Dogfight over a French harbor, 1940. Taken by a German sailor.

Dogfight over French harbor

Original caption: RAF PLANES ATTACK ENEMY SHIP WITH ROCKETS. An armed enemy trawler is attacked with rockets by Beaufighter planes of the RAF Coastal Command. Rocket at right has just left the plane while those at center and left are approaching the target. 31 May 1944.

RAF Coastal Command

Conceived as a three seat torpedo bomber/reconnaissance plane, the Botha first flew on 28th December, 1938. Despite being inferior to its competitor, the Bristol Beaufort, in every respect bar service ceiling, both aircraft were ordered for production. The Air Ministry then dictated a fourth crew member should be added, further reducing the Botha’s already inadequate performance.

In addition to its underpowered engines, the aircraft became involved in an alarming number of fatal crashes. Very quickly it developed a reputation as a death trap and, in one especially grim episode, was involved in a mid air collision with a Defiant fighter. The stricken aircraft fell into Blackpool Central Train station, killing all five aircrew and thirteen civilians on the ground. Although this cannot be blamed on the shortcomings of the aircraft, it did nothing for its terrible reputation. Testing had proven the airframe extremely unstable and inadequate for front line service. One test pilot noted “that thing is bloody lethal, but not to the Germans, I never want to see it again”. Another famous quote “access to this aircraft is difficult. It should be made impossible” is also frequently attributed

Only one squadron ever used the Botha in front line operations. Even then it never dropped a torpedo in anger, instead being used mainly for patrols carrying anti submarine bombs. The type was declared unsuitable a few months later and replaced by the older, but trustworthy, Avro Anson, and then withdrawn to training units. Of the 473 aircraft assigned to training, 169 were lost in crashes. In this respect, it proved far more useful to the German war effort 

