Handley Page Hampden Mk.I AD972 (EQ-A) of 408 Squadron Royal Canadian Air Force, RAF. Damaged on combat operations on the night of 7-8 November1941.
As they were crossing the Dutch coast near Ijsselmeer, Friesland, returning from bombing a target in Germany, the aircraft was attacked by a Messerschmitt Bf.110 night-fighter. The aircraft was immediately put into a diving cork-screw to port manoeuvre to evade the night fighter, and contact was lost with the enemy aircraft, but not before it had fired several bursts of machine gun and cannon fire. A crew check was made by the pilot, to which Sgt. Bernard Palastanga, the Navigator did not respond.
On checking his position the escape hatch was found open. Sgt. B.W. Palastanga had evidently bailed out as his stowed parachute was missing from the rack Sgt. Palastanga was reported as missing - believed killed in action, he was later found to have drowned.
Hampden AD972, with the other three crew, made it back to RAF Syerston, Nottinghamshire.
As they were crossing the Dutch coast near Ijsselmeer, Friesland, returning from bombing a target in Germany, the aircraft was attacked by a Messerschmitt Bf.110 night-fighter. The aircraft was immediately put into a diving cork-screw to port manoeuvre to evade the night fighter, and contact was lost with the enemy aircraft, but not before it had fired several bursts of machine gun and cannon fire. A crew check was made by the pilot, to which Sgt. Bernard Palastanga, the Navigator did not respond.
On checking his position the escape hatch was found open. Sgt. B.W. Palastanga had evidently bailed out as his stowed parachute was missing from the rack Sgt. Palastanga was reported as missing - believed killed in action, he was later found to have drowned.
Hampden AD972, with the other three crew, made it back to RAF Syerston, Nottinghamshire.
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