Loch Ness Wellington aircraft 2020.

On New Years Eve in 1940 a training flight went horribly wrong when a Wellington Bomber N2980 suffered engine failure and plunged into Loch Ness.

Most of the crew was ordered to bail out, leaving the Captain and a second pilot to deal with the failing aircraft.

Luckily, the pilots spotted a nearby body of water and managed to make a perfect landing on Loch Ness – bailing from the bomber before it vanished beneath the water. Aside from one fatality when a parachute failed to open the crew survived the ordeal.

The plane, unfortunately, was lost beneath the waters of the Loch.

The wreck had lain beneath the water for almost 40 years before divers stumbled across the wreckage in almost perfect condition.

Lexi with her poem she read out !

It was finally recovered from its watery bed in September, 1985.

The Wellington Bomber

The aircraft is now in Brooklands Museum, Weybridge.

Many folk who follow the blog will know of my interest in aircraft crashes. Morayshire where I live had several RAF Aircraft Bases during the Second World War. One of those that crashed was in Loch Ness it was a Wellington Aircraft from RAF Lossiemouth.

Loch Ness Wellington 2020

This December 31st will be the 80th Anniversary of the 1940 ditching of N2980, R for Robert Wellington into Loch Ness. It is also thirty-five years since the wreckage of the Wellington was recovered for the bottom of Loch Ness, and began it’s remarkable renovation at Brooklands Museum where it now resides.

The Loch Ness Wellington 2020 Projectseeks to celebrate this anniversary by involving anyone connected with those past events, including the families of the RAF airmen who flew in Wellington N2980 and the people of the Inverness and area which by fate became the host venue for its lifting and embraced the whole activity with such enthusiasm.

ATC and British Legion standards and paraded down the isle followed by guard of honour from the ATC Standards are placed next to the unveiled plaque
Welcome by Pardre from RAF Lossiemouth
Bell to mark crash time followed by minutes silence
Recitation: A Poem by Rhiannon Naismith
prayers by Lexi and Amelia

My Granddaughter Lexi was at the ceremony In Inverness Cathedral where she and Amelia spoke a Recitation: A Poem by Rhiannon Naismith and told the story of the crash all those years ago.

Both girls were a credit to their school and their families. The service will be shown on New years night as it was filmed.

The Loch Ness Wellington 2020 Project has commissioned Ian Forsyth of DP Digital Media, Dingwall, to produce the film for the anniversary commemoration. It which will feature the lifeboat from Loch Ness RNLI, a helicopter from the HM Coastguard at Inverness Airport and IX Squadron Typhoon Jets from RAF Lossiemouth.
“RAF IX Squadron has a significant link with this history in as much as it is one of only a few units which flew on early missions over Germany in World War II that is still operational today,” Mr Waterfall said. “The project would like to thank the squadron commander for his support in this venture, along with the other participants.

Filming

This is what their school wrote

“We are very proud of Lexi and Amelia who represented Bishop Eden’s at the Loch Ness Wellington Memorial Dedication at Inverness Cathedral this afternoon. Very well done girls.”

In memory of Sgt J S Fensome, 20, did not hear the second order. He bailed out and was killed. He is buried at the Holy Trinity Churchyard, in Biscot, Bedfordshire.

A wreath was laid by the RNLI Loch Ness at the Cathedral.

Info : www.inyourarea.co.uk › news

Filming