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de Havilland Mosquito Mk. VI Serial Number HP886

RAF
82 Squadron

Pilot F/O William Clarke Tufnell, RAAF 415700 (KIA / BR)
Navigator P/O Victor Abel, RAAF 422089 (KIA / BR)
Crashed September 13, 1944

Aircraft History
Built by DeHavilland as Model 98 Mosquito. Delivered to the Royal Air Force (RAF) and assigned Serial Number HP886.

Mission History
Crashed near Mysore, India. Witnesses stated the aircraft was streaming black smoke before it crashed.

The aircraft was practicing attacks on another aircraft, 5,000 feet above the ground. After one of these mock attacks, the aircraft disappeared underneath the target aircraft, possibly being thrown upside down by the slipstream.

Memorials
Both crew members are now buried at the Madras War Cemetery, Chennai.

References
Australian War Memorial - Collection Database Item P02231.001 (Photo of crew)
RAAFDB - Mosquito HP886
Thanks to Daniel Leahy for his assistance with this profile

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Last Updated
December 27, 2023

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