The AIR-BRITAIN Militarv Aviation Historical Quanerlv

The AIR-BRITAIN Militarv Aviation Historical Quanerlv

A fine air-ta-air shot of XS688 in its original configuration with the inflatable air intake lips, and also wearing 

Hawker Siddeley P.1127' titles on its nose. (Hawker Siddeley P1127 114/64 via Phil Butler) 

The Hawker Siddeley Kestrel FGA.1 

By Phil Butler 

The Kestrel FGA.1 was an aircraft ordered from Hawker 

Siddeley Aviation Ltd. (HSAL) for evaluation trials of the 

V/STOL fighter ground attack role, based on the experience 

gained from the experimental flying of the P.1127 prototypes. 

Nine aircraft were ordered under Contract KC/2Q/016/CB.9(b), 

with the serial numbers XS688 to XS696 being allotted on 

02July63. The contract funding was provided jOintly by the 

British , US and West German governments, whose interest in 

the concept had been enhanced by a NATO-sponsored 

competition for such an aircraft. The initial aircraft, XS688, as 

first flown, closely resembled the fina l P .1127 prototype 

(XP984), although later it and all subsequent Kestrels were 

fitted with a tailplane of greater span. Initially, XS688 was also 

fitted with the inflatable rubber lips to the engine air intakes as 

on the prototypes, but these were later replaced by the metal 

type, as fitted to all the other Kestrels, after trials had been 

made, again using XP984. Development of the aircraft was 

covered by Specification FGA.236D&P, issued on 29Mar63, 

which called for 'an improved version of the Hawker P.1127 to 

be used in a tripartite assessment of the operational, training, 

logistic and servicing problems of V/STOL aircraft', and 

specified the use of a Bristol Pegasus BS.Pg.5 (or 'Pegasus 5') 

engine. 

In order to conduct realistic trials of the Kestrel 's capabilities, 

a jointly-manned unit called the Kestrel Evaluation Squadron 

(otherwise the Tripartite Evaluation Squadron, TES) was 

formed as part of the Central Fighter Establishment at RAF 

West Raynham on 150ct64. Its personnel included pilots 

Aeromilitaria - Winter 2010 

seconded from the LuftwaHe, US Navy, US Army and US Air 

Force, in addition to the RAF members. The aircraft wore 

special 'tri-national' markings applied to their fins and wings. 

and each aircraft also wore the last numeral of its RAF serial 

number as a code painted on i1s nose. Initial flying training 

was conducted at the Hawker airfield at Dunsfold prior to 

the aircraft being delivered to West Raynham. The trials were 

eHectively completed during November 1965. The unit 

formally disbanded on 28Feb66, by which time the surviving 

fleet had been reallocated for further trials in the UK and USA. 

Three examples initially allotted to the LuftwaHe were added to 

those shipped to the USA. The examples handed over to the 

US Army adopted Fiscal Year 1964 serial numbers related to 

the funds used in their original procurement, with four of them 

passing to the USAF after the Army's involvement in the trials 

ceased. 

This article has been compiled from the MoA and Air Ministry 'Aircraft 

Movement cards' for the aircraft and by reference to the very 

comprehensive history of the P. 1127 and Kestrel by Hugh Merewether. 

'Prelude to the Harrier', published by Henry Mal/hews (HPM Publications) in 

1998, with significant additional information provided by Chris Farara, Cofin 

R. Smith and Oave Wilton, to all of whom my grateful thanks are due. 

XS688 

07Mar64 

14Ju164 

First flight. 

Handed over to CA Fleet at Dunsfold for 'type 

development' at HSAL and exhibited at 1964 

SBAC Show at Farnborough. 

147

P 1127 Kestrel FGA.1 XS695, seen at Culdrose in February 1987. (Geoft WakehamlXS695) 

P. 1127 Kestrel FGA. 1 XS688, seen at Farnborough in September 1964. (Peter Corbell/PMC 1911) 

P. 1127 XV-6A Kestrel 418265, seen at Edwards AFB, CA. in May 1967. (Ron Bulinski/CS05516) 

148 Aeromilitaria - Winter 2010

01 May65 Despatched to TES West Raynham. 

11Jan66 Transferred to LuflwaHe. By the end of TES flying 

on 30Nov65, XS688 had made 271 flights. 

Subsequently to US Army as XV-6A 64-18262 and 

used in Tri-Service trials between April and June 

1966, at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and also 

included flying oH USS Raleigh [LPD-1J. 

120ct66 Permanent transfer to USAF from Army for use in 

ongoing trials at the Air Force Test Center, 

Edwards AFB, CA. 

14May68 To storage at Edwards AFB. 

28Apr70 To the USAF Museum, Wright-Patterson AFB, 

Ohio. 

XS689 

28May64 First flight. 

17Ju164 Allotted to A&AEE Boscombe Down for clearance 

trials. 

05Jan65 To HSA for refurbishing and final modification to 

CA Release standard. 

