Looking for high quality images of 12 Sqn Fairey Battle L5538 PH-A. Crash landed may 19th 1940.

[WMcElligott]

Looking for high quality images of 12 Sqn Fairey Battle L5538 PH-A. Crash landed may 19th 1940.
My great uncle P/O JJ McElligott was the pilot who according to reports crash landed the plane whilst badly injured. He sadly died of his wounds.
I have some ebay advert copies, lo res with watermarks, but if anyone has any higher quality originals or scans. I am putting together a projectbook for the aged relatives who are very interested in everything about him and the crash landing.
The plane was also damaged on 14th May 1940 so there may be fotos of that, or even the undamaged lane, or even squadron fotos of personnel that may have my great uncle in them?

Any help gratefully received.
Cheers

W L McElligott

 

[buffnut453]

Welcome to the forum. 'Fraid I don't have access to my picture archive which may have a photo or two of L5538...or it may not.

However, I did find this artist's rendition which I thought might be of interest:

Apparently, it can be purchased. Here's the linky: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/JlKQQv

Please note I have no relationship to the website or the artist. This isn't a sales pitch, nor do I wish to be blamed if it turns out to be a dodgy company.

 

[SaparotRob]

Cool painting!

 

[WMcElligott]

Yeah I have a copy of this thanks for your effort and attention though, I appreciate it. It blows my mind that the artist chose this Fairey Battle out of so many to render in 3d. It was for a magazine article in French about the Battle for France and the Fairey Battles role in it. (Aérojournal n°75 - Dossier spécial Mai 1940 - Stopper les Panzer)
I think he chose this plane as a hero piece, due to the mission on 14th May 1940. 12 Sqn were based at Amifontaine they flew out and attacked troops/armour around Sedan, five planes went out, only one came back, that was L5538 with the same crew that were shot down on their next combat mission a week later on 19th May (Pilot Officer JJ McElligott, Sergeant B C Long the bomb aimer, Leading Aircraftman T O Burgess on the rear gun). Plane was damaged on the 14th but they repaired it, it was written off on the 19th as you can see from pics below. That would have scared the bejesus out of me, the only plane of 5 to return, so brave boys carried on. They moved base from Amifontaine to Echemines 15-17th May 1940.
One point to note, the Squadron code PH-A in that image is incorrect as the convention was to reverse it on the starboard side, so it should read A-PH in that view. PH is one of the 12 squadron codes and A is the plane call sign.
Eg see these ebay advert pics of both sides of the actual aircraft after it crash landed in the woods at Ménil-Lépinois. These are the type of pictures I am seeking original prints or high quality copies/scans of.
It also blows my mind there are post accident images of the plane, it seems it was axis sport to go out on recreational missions to take pics of these, as there is a rich seam of pictures coming out of Germany etc. There are six different views of this aircraft that I am aware of so far.

 

[Graham Summers]

Don't know if this picture of No 12 Sqn crews undergoing a briefing prior to a sortie is of any use. My uncle was also killed in a Fairey Battle, although he survived France and was killed in a training incident at Squires Gate in late 1940.

 

[WMcElligott]

You hope that your relative is one of these right, there was a thaw in April according to the records so most of them were still alive at this point. Any one of these could be my great uncel.

 

[herman1rg]

Accident Fairey Battle Mk I L5538, 19 May 1940

Fairey Battle Mk.I L5538 (PH-A) 12 Squadron, RAF: Written off (destroyed) when lost (failed to return) from combat operations on 19 May 1940. Of the three crew, one was unhurt, one was in...

aviation-safety.net

 

[Petranera]

Hi, as mentionned on this post

Fairey Battle parts

Hi gentlemen, Maybe you can help me to identify those Fairey Battle parts I have in my possession. My grand-father was Amifontaine's teatcher, on the "Chemin des dames" zone, and when he came back from war after june 1940, he took some parts of a wrecked plane on the Amifontaine's airfield...

ww2aircraft.net

I have parts of the L5249. 12 Sq. PH-D also based on Amifontaine where my great-father lived. I'm also looking for a picture of it and never found one. Maybe you found one during your researches ?