Steam Engine Brought-Down a WWII Focke-Wulf Fighter Near Dungeness:

German fighter pilot Heinz Bierworth on 27 November 1942 was conducting a ground attack mission to the Kent Channel Coast of England when he spotted Tank Engine No. 2365 leaving the yard travelling towards Lydd Station at low speed. - He and his companion plane had already caused damage and casualties by attacking other ground targets.

He accurately fired his cannon shells causing the steam engines boiler to explode with jets of high pressure steam that badly scalded the locomotive's fireman ..

Engine No.2365 Was Repaired & Returned To Service:

But as the BMW powered Focke-Wulf 190 flew only 20 foot above the engine - the powerful steam explosion brought down the plane with it's dead pilot into a nearby field.

https://ryesown.co.uk/german-bomber/

LYDD town is in the Romney Marsh area of Kent UK where there was much military artillery activity from early times - In 1888 a PICRIC ACID 2,4,6-Trinitrophenol explosive was developed and manufactured there - called LYDDITE.

Lyddite picric acid was useful as a packing load in artillery shells - as it was not shock sensitive when fired ... BUT when subsequently stored in the metal casings it was found to form other compounds with the iron that were very shock sensitive causing deadly explosions - thus reducing it's popularity somewhat.

This railway line has been long "closed" - BUT to this day it still operates carrying nuclear waste from nearby DUNGENESS B NUCLEAR POWER STATION.

Marty K.

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