27Apr65 Despatched to TES West Raynham. 

13Oct65 Damaged in heavy landing, Cat.4. 

190ct65 HSAL Kingston for repair. By the end of TES flying. 

XS689 had made 193 flights. 

01 Dec65 Transferred to US Army as XV-6A 64-18263 for 

trials as for XS688 above. Used for trials aboard 

USS Independence (CVA-62) in May 1966. 

23Jul66 To NASA as NASA 521 (trials at NASA Langley. 

Virginia). 

Jun74 Donated to the Smithsonian Institution and 

displayed at the NASM Museum, Washington, DC. 

XS690 

05Aug64 First flight. 

23Sep64 Handed over to CA Fleet. 

090ct64 Allotted to HSAL for CA clearance trials at A&AEE. 

15Feb65 Accident - heavy landing in crosswind. Cat.4. but 

flown again on 26Feb. 

26May65 HSAL - allotted for Kestrel development trials. 

11 Aug65 Despatched to TES West Raynham. 

By the end of TES flying on 26Nov65, XS690 had 

made 166 flights. 

11Jan66 Transferred to US Army as XV-6A 64-18264 and 


P. 1127 XV-6A Kestrel 18264, seen at Fort Rucker in 1986. (Maurice Butler1MB18264) 

P.1127 XV-6A Kestrel NASA 520, seen at Langley AFB in January 1977. (Via David KirkmanIXL2340) 

Aeromilitaria - Winter 2010 149

A view of XS688 on the ground at Ounsfold prior to delivery to the TES. (Hawker Siddeley P1127 (R) 217/64 via Phil Butler) 

1966, included flying from the USS Raleigh [LPD-1]. 

Later (in 1968) used for evaluation on USS Guam 

[LPH-9]. 


ongoing trials at the Air Force Test Center, 


31 Aug69 To storage at Edwards AFB. 

13Jan70 Removed from inventory with code indicating a 

flying accident and subsequently to the US Army 

Museum of Army Aviation at Fort Rucker, 

Alabama. 

XS691 

05Sep64 First flight. 

14Dec64 Allotted to TES West Raynham. By the program 

end had made 180 flights (final flight was 

26Nov65). 

11 Jan66 Transferred to LuftwaHe. Subsequently to US Army 

as XV-6A 64-18265 and used in Tri-Service trials 

between April and June 1966. 


ongOing trials at the Air Force Test Center, 


11 Dec66 To storage at Edwards AFB. 

06May70 Dropped from inventory and reportedly scrapped, 

although USAF loss code indicates a transfer to a 

non-USAF organisation (and see 64-18266). 

XS692 

07Nov64 First flight. 

11 Feb65 Allotted to TES West Raynham. Completed 234 

flights with Hawkers and the TES concluding 

26Nov65. 

11Jan66 Transferred to US Army as XV-6A 64-18266 and 


1966. 


ongOing trials at the Air Force Test Center, 


31Aug69 To storage at Edwards AFB. 

06May70 Dropped from inventory on transfer to a non-USAF 

organisation. [USAF records are specific that both 

64-18265 and 64-18266 went to storage in 1966 

and 1969 respectively and that both were finally 

SOC on 06May70. Other reports suggest that 

64-18266 went to NASA in July 1966 as a spares 

source but that following the crash of 64-18267 

(NASA 520) in August 1967 it was made airworthy 

and became a second NASA 520. This is all 

entirely pOSSible, but is not consistent with the 

literal USAF record.] 

150 

(By Oct74) NASA 520 retired to Hampton Aerospace Park, 

V A. Observations by Dave Wilton suggest that the 

'new' NASA 520 comprised the fuselage of XS692 

and the wings of XS694. 

XS693 

25Nov64 First flight. 

28Jan65 Allotted to TES West Raynham (but initially at 

Dunsfold for pilot familiarisation). To West 

Raynham 08Feb65. Completed 216 flights with 

11Jan66 

07Feb66 

25May66 

10Feb67 

Hawkers and the TES concluding 19Nov65. 

RAF West Raynham - Kestrel handling trials. 

Arrived at HSAL Dunsfold - handling trials. 

Allotted for conversion to Pegasus 6 flying test bed. 

Flown to Brough for conversion to Pegasus 6 

configuration. 

23Feb67 Arrived at Bristol Siddeley Engines Ltd., Filton. 

17May67 Arrived at HSAL Holme-on-Spalding Moor for 

modifications. 

21Jul67 Retumed to BSE, Filton. 

21 Sep67 Crashed, Cat.5, on flight from Filton to Boscombe 

Down. Engine failure, pilot ejected close to the 

airfield at Boscombe Down. 

12Dec69 Struck oH Charge. 

XS694 

10Dec64 

08Feb65 

11Jan66 

23Jul66 

27Aug67 

First flight. 

Allotted to TES West Raynham and made 196 

flights with Hawkers and the TES concluding 

26Nov65. 

