pilot then performed a split S, but the wing tore off and it crashed near Neuleningen, killing all 23 occupants.[1][3][4]

References

  1. 1 2 Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Douglas Dakota III (DC-3) KG653 Neuleiningen". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  2. ↑ "Crash of a Douglas C-47A Dakota III in Neuleiningen: 23 killed". Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  3. 1 2 "Nackterhof: Heimatforscher finden Flugzeugteile an Dakota-Absturzort". Rheinpfalz (in German). 9 February 2018. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  4. ↑ Memberg, Julius (1 November 2002). Feindberührung: Erinnerungen 1939-1945 (in German). Neunundzwanzigsechs. pp. 290–291. ISBN 978-3-9807935-1-3.
This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.