1940 East Langdon Messerschmitt Bf 109 crash

The Crash landing of Messerschmitt at Solton Manor, Solton Lane, East Langdon, Kent, was a forced landing of a Messerschmitt Bf 109E‑4 of 6./Jagdgeschwader 51 on 24 August 1940 during the Battle of Britain. The aircraft, flown by Unteroffizier Fritz Beeck, was shot down during air combat associated with the Kampfgeschwader 76 raid on RAF Manston and force‑landed close to Solton Manor and the A258. Beeck survived and was taken prisoner.

Background

During the early phase of the Battle of Britain, the Luftwaffe carried out sustained operations against airfields and military infrastructure across Kent. On 24 August 1940, elements of Kampfgeschwader 76 launched a raid on RAF Manston, supported by fighter units from Jagdgeschwader 51.

Crash

The aircraft involved was a Messerschmitt Bf 109E‑4 (Werknummer 5587) of 6./JG 51.

Beeck's aircraft was shot down by Sergeant Antoni Głowacki of No. 501 Squadron RAF, flying from RAF Hawkinge.

Beeck made a forced landing in his damaged aircraft near East Langdon, close to Solton Manor and the A258. The Kent Historic Environment Record describes the location only generally as “beside the A258 near East Langdon”, and does not record a precise crash point.

Beeck survived the forced landing and was captured shortly afterwards by local residents. The aircraft came down on farmland worked by John Weir of Solton Manor, where a series of photographs were taken soon after the crash. One widely reproduced image shows the Weirs’ daughter, Jean Weir, seated in the cockpit of the downed aircraft; the photograph was taken by her mother, Ethel Weir.