R1602 10th March 1942
This aircraft was unable to operate from its base at RAF Lindholme due to bad weather conditions and the extreme wet state of this aerodrome. It took off from RAF Swanton Morley on a mission to bomb the Krupp Works at Essen. Not all the aircraft were able to bomb the primary target but all did bomb military targets. On its return, P/O Alfred Osadzinski was forced to land at RAF Oakington because of fuel shortage. Whilst he and his crew were being debriefed, another incoming aircraft struck R1602 and both aircraft were destroyed in the ensuing fire. This is another loss that is largely ignored by many of the so called experts and is not listed as a loss on any of the major sites. It was an accidental loss but occurred at the end of a bombing mission, before the aircraft reached its home base and is arguably an operational loss.
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