Mustang Mk. III KH818 (QV- ) - The Kattegat                                    Updated: 18 JAN 2023

Airman Surname Init Rank Service Sqdn P_link Plane Operation Crash_site Crash_d Buried_d C_link At_Next
e777865.htm Davidson J F/Lt RAF 019 p477.htm MUS KH818 Anti ship The Kattegat d040545 e777 e777.htm NO KNOWN


Den 4. maj 1945 kolliderede MUS KH818 med MUS KH674 måske omkring her ud for Randers Fjord. Flyvehistorisk Tidsskrift skriver (uddrag):

4. maj 1945 (kl. 15.41). Kattegat, Ø for Randers fjord. Mustang Mk. III, KH818 (QV- ). 19 FS, 18 Coastal Group, Banff Strike Wing, Banff, Banffshire.
Escort for Mosquitoes på anti shipping patrol
i Kattegat. 1 MIA. 

Banff Strike Wing skulle den 4. maj atter patrulje i Kattegatområdet. 6 Mustang IV fra 19 FS og 12 Mustang IV fra 234 FS lettede kl. 13.15 sammen med 41 Mosquitoes. 2 Mosquitoes vendte om grund af motorproblemer, inden formationen krydsede den danske kyst ved Lodbjerg (fyr her) kl. 15.08.
Kl. 15.35
blev et mindre skib angrebet øst for Randers fjord. Skibet sprang i luften og blev forladt brændende.

Efter angrebet kolliderede Tonic 3, F/Lt. Joseph Davidson, med Tonic 4, P/O Basil Matthew Natta og begge fly styrtede i havet. Begge flyvere forsvandt.

Mustang KH860 fra 234 FS blev på hjemturen ramt af ild fra en tysk flakstilling ved Mariager fjord, og piloten P/O P. J. W. Bell måtte nødlande ved Hornum,
15 km S for Løgstør. (Flere detaljer om angreb på tyske skibe ses ved MUS KH860. Flere links i engelsk version.)
Se Poul Erik Pedersen: U-bådskrig - pdf, 44 sider - om de 3 fly nævnt her s. 42.   P-51 Mustang - Fotos.

On 4 May 1945 MUS KH818 and MUS KH674 collided maybe about here off the Randers Fjord. (Danish) Aviation Historical Review writes (excerpts):

4 May 1945 (15.41 hours). The Kattegat, E of the Randers Fjord. Mustang Mk. III, KH818 (QV- ). 19 FS, 18 Coastal Group, Banff Strike Wing, Banff, Banffshire.
Escort for Mosquitoes on anti shipping patrol
in the Kattegat. 1 MIA. 

On 4 May the Banff Strike Wing once again were on an anti shipping patrol in the Kattegat. At 13.15 hours 6 Mustang IV from 19 FS and 12 Mustang IV from  234 FS took off. 2 Mosquitoes returned due to engine problems before the formation crossed the coast of Denmark at Lodbjerg (lighthouse here) at 15.08 hours.
At 15.35 hours a small ship was attacked east of the Randers Fjord. The ship blew up and was left burning.

After the attack Tonic 3, F/Lt Joseph Davidson and Tonic 4, P/O Basil Matthew Natta collided and both planes crashed into the sea. Both airmen disappeared.

On the return flight Mustang KH860 from 234 FS was hit by fire from a German flak battery at the Mariager Fjord, and Pilot P/O P. J. W. Bell  had to make a forced landing at Hornum 15 km S of Løgstør. (More details about attacks on German ship are shown at MUS KH860.)

This Mustang took off from RAF Bannf. See also No. 19 Squadron RAF * Secret Scotland - RAF Banff  * RAF Coastal Command * P-51 Mustang - Photos.