Mystery of missing WW2 RAF bomber thought lost over North Sea ‘is solved’ as burnt maps ‘show plane MADE IT to Germany’

A MISSING World War II bomber believed to person been changeable down implicit the North Sea could person been recovered buried successful a tiny German town.

The decades-long enigma could soon beryllium solved aft a burnt representation seems to amusement the level made it to its intended people country.

The Lancaster RA508, dispatched from RAF Metheringham adjacent Lincoln, was 1 of much than 1,100 planes sent to weaponry Dortmund connected 12 March, 1945.

This bomber was 1 of 2 jets mislaid connected the time and authoritative records person stated for years that it was mislaid implicit the North Sea.

The destiny of the warfare jet's 7 unit members and the plane's last resting spot person been unconfirmed but a find could soon alteration things.

Partially-burnt RAF maps were recovered from a clang tract successful the tiny municipality of Radevormwald, adjacent Düsseldorf.

Cologne-based researcher Manfred Weichert said helium was “99.9% sure” this crash tract belonged to the Lancaster RA508.

He said: “At the tallness of Cologne/Düsseldorf, the craft was astir apt deed by flak.

“It veered disconnected the attack way connected the close portion connected fire, and crashed into a meadow successful Ülfe 2, a territory of Radevormwald, and exploded.”

This would lucifer eyewitness testimonies that alleged a four-engine level came down successful the municipality that fateful day.

Local historiographer Friedhelm Brack revealed helium had inspected the tract arsenic a teenager, collecting maps from the wreckage.

One of these maps, marked RAF, showed a formation way from the UK to Dortmund.

Before his decease successful 2015, Brack submitted the maps to the Radevormwald municipality archives, wherever Weichert aboriginal recovered them.

Brack initially assumed this tract was the determination of the PB187 crash, the lone different level to spell down that day.

The PB187 really went down 30 miles distant successful Duisburg, starring Weichert to judge this could beryllium the missing RA508.

He said: “The wreckage of the plane, which had exploded connected the ground, was astir apt scrapped aft the war, but determination are nary records of this.

“The burnt remains of the unit were buried successful a woody container successful a weaponry crater and past the crater was filled in.

“Since Bomber Command ne'er searched for the aircraft, the mortal remains stayed there.

“And if they were not accidentally excavated implicit the decades, they are inactive determination today.”

The clang tract contiguous is present an concern estate.

Weichert has called connected the household members of the plane's mislaid unit for assistance arsenic 1 of the maps was annotated by hand.

He said: “I could comparison the handwriting and frankincense beryllium the clang tract 100%."

Ken Haw, 74, the nephew of formation sergeant Kenneth Robert Haw described however his aunt, Queenie, tried and failed to drawback up with the young airman arsenic helium near for his last mission.

He said: “That was the past a household subordinate saw of him."

“They were each heroes successful their ain way, astatine the extremity of the day, who went retired to bash a job.”