Heinkel He 111-H2   Wr.2645    Wekusta1.   17/1/1941.

 

The Heinkel coded T5+EU had been on a Met` Observation flight from Oldenberg,Germany . The aircraft flying in snow showers and poor visability were forced to climb to 2,600ft in order to try and find clearer skies, this unfortunately placed them on radar screens and at 10.45 hrs Hurricanes from 3 Squadron at Sumburgh,Shetland were scrambled. Five fighters in all split up into two groups and in a matter of only 15 mins or so the Heinkel was spotted by New Zealander P/O Eddie Berry and Canadian F/O R.C.Watson who fired on the Heinkel several times wounding the Gunner Uffz Luking un the legs, with a trail of smoke coming from one of the Heinkel was headed for the sea but fortunately land was spotted in the form of Fair Isle and a crash landing was made at Vaasetter close to where the airstrip is now. The German airmen managed to scramble free before the plane erupted in flames and burnt itself out.

Crew of  2545:

Pilot:     Lt.     K.H.Thurz.

Eng:     Gefr.   G.Nentwig.   (K)

Eng:     Uffz.    B.Luking.    ( I )

R/Op:   Fw.    J.Wohlfahrt.

Met Obs:   Wd Insp.  L. Gburek.  (K)

 

In August this year ARGOS member and pilot Andrew Brown flew out to Fair Isle to inspect the wreckage from the Heinkel, it was discovered that  a large burnt area with many tiny fragments and the two engines remains, along with the tail sention in a nearby ditch. and sheets of armour plate.

 

Above: The 2 very badly burnt and coroded two Junkers Jumo engines and the tail section.

Above: Tail section from the Heinkel in a pit near the airfield. Photos: Andrew Brown.

PARTS IN THE CABIN MUSEUM,VIDLIN,SHETLAND

These parts were donated Andy Robinson to the Cabin Museum,Vidlin on the North Mainland,Shetland,these are from a He-111 which was shot down by 3 Hurricanes from Sumburgh on 17/01/1941 while on a weather flight from Oldenburg. Lt Heinz Thunz the pilot managed to make a good crash landing at Vaasetter,Fair Isle. Photo: Dave Earl

Heinkel equipment data plate at the Cabin wartime museum, Shetland.   Photo: Dave Earl.

 Another German plate from a piece of equipment off the Heinkel on Fair Isle.   Photo: Dave Earl.

An excellent account of the Fair Isle Heinkel by Christopher Barker in an `After the Battle` magazine in 1987 can  be found on Dave Wheeler`s site:  http://www.fairisle.org.uk/History/fair_isle_incident.htm

 

Spitfire X4501   1 PRU    12/7/1941.   Nr Vaasetter.

 

The Spitfire was returning from a photographic sortie off the Norwegian coast when nearing Fair Isle it suffered an engine failure. The pilot managed to make a perfect belly landing close to the airstrip and the aircraft apart from a damaged engine, battered cowl and a few dented panels to the underside was more or less unscathed with the pilot uninjured.  In the weeks following the crash the aircraft was dismantled by a salvage team and removed to be repaired and fly again.

Pilot:  F/O  M.D.S.Hood.  

  

Above: Photo of X4501 taken by RN Radar Station Commander Sub/Lt  Richard Feachem shortly before it was recovered, rumour has it that it was removed by the Shetland drifter `Research` and transported to the mainland. Photo: Dave Earl Via Ian Brown.

Spitfire recovery vessel LK.62. Research.  Photo:  Shetland Museum photo archive.

Walrus  L2310   700 Squadron  Off Fair Isle.  24/04/1940

      

 

This Walrus had taken off with 3 crew from RNAS Sparrowhawk (Hatston) for a routine Anti-Sub patrol in the North Sea,however it was last reported to be in the area of Fair Isle channel when it went missing with the loss of all on board, enemy aircraft were in the vicinity at the time but it is not certain whether there was a conflict, or just a machine malfunction of fuel shortage.

The crew were Pilot  Petty Officer (A) Cyril L.Smeathers. Observer Midshipman Paul L.Furber and Naval Airman 1st Class Charles E.Adams. None of the crew or the aircraft were ever found and all are commemorated on the Lee-On-Solent memorial.

It may be of interest that Paul Furber was one of the 3 crew who landed in Hiorowick Bay, on the North end of  Foula,Shetland  after running out of fuel  in Walrus L2296 on 18 Feb 1940, all the crew on this occasion were picked up sometime later but the Walrus was battered by the sea and written off. 

 

Stinson Reliant  G-BCUM.   Private Civilian.  30/7/1975.

     

On the day in question the pilot, Brendon Marshall O`Brian had been visiting Fair Isle with a former Director of the Fair Isle Bird Observatory, and had been anxious to leave the Island in a very strong wind, despite pleas to stay put until the winds calmed, he attempted to take off but kept weather-vaning every time he got the tail wheel off the ground. A strong NW cross wind caught the aircraft and a wing dug in and he cartwheeled over landing inverted, fortunately though nobody was injured.

Above:  G-BCUM with Islander in the background taken soon after the accident.  Photo: Dave Wheeler.

In the week that followed locals used a digger to lift the aircraft , it was then dismantled and taken down to the pier for shipping over to the mainland on the ferry `Good Shepherd III`.

The pilot Brendon O`Brian is still a pilot having amassed thousands of hours flying time on many types of aircraft, he is also a TV presenter, and can often be seen commentating on airshows etc.  

Above:  A digger with locals lifting the aircraft for removal to the pier.  Photo: Dave Wheeler.

As for the aircraft, well it has seen several new owners since the accident, and has changed its registration letters twice to G-BMSA and more recently to G-MIRM  and still flying and presently owned by Mr.M.Howells in Stockport.

Our thanks to Dave Wheeler of Fair Isle for info and photos of the accident, Dave is the Weatherman on the Isle and also a very good photographer, he has a website for his photographs which can be purchased online at :   http://www.davewheelerphotography.com/    You might also like to visit the Fair Isle website which can be found here:  http://www.fairisle.org.uk/

                      

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