crashed DH9

[Elzevir Didot]

Hello,

who could tell me which was the RAS unit of a DH9 (or 4) crashed in France (?), code A159 (or A155) on the tail.

(and so the place of the crash, the name of the pilot, and the age of his dog ...)

Many thanks ...

ED.

[Adrian Roberts]

I think this serial is incomplete. These relate to much earlier, Morane-Saulnier types. A DH9 or 4 would have had a letter followed by four digits. But serials starting with A155- were Sopwith 1.5 Strutters and those starting with A159- were Martinsyde Elephants.

Do you have a photo of the crash which might help with identification?

Having said that I don't have the information to trace the actual fate of a given aircraft; maybe someone else can trace it once we have the correct serial.

[Elzevir Didot]

Do you have a photo of the crash which might help with identification?

[Adrian Roberts]

Its a DH4, as the cockpits are widely separated with pilot's being between the centre-section struts - the DH9 had the pilot's cockpit further aft, adjacent to the observer's.

But I'm not sure the first digit is a "1". Unless someone can do something very clever with the photo we may only be able to read the middle two digits and the "A".

The number of civilians being allowed to surround it suggests that it came down in England rather than France or Belgium.

Adrian

[Dolphin]

The rudder serial, painted in black, on A-prefix DH4s was generally marked only over the white and red (rear) section of the rudder, so the serial on this machine looks like it was A??55 or A??59. Unfortunately, a number of DH4s that meet that profile experienced forced landings, so identification of the machine in question isn't easy. It's a shame that distinguishing between black and red on orthochromatic film isn't easy.

The absence of squadron markings may indicate that the forced landing/crash occurred after March 1918, if it took place on the Western Front.

Does the uniform of the man next to the aeroplane suggest anything to anyone? To me, at least, he doesn't look all that British, but I may well be wrong (I often am).

Gareth

[mickdavis]

It's a DH4 from the first production batch - only those 50 machines had the cut down observer's cockpit with the Scarff ring mounted on the upper fuselage longerons.

If that's the case, it can only be A2155. The light coloured fin and absence of squadron markings would then place it in the first half of 1917. A2155 did crash - on 30 April 1917 while in service with 55 Sqn. The crew, Lts EH Marshall and JC Trulock were OK. A2155 was repaired and re-issued to 25 Sqn, crashed again, repaired again and issued to 57 Sqn in December 1917. It ended up scrapped after damaged from AA fire made it not worth reconstruction.

I suspect your photo shows the machine after its mishap with 55 Sqn.

[Elzevir Didot]

Wow !

thank you Mick. Do you know the place of this crash ?

[mickdavis]

I have the location listed as Routet, my only problem being that I've a note that there are 3 possible locations and all seem to far south of 55 Sqn's area of operations from its base at Fienvillers.

[Elzevir Didot]

thank you Mick, you're great !