BEAUFIGHTER & BLENHEIM | MALTA

Bristol Beaufigther

BRISTOL BEAUFIGHTER & BLENHEIM - MALTA|HISTORIC WRECKS


HISTORY. It is October 20th, 1943. The war rages on. A small boat approaches in the thick darkness and disembarks a small group of seven hand-picked men on the Greek island of Naxos. Lieutenant Aitken, the head of a Long Range Desert Group patrol, and his men dare to be on the remote Greek island under the nose of a German garrison numbering about 650 men. Cautiously and quietly, they march toward the interior of the island. Aided, as always, by the local inhabitants, they hide and spy on the movements of the Germans. A few days later, Aitken notices a suspicious concentration of enemy ships. Four have anchored in the Port of Naxos. “It is not a convoy, but they have to be carrying supplies,” he thinks to himself. He immediately reports his discovery to headquarters.

Two American Mitchel B-25s and two British Bristol Beaufighters make their way to the Port of Naxos. It is Saturday afternoon, and the residents of Naxos are going about their business. Suddenly, powerful explosions are heard rumbling in the distance. They come from the island of Paros. The aircraft have bombed the airfield the Germans have there. Flying low and fast, just above the sea, they soon reach the Port of Naxos. With an altitude no higher than the masts of the ships in the harbor, the aircraft strike with everything they have. Thunderous explosions follow. The whole Port facility shakes; the ships were probably carrying munitions. Distraught inhabitants run for cover. Two of the four ships are sinking in billowing clouds of black smoke. However, two other aircraft suddenly appear in the sky. The ships’ crews are relieved. The two German Arado 196 light fighters [reconnaissance seaplanes] enter the fray. A determined dogfight immediately ensues. The German pilots try to redeem the losses suffered by their beaten compatriots.


Bristol Blenheim

The residents watch transfixed. All aircraft separate, weaving and darting across the sky as they attempt to fire and bring down their foe. A slower American Mitchels is soon shot down, but the fierce battle continues. Hounded by one of the Germans, the crew in one of the Beaufighters struggles to escape. Pilot Captain Hayter makes various maneuvers, while Gunner/Navigator Warrant Officer Harper fires his rear machine gun non-stop. But the more agile German fighter is not to be shaken off. Suddenly, the Beaufighter jolts and lurches as a deafening noise ring out in the confines of the aircraft. In horror, the crew realizes that they have been hit. Hayter has lost control of the tail rudder. His Gunner/Navigator reports one side of the fuselage is peppered with gaping holes. Their aircraft is starting to lose altitude. The German breaks off the attack, leaving his wounded victim to its fate.


“We’re going down, we’re going down!” Hayter shouts. He throttles back the engines and prepares to ditch. He tries to get as close as he can to the coast. Should they survive, it will make it easier to get ashore and save themselves. Struggling with the controls, he tentatively brings the aircraft lower until it touches the surface. Sheets of water spray up on either side. Then, with a sudden jolt of deceleration, the aircraft drops and starts plowing its way ungracefully through the water. The slowdown is terrible. Underside panels buckle, the airframe twists and flexes, the noise is terrifying. However, the aircraft eventually comes to rest. Water immediately starts flooding in.


THE DIVE SITE . My depth was already 24 metres when the aircraft first became discernible in the dark blue hues. I levelled off my descent and ended up hovering right in front of it, just above the nose. Simply enchanting. The aircraft was upright and quite intact, as if it was on a runway at some secret airport.

The plane had “landed” at a depth of 34 meters. Compared with similar wrecks we had investigated in Greece over the years, it was in very good condition. The nose cone had detached and one of the propellers was missing from the starboard engine. Such damage was likely to have been caused by the ditching. The remaining propeller had severely bent blades, indicating that the engines were operating when the aircraft plunged into the sea. Bullet damage could be seen on the tail section and fuselage. The tailplane was also damaged, probably by ditching or perhaps fishing nets. The cockpit canopy above the pilot’s seat was open, while the entire glass dome for the rear Gunner/Navigator was missing. The rear machine gun remained where it had fallen, just in front of the Gunner/Navigator’s seat. Bullet casings were scattered everywhere. Harper probably detached the machine gun to make his escape. The aircraft has been identified as a TF-Mk X Bristol Beaufighter, serial number JM-225*. It is located half a mile off Cape Kouroupa, on the west coast of Naxos. History may teach, but human history thrills…


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