The Third Attack

April 19, 1943, less than two months before Leslie Howard's death, the BOAC DC3 Ibis was attacked by a Messerschmitt Bf 110 on its scheduled Lisbon–Whitchurch route, not considered to be in a war zone. The pilots managed to escape using evasive tactics.

On June 1, 1943, "G-AGBB" again came under attack by a schwarm of eight V/KG40 Ju 88C6 maritime fighters. The DC3's last radio message indicated it was being fired upon at longitude 09.37 West, latitude 46.54 North. The plane crashed into the Bay of Biscay and has never been recovered. Howard was among the 17 fatalities, including four KLM flight crew.

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