| Places | |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | UK1568 |
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Black & white - Film original transparency (positive) |
| Place made | United Kingdom: England, Norfolk |
| Date made | July 1944 |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
Portrait of 415797 Flight Sergeant (Flt Sgt) (later Flying Officer) Allan William Ibbotson, of ...
Description
Portrait of 415797 Flight Sergeant (Flt Sgt) (later Flying Officer) Allan William Ibbotson, of Kalgoorlie, WA, a navigator with No 455 (Beaufighter) Squadron, RAAF, Coastal Command, bases at RAF Station Langham. Flt Sgt Ibbotson mostly flew with 411750 Flt Sgt Jack Cox. On one occasion, their aircraft was severely damaged from German flak. Cox was wounded and Ibbotson was unable to open his canopy to bail out so the pair stayed with the aircraft and crash landed safely back at Langham. On another occasion, whilst flying in close formation the propellers of another Beaufighter smashed Ibbotson's perspex canopy, knocked his machine gun off the mount and grazed the top his flak helmut. If he had not been wearing his flak helmut, Ibbotson probably would not have survived. He recovered enough to plot a course for home. The other aircraft with a damaged propeller also made it safely back to base.