Dawlish
DAWLISH: Temporary airstrip
Note: This picture was obtained from Google Earth ©
Location: Near to Langford Hospital, just NW of Dawlish town centre
Period of operation: January 1943
NOTES: We have to thank Mr Graham Frost, a great friend of this 'Guide', for finding this on the website: devonairfields.hampshireairfields.co.uk. These are highly recommended and indeed, I have referred to them time and time again over the years. And, they keep getting better and better.
A GREAT STORY
On the 13th January 1943 the Boeing B-17F Fortress, serial number 41-24606 and named 'Werewolf', under the command of Lt. George J Oxrider, was making its way back across the Channel with just one engine, after sustaining serious flack damage. The ability of the B-17 Fortress to keep flying despite serious battle damage is of course now legendary.
Accounts seem to vary. Some say Lt Oxrider ordered his crew to abandon ship after reaching the English coast. Either way, he made a very successful forced landing here. And, none of the crew sustained injury.
What seems quite incredible today is that the decision was made to repair it on site, out in the open, in the middle of winter, including replacing the four engines. Stripped down a runway was laid out and it took off, possibly on the 27th January? A USAAF photographer was on hand to record this, and the devonshire airfields website has several more photos.
As far as I know, in the U.K. at least, this is an unique situation?
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