Not too many World War Two aircraft wrecks in Ireland for the obvious reason that Ireland was neutral during the war but having said that there were RAF bases in Northern Ireland, often used for training as a safe location away from the action. In addition aircraft being ferried across from North America (for the RAF the departure point would had likely been Gander in Newfoundland) would had sought a forced landing in Ireland if things had gone wrong. There are also recorded cases of battle-damaged German aircraft not in a state to return to Germany seeking refuge in Ireland. Any forced landings of aircraft in the Republic of Ireland, either German or Allied, would likely had resulted in the internment of the aircrew. Anyways here's a few I found:
01. VOUGHT F4U-1 CORSAIR JT693, LOUGH FOYLE, BALLYKELLY, COUNTY DERRY
On the 9th October 1944 this aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm operating out of RNAS Eglinton suffered an engine fire and made a forced landing on mudflats near Balykelly. The pilot was uninjured. The wreck is only visible at low tides and is about 150m from the shore. For the record these pictures were taken at a neape low tide recorded as +0.7m and the wreck was in water about 5-10cm deep. Spring tides would be better and advised when the wreck would be clear of the water. We had cold feet for the rest of the day.
02. VICKERS WELLINGTON Mk.IC X9820, SLIEVE COMMEDAGH, MOURNE MOUNTAINS, COUNTY DOWN
On the 12th September 1943 this aircraft hit the mountain top while flying in cloud during a navigation exercise from RAF Bramcote in Warwickshire. All three aircrew were killed. A scar on the grassy slope, a short distance north of the Mourne Wall, marks the impact point where a few small pieces of wreckage remain.
The Mourne Wall is 19 miles long and was built between 1904 to 1922 to enclose a reservoir, the idea being to prevent livestock contaminating the water supply.
03. VICKERS WELLINGTON Mk.VIII W5653, URRIS HILLS, INISHOWEN, COUNTY DONEGAL
On the 11th April 1941, eight hours after taking off from RAF Limavady in County Londonderry on an Atlantic convoy escort patrol, the aircraft returned. Attempting to let down through cloud cover and following a QDM bearing to the airfield, the aircraft flew into the western slopes of the Urris Hills and burned out. All six crew members were killed. A scar remains on the steep rock strewn hillside, above the shore of Lough Swilly. The scar contains a few lumps of melted aluminium alloy and one of the undercarriage assemblies. A memorial cross has been erected at the site.
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04. SUPERMARINE SPITFIRE Mk.IIa P8074, VIEWING SPOT CAR PARK, CNOC AN UINNIN MOUNTAIN, COUNTY DONEGAL
On the 30th November 1941 the pilot of this aircraft of 133 Squadron found himself in difficulty during a practice flight and was forced to abandon his aircraft over Donegal. The aircraft crashed at Moneydarragh on the Inishowen Peninsula. The American pilot was uninjured and was sent to the Curragh internment camp on the 1st December. The pilot escaped from internment and made it to Limvady on the 14th December but the British authorities decided to return him to the Curragh camp as a means of maintaining relations with the Irish Government. The pilot was interned until October 1943. In 2005 a plaque was unveiled at the viewing spot car park on the Cnoc an Uinnin mountain.
We went to look for the actual crash site and at the appropiate grid reference found this unatural looking pit but found no signs of wreckage. Can't say for certain, but think we had the crash site
05. LOCKHEED HUDSON Mk.VI EW904, HILL STRAND, DUNFANAGHY, COUNTY DONEGAL
On the 16th June 1942 this aircraft was on a ferry flight from Newfoundland but was forced to make an emergency landing on the beach at Hill Strand, Dunfanaghy, with the loss of none of the crew of four. The crew of the aircraft consisted of four men in civilian attire who reported that they belonged to the British Ferry Command. The local members of the Local Defence Force (LDF) made contact with the crew shortly after the landing and placed a cordon around the aircraft however the crew refused to leave the aircraft. The aircraft was reported to be undamaged but unable to take-off again. Eventually a lorry with fuel was allowed across the border to top the aircraft up and the crew were accommodated for the night in a local hotel. The following day the aircraft took off and flew to Prestwick in Scotland. In June 2014 a memorial to the incident was unveiled on the beach.
