Mosquito Pathfinder: The Combat and Operations, Loss and Excavation of a WW2 Low-Level Target Marker
Bomber Command faced mounting challenges as poor bombing results and heavy losses strained aircrews to their limits. The formation of the Pathfinders Force marked a turning point, introducing improved methods for finding and marking targets. The Mosquito, adopted by the Pathfinders, played a critical role in this evolution.

Steve Crump’s interest in 139 Squadron’s Mosquito DZ477 began in the 1990s when he discovered it had crashed near his home in Hereford during a 1944 training exercise. His investigation unearthed the aircraft’s remarkable history: over 60 operational missions, involvement in low-level target marking, and connections to 617 Squadron, the iconic "Dambusters."

Drawing from local memories, official records, and firsthand accounts, Crump paints a vivid picture of the challenges faced by the men of 139 and later 627 Squadrons. These elite crews bore immense responsibility, leading missions over heavily defended skies to mark targets in Nazi territory. Their precision became even more critical during operations in France, where minimizing civilian casualties added complexity.

DZ477’s story encapsulates the broader narrative of Bomber Command's evolving strategies and the heroism of its crews. Crump’s account, enriched by unpublished photographs and combat records, honors the extraordinary efforts of those who flew and fought under extreme pressure to ensure mission success.
1147155737
Mosquito Pathfinder: The Combat and Operations, Loss and Excavation of a WW2 Low-Level Target Marker
Bomber Command faced mounting challenges as poor bombing results and heavy losses strained aircrews to their limits. The formation of the Pathfinders Force marked a turning point, introducing improved methods for finding and marking targets. The Mosquito, adopted by the Pathfinders, played a critical role in this evolution.

Steve Crump’s interest in 139 Squadron’s Mosquito DZ477 began in the 1990s when he discovered it had crashed near his home in Hereford during a 1944 training exercise. His investigation unearthed the aircraft’s remarkable history: over 60 operational missions, involvement in low-level target marking, and connections to 617 Squadron, the iconic "Dambusters."

Drawing from local memories, official records, and firsthand accounts, Crump paints a vivid picture of the challenges faced by the men of 139 and later 627 Squadrons. These elite crews bore immense responsibility, leading missions over heavily defended skies to mark targets in Nazi territory. Their precision became even more critical during operations in France, where minimizing civilian casualties added complexity.

DZ477’s story encapsulates the broader narrative of Bomber Command's evolving strategies and the heroism of its crews. Crump’s account, enriched by unpublished photographs and combat records, honors the extraordinary efforts of those who flew and fought under extreme pressure to ensure mission success.
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Mosquito Pathfinder: The Combat and Operations, Loss and Excavation of a WW2 Low-Level Target Marker

Mosquito Pathfinder: The Combat and Operations, Loss and Excavation of a WW2 Low-Level Target Marker

by Steve Crump
Mosquito Pathfinder: The Combat and Operations, Loss and Excavation of a WW2 Low-Level Target Marker

Mosquito Pathfinder: The Combat and Operations, Loss and Excavation of a WW2 Low-Level Target Marker

by Steve Crump

eBook

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Overview

Bomber Command faced mounting challenges as poor bombing results and heavy losses strained aircrews to their limits. The formation of the Pathfinders Force marked a turning point, introducing improved methods for finding and marking targets. The Mosquito, adopted by the Pathfinders, played a critical role in this evolution.

Steve Crump’s interest in 139 Squadron’s Mosquito DZ477 began in the 1990s when he discovered it had crashed near his home in Hereford during a 1944 training exercise. His investigation unearthed the aircraft’s remarkable history: over 60 operational missions, involvement in low-level target marking, and connections to 617 Squadron, the iconic "Dambusters."

Drawing from local memories, official records, and firsthand accounts, Crump paints a vivid picture of the challenges faced by the men of 139 and later 627 Squadrons. These elite crews bore immense responsibility, leading missions over heavily defended skies to mark targets in Nazi territory. Their precision became even more critical during operations in France, where minimizing civilian casualties added complexity.

DZ477’s story encapsulates the broader narrative of Bomber Command's evolving strategies and the heroism of its crews. Crump’s account, enriched by unpublished photographs and combat records, honors the extraordinary efforts of those who flew and fought under extreme pressure to ensure mission success.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781036134358
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Publication date: 11/30/2025
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 256
File size: 12 MB
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About the Author

Steve Crump has worked at senior level in a number of humanitarian, development and global health organisations including the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Mines Advisory Group (MAG) and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. In 1997 and as program Co-ordinator for the MAG mine action program in Angola, he worked to oversee a number of clearance operations in Moxico, Cunene and Cuando Cubango, aimed at clearing the legacy of the South African border war; namely landmines and unexploded ordnance. He also worked to support MAG’s Namibian assessment mission which saw MAG collaborate with the Explosives Inspectorate of the Namibian Police to ascertain the potential for joint clearance work in Northern Namibia.Through his experiences in Angola and Namibia, the author became interested in the South-West African Police Counter-Insurgency effort and, in particular, the origination of ‘Ops K’ or Koevoet. This led to him leading on the update and re-publication of Jim Hooper’s bestselling ‘Koevoet’, both through his own imprint, GG Books, and in partnership with Helion & Company.Based in Brighton, the author is currently working on a series of volumes for Helion & Company detailing British military operations during the 1982 Falklands War.
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