AR banner
Search Tips Advanced Search
Back to Top
List of Aviator Losses  •  
Table of Contents  •  
ArchiveDatabase  •  

Loss of Fokker T-VIIIw AV963 (Schevenhoven) 1940-09-26

Crash site: St. George's Channel near Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire, GB

Crash cause: unknown, flying accident presumed. The aircraft was seen to suddenly spiral to the water from an altitude of about 300 meters.

Note the similarity with the crash of the Martaré crew on 26/7/1940. Both Fokkers fell out of the sky from low altitude, without apparent explanation. The spiral dive of Fokker AV963 could indicate sudden failure of one of the engines.

Another explanation was offered by Off Vl H. Schaper. The Fokkers were heavy with fuel, and flying was done at very low airspeeds, so as to increase range. This decreased the margin between minimum and stall speed, making the aircraft very difficult to fly in low speed turns. After this accident, that appeared to be so similar to the loss of the Martaré crew, the Fokkers were taken off front line duty.

Name

1. Akkers, Heinrich Gerardus Anthonius

Dutch RAF aviator datasheet

H.G.A. Akkers Source: @St.M.Vl.P. 1939-50

Rank

Sgt Vl MLD, Sgt., Obs

Stb.Nr. 11769

Decorations

None known

Born

17/09/1909

Place

Haarlem, Noord-Holland, NL

Squadron

RAF 320 (Dutch) Sqn Coastal Command

Ops/hrs

Aircraft

Fokker T-VIIIw Nr. AV963, formerly R-9, that escaped from NL

Base

RAF Pembroke Dock

Mission

Convoy escort

Status

MIA, flying accident presumed. The aircraft went into a spiral dive from an altitude of 300 meters. 11.40h

age

31

Missing

26/09/1940

Place

St. Georges Channel near Pembroke Dock, GB

Known to

OGS

yes

CWGC

no

Other crew

2. Off Vl 3kl J.A.L. Schevenhoven, Pilot - MIA

3. Seinersmaat L.J. Scholman, Wop - MIA

Memorial

Soesterberg

yes

Memorial

Other

yes

His name is on the Monument in Reinaldapark, Haarlem, NL

GB arrival

22/05/1940 from France after he, in a group of 24 aircraft, mostly Fokker trainers, had escaped from Holland on 14/5/1940

Remarks

Data confusion

OGS: died in Irish Sea. Near Pembroke is St. George's Channel


Name

2. Schevenhoven, Johannes Arnoldus Ludovicus

Dutch RAF aviator datasheet


J.A.L. Schevenhoven, May 1940 Source: @St.M.Vl.P. 1939-50

Rank

Off Vl 3kl, P/O., Pilot

Decorations

None known

Born

03/09/1919

Place

Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, NL

Squadron

RAF 320 (Dutch) Sqn Coastal Command

Ops/hrs

Aircraft

Fokker T-VIIIw Nr. AV963, formerly R-9, that escaped from NL

Base

RAF Pembroke Dock

Mission

Convoy escort

Status

MIA, flying accident presumed. The aircraft went into a spiral dive from an altitude of 300 meters. 11.40h

age

21

Missing

26/09/1940

Place

St. Georges Channel near Pembroke Dock, GB

Known to

OGS

yes

CWGC

no

Other crew

1. Sgt Vl MLD H.G.A. Akkers, Obs - MIA

3. Seinersmaat L.J. Scholman, Wop - MIA

Memorial

Soesterberg

yes

Memorial

Other

not known

GB arrival

22/05/1940 from France after he, in a group of 24 aircraft, mostly Fokker trainers, had escaped from Holland on 14/5/1940

Remarks

Data confusion

OGS: died in Irish Sea. Near Pembroke is St. George's Channel


Name

3. Scholman, Louis Johan

Dutch RAF aviator datasheet

Rank

Seinersmaat, Ac2., Wop

Stb.Nr. 6693

Decorations

None known

Born

06/12/1909

Place

Sneek, Friesland, NL

Squadron

RAF 320 (Dutch) Sqn Coastal Command

Ops/hrs

Aircraft

Fokker T-VIIIw Nr. AV963, formerly R-9, that escaped from NL

Base

RAF Pembroke Dock

Mission

Convoy escort

Status

MIA, flying accident presumed. The aircraft went into a spiral dive from an altitude of 300 meters. 11.40h

age

30

Missing

26/09/1940

Place

St. George's Channel near Pembroke Dock, GB

Known to

OGS

yes

CWGC

no

Other crew

1. Sgt Vl MLD H.G.A. Akkers, Obs - MIA

2. Off Vl 3kl J.A.L. Schevenhoven, Pilot - MIA

Memorial

Soesterberg

yes

Memorial

Other

not known

Data confusion

OGS: died in Irish Sea. Near Pembroke is St. George's Channel



One of the Fokker T-VIIIw floatplanes that escaped from Holland to England, to fly with RAF Coastal Command. The aircraft, redesignated AV958 to AV965, were modified to carry two 250lb bombs. The men and aircraft patrolled the seas, which included bombing of enemy shipping, and flew air-sea rescue missions. Their actions did not make for front page news, but the men could and did get as easily killed as in the other RAF Commands. The Fokkers served for several months, as of 20/6/1940, until the more adequate Ansons, and later the Hudsons, became available. The first operational flight with a Hudson was on 16/1/1941.


The inverted orange triangle with black edges, painted on the nose and under the wings, reflects service with the Royal Netherlands (or Dutch) Naval Air Service. The symbol was used on the noses of RAF 320, 321 and 322 (Dutch) Squadron machines throughout the War. Source: IMH

Fokker T-VIIIw Nr. AV963, formerly R-9, crashed in St. George's Channel near Pembroke Dock on 26/9/1940. The three men crew remained MIA. The site has not been pinpointed.



List of Aviator Losses  •  
Table of Contents  •  
Database  •  
Next Chapter

  You can show you value this content by offering your dedicated research team a coffee!  
You can lay a wreath on this page to show your respect in an everlasting way.
Add us to your address book. Click here
(To translate into English, first select another language from the drop-down menu, THEN you can select English at the top of the drop-down menu.)

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon

All site material (except as noted elsewhere) is owned or managed by Aircrew Remembered and should not be used without prior permission.
© 2012 - 2024 Aircrew Remembered
Last Modified: 30 March 2021, 11:18

If you would like to comment on this page, please do so via our Helpdesk. Use the Submit a Ticket option to send your comments. After review, our Editors will publish your comment below with your first name, but not your email address.

A word from the Editor: your contribution is important. We welcome your comments and information. Thanks in advance.