The beach where the aircraft force-landed
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01. VOUGHT F4U-1 CORSAIR JT693, LOUGH FOYLE, BALLYKELLY, COUNTY DERRY
On the 9th October 1944 this aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm operating out of RNAS Eglinton suffered an engine fire and made a forced landing on mudflats near Balykelly. The pilot was uninjured. The wreck is only visible at low tides and is about 150m from the shore. For the record these pictures were taken at a neape low tide recorded as +0.7m and the wreck was in water about 5-10cm deep. Spring tides would be better and advised when the wreck would be clear of the water. We had cold feet for the rest of the day.
02. VICKERS WELLINGTON Mk.IC X9820, SLIEVE COMMEDAGH, MOURNE MOUNTAINS, COUNTY DOWN
On the 12th September 1943 this aircraft hit the mountain top while flying in cloud during a navigation exercise from RAF Bramcote in Warwickshire. All three aircrew were killed. A scar on the grassy slope, a short distance north of the Mourne Wall, marks the impact point where a few small pieces of wreckage remain.
The Mourne Wall is 19 miles long and was built between 1904 to 1922 to enclose a reservoir, the idea being to prevent livestock contaminating the water supply.
03. VICKERS WELLINGTON Mk.VIII W5653, URRIS HILLS, INISHOWEN, COUNTY DONEGAL
On the 11th April 1941, eight hours after taking off from RAF Limavady in County Londonderry on an Atlantic convoy escort patrol, the aircraft returned. Attempting to let down through cloud cover and following a QDM bearing to the airfield, the aircraft flew into the western slopes of the Urris Hills and burned out. All six crew members were killed. A scar remains on the steep rock strewn hillside, above the shore of Lough Swilly. The scar contains a few lumps of melted aluminium alloy and one of the undercarriage assemblies. A memorial cross has been erected at the site.
04. SUPERMARINE SPITFIRE Mk.IIa P8074, VIEWING SPOT CAR PARK, CNOC AN UINNIN MOUNTAIN, COUNTY DONEGAL
On the 30th November 1941 the pilot of this aircraft of 133 Squadron found himself in difficulty during a practice flight and was forced to abandon his aircraft over Donegal. The aircraft crashed at Moneydarragh on the Inishowen Peninsula. The American pilot was uninjured and was sent to the Curragh internment camp on the 1st December. The pilot escaped from internment and made it to Limvady on the 14th December but the British authorities decided to return him to the Curragh camp as a means of maintaining relations with the Irish Government. The pilot was interned until October 1943. In 2005 a plaque was unveiled at the viewing spot car park on the Cnoc an Uinnin mountain.
We went to look for the actual crash site and at the appropiate grid reference found this unatural looking pit but found no signs of wreckage. Can't say for certain, but think we had the crash site
05. LOCKHEED HUDSON Mk.VI EW904, HILL STRAND, DUNFANAGHY, COUNTY DONEGAL
On the 16th June 1942 this aircraft was on a ferry flight from Newfoundland but was forced to make an emergency landing on the beach at Hill Strand, Dunfanaghy, with the loss of none of the crew of four. The crew of the aircraft consisted of four men in civilian attire who reported that they belonged to the British Ferry Command. The local members of the Local Defence Force (LDF) made contact with the crew shortly after the landing and placed a cordon around the aircraft however the crew refused to leave the aircraft. The aircraft was reported to be undamaged but unable to take-off again. Eventually a lorry with fuel was allowed across the border to top the aircraft up and the crew were accommodated for the night in a local hotel. The following day the aircraft took off and flew to Prestwick in Scotland. In June 2014 a memorial to the incident was unveiled on the beach.
The beach where the aircraft force-landed
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