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

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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.

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