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First German plane to fall on British soil, 1939
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First German plane to fall on British soil, 1939
Front cover of The Sphere with a photograph of the first German plane, a bomber, which crash-landed over the East Lothian hills in October 1939. Two of the crew were killed and one wounded. The pilot, who had attempted to control the plane, taxi-ing through the heather in an effort to rise again, was unhurt. Date: 1939
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Media ID 14121924
© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans
Bombers Crash Crashed Enemy Lothian Sphere Bomber
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EDITORS COMMENTS
First German Plane Crashes on British Soil: A Pivotal Moment in WWII History The front cover of The Sphere magazine, dated October 1939, bears witness to a significant event in the early days of World War II. The photograph captures the first German plane to fall on British soil, a bomber that crash-landed in the East Lothian hills. The image shows the damaged aircraft taxiing through the heather, with its propellers still spinning, as if in a desperate attempt to rise once more. The incident occurred on the 14th of October 1939, when the German Heinkel He 111 bomber, registration number 5K+AI, was on a reconnaissance mission over Scotland. The crew of three, attempting to return to their base in Occupied Denmark, encountered engine trouble and were forced to make an emergency landing. Two of the crew members were tragically killed, while the pilot, who had managed to bring the plane down relatively safely, was unhurt. The crash was a stark reminder of the imminent threat that the German air force, the Luftwaffe, posed to the United Kingdom. It marked the beginning of aerial combat over British soil and the start of the Battle of Britain, which would last until the end of 1940. This historic photograph, published in The Sphere, served to galvanize the British public and strengthen their resolve in the face of the enemy. The eventual outcome of the Battle of Britain would prove to be a turning point in the war, as the RAF successfully defended the country against large-scale attacks from the Luftwaffe. This first German plane crash on British soil, captured in this evocative image, serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made during those early, uncertain days of World War II.
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