did not want to pounce further on the Campbells 514 squad thread

at least 4 RCAF squadrons flying missions with Beaus and later Mossies and I note forum member Stevin has a few things about a RCAF squad or two that were placed by airfield in Holland such as the top RCAF NF squadron the 410th.

Speaking of this squadron Skipper I have a note that in August of 44 the unit received the hot-rod Mossie XXX nf and that it was placed on different airfields in France, would you know of the fields the unit was located.... ?
score if I am correct was some 75+ LW aircraft, not sure of the ground kills

this could prove quite interesting

wonder if a book (s) have been published on this successful unit ? upon further investigation I now find this was the top scoring NF unit in the 2nd TAF from Normandie till V-E day.

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I'm gettin some pretty class act stuff of last night and way too early this morn from Canada on this RCAF NF unit...........post later

I can try to find out about the Mossie bases in France from August 1944. However I don't think the crash took place so late. I wouldn't be surprised it was around early Summer or Spring 1944. The witness mentionned a Bergungskommando taking off the wings and puting them with the fuselage on a large trailer truck for recycling. This would not have happened later in the Summer with all the panic of the German retreat. The Units I'm focusing on are 418 RCAF, 409 RCAF, 406 RCAF, 488 RCAF, 410 RCAF. These Squadron all lost at least one Mosquito in the Summer 1944 period.

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488 Squadron was RNZAF.

I have "Mosquito Squadrons of the RAF", can scan if necessary, just shout.

Cheers,

Mark

so that takes one Squadron out and narrows the search , thanks Mark and your info about the RAF Mosquitos is very welcome.

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well Skipper I have just ordered a copy of Shores/Thomas 2nd TAF, volume 2 so will fill you in if the information is included.........a late Christmas present to myself

E ~ maybe the other guys if they have the book can add before I do ?

I'd love too. If I get this info it would be Christmas for me too. Not the same story but still about Mossies I ordered for 479th Fighter Group in World War II: In Action over Europe With the P-38 And P-51 my own Christmas .

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ok friend where did you pick up the copy on the 479th fg ? that is one of the 8th AF fg's unit histories I do not own ..........

good for you !

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Skipper hope you are not in a big rush, just noted for the 31 July 44 2 Mossie Mk VI's lost in the area of Vire ? from the 21st and the other from the 613 squadron.

taking the time for all of August 44 will take a wee bit of time but can be done

1 August 44 one 21sq Mossie down both crew escaped in the area of Caserues des Dunes
5 August 44 two Mossie VI intruders lost. first one from the 613th failed to return from a mission over the Seine, the second from the 487th down near Nantes at 0330hrs, the crew bailed out and escaped

something to ponder so far ?

more to come

Skip we are having brown outs right now due to wind and the rain so I may fade out while I post this, it will be short and hopeful this is helping you ?

7 August 44 two Mossies shot down, one over the beach-head the other ?

8 August 44

21st sq. Mossie at about 0100hrs, location ?
464th sq lost 1 Mossie near the Orne
107th sq lost 1 Mossie in northern France
140th sq lost 2 Mossie XVI by Boulogne and the other by Northolt

9 August 44 ........... 0

10 August 44 .......... 0

11 August 44

1 Mossie VI lost to flak ? near Breux sur Avre

12 August 44 .......... 0

It's difficult I'm afraid. The closest would be the Seine, but we are rather looking for the Loire. I know for sure it is not the Breux one, I attended the commemoration last year .
The second one from august 7th could be something to ponder on. The one from 5th August coming frm the Seine could be explored too.
the 479th book I mentionned was written by Terry Fairfield in 2004 and it is a beauty. You will have to wait till Xmas for details because it's still wrapped. It has over 500 pages! 70$ at least. It's huge. I got an entire US postal Mbag delivered with it!
Amazon.com: 479th Fighter Group in World War II: In Action over Europe With the P-38 And P-51: Books: Terry A. Fairfield

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the electrical guy in the bucket truck is getting soaked trying to figure out the brown out probs, so I will hurry this, Skip I have the rest of August 44 I will stash up in this thread, so have a bit wee patience yet, I know you do. Also HEY are U trying to make me jealous of that 479th fg book ???? !!!! $ 70.00 is not bad at all for a possible OOP title

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Thanks Erich I appreciate, take care of the probs first. Post the rest of August when you have time. If August does not fit I'll probably bug you for the previous months too. Funny weather you have, we have -12 celsius freezing here.

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well snow is due towards weekend when everyone around me is thinking of traveling over the passes north and south, if I am not working on the morrow I will post more of August and then get to July. I know there is some gaps in my data, but at least you have a start to sort through .........

think this :

"research is fun, research is fun "

Yes I'd love to find out which RCAF crew was captured near Blois. The witness said 1944, so anyhting is possible. We are talking about a day operation (the crash occured in the late afternoon). You are lucky not to work tomorrow I start at 8am.

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usually I am out by 6am, not this December it appears. ok I need to re-focus for a Mossie during the day.......good, I'm really just trying to find all Mossie's lost during and through the 2nd TAF war diary

Skip care for some of my rain ?

Any more info about the RCAF mossie? I'm focussing on an intruder mission. the crash site is near a local airfield and a railroad and it happened at daytime. I suspect a D-Day support/preparation Operation, so april to August 44 would be my best guess. Now the Canadian nationality is based on the report of one gendarme, so if there are matches with oter or mixed nationalities I'm taking those too.

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