Loch Ness Wellington Project
Richard was elected onto the membership committee to organise and finance the recovery of a Vickers Wellington bomber (N2980) from the bottom of Loch Ness. It was one of the planes on the Wilhelmshaven raid.
It was eventually recovered on 21 September 1988.
Richard donated the plaque with the following details.
‘N2980 is an early Mk12A built by Vickers Armstrong at Weybridge in November 1939. While serving with 149 Squadron at Mildenhall it took part in the famous Batle of Heligoland Bight on 18th December 1939. This was the first major encounter in the war between the Royal Air Force and the Luftwaffe. From a force of 22 Wellingtons, the Luftwaffe shot down 12. It was a direct result of this day light raid on Wilhemshaven that Bomber Command abandoned it’s pre war policy of day light raids on tactical targets to night operations. The long cherished theory that ‘the bomber will always get through’ perished along with 12 Wellingtons’
A remarkable BBC documentary recording the raising of the Wellington is here. The wry man in charge of the operation is worth watching.
Kalikellett 