Transferred to US Army as XV-6A 64-18267 and 


1966. 

Transferred to NASA as NASA 520. 

Damaged beyond repair on landing at NASA 

Wallops Island. Parts reclaimed to make 64-18266 

airworthy as a replacement. 

XS695 

17Feb65 First flight. 

30Mar65 Allotted to TES West Raynham. Completed 141 

sorties with Hawkers and TES by 24Nov65. 

11Jan66 CFE West Raynham - assessment of night flying. 

16Feb66 Despatched to RAE Bedford. 

30Mar66 Despatched to A&AEE Boscombe Down - 

conversion and training. 

pilot 

21 Apr66 To Dunsfold for HSAL demonstration at Hannover 

Air Show. 

12May66 Aircraft returned to A&AEE. 

01 Mar67 Crashed at Boscombe Down, landing short of 

runway, CatS 

Aeromilitaria - Winter 2010

15Dec67 Remains sold to Ministry of Technology (used for 

ground trials). 

22Jan69 Struck off Charge after making 141 flights. 

May 1974 Allotted to the RAF Museum, but in May 1978 

loaned to the Royal Navy Engineering College at 

Manadon as an instructional airframe (numbered 

A2619) . It was then loaned to the School of Aircraft 

Handling at RNAS Culdrose from 11 Apr78 (marked 

as 'SAH-6') before moving to storage at Carding ton 

in Feb94 and then to display at the Cosford 

Aerospace Museum. 

XS696 

05Mar65 

24Mar65 

01 Apr65 

First flight. 

Allotted to TES West Raynham. 

Caught fire on take-off at West Raynham and 

destroyed. sac same day as Cat.5(c). The 

accident happened on its tenth flight. 

Below: Seven of the TES Kestrels on their flight line at 

RAF West Raynham during September 1965, wearing the final 

digit of their individual serial numbers as codes. 

(Central Press Photos via Phil Butler) 

Bot1om: XV·6A 64-18262 in the external display line-up at the 

US Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base on 

30July1974. (Phil Butler1C71319) 


Chris Farara kindly made some comments on my earlier 

article on the P .1127 prototypes, a digest of which 

appears below: 

On page 51 of the Summer issue, the photo of XP980 shows 

that a Harrier wing has been fit1ed for the trials that it was 

being used for. On page 52, it should be stated that MWDP 

funding was only provided for the Bristol engine, not the 

P.1127 airframe; it should also be stated that all Hawker 

development flying was carried out at Dunsfold, and the work 

at Bedford was research being carried out by the RAE. The 

photo showing the ram-air turbine should have stated that this 

was always exposed when the engine was shut down, as it 

relied on positive pressure in the flying control circuit, provided 

by the running engine. The lower photo on page 52 shows 

XP831 having 'inflated'-shape intake lips, while XP836 has the 

'deflated' shape, with XP831 being dedicated to low-speed 

and XP836 to high-speed testing, these shapes being most 

appropriate for their intended flight envelopes. The photographs 

on pages 51 and 53 show the inflatable lips installed, 

while those on page 54 show alternative metal types, with 

those on XP984 being the finalised type, as used on the 

Kestrels. The inflatable type was abandoned, being liable to 

tearing in certain flight conditions. Finally, the crash of XP831 

at Paris was due to rotation of the air nozzles because of a 

malfunction, leading to a modification to the control valve to 

prevent any recurrence. Although the malfunction might have 

been caused by 'FaD', this was never proved. 

151

47thBW G-119G 51-8252 is seen here on static display at Woodbridge on 18th May 1957. Some of the unit's aircraft carried 

nose-art and names and this machine sports what appears to be a cartoon jackal. Along with all the other Sculthorpe based 

G-119s it was sent back to the USA the following year for continued service with a reservist unit under Gontinental Air Gommand. 

(George Pennick collection) 

USAF Tactical Airlift In Europe 

During The 1950s - Part 3 

By Dave Wilton 

C-119C Individual Aircraft Histories 

(continued) 

51-2587 C-119C 485thTGG (TAG) at Donaldson AFB, SG; 

transferred with the group to USAFE and took up temporary 

residence with the 782ndTCS at Neubiberg Dec53; moved 

with the squadron to join the 465thTCW at Toul Apr54; moved 

with the wing to Evreux May55; to SABENA at Brussels 

Jun55-Aug55 and Ju156-Sep56 for maintenance, returning to 

465thTCW after each period; to 317thTCW at Evreux Ju157; 

to 2578thResFltCtr (CONAC) at Ellington AFB, TX Feb58. 




with the squadron to join the 465thTCW at Toul Apr54 but 

went back to Neubiberg May54 and then returned to Toul 

Jun54; moved with the wing to Evreux May55; to SABENA at 

Brussels Ju155-0ct55 and Feb56-Mar56 for maintenance, 

returning to 465thTCW after each period; to 317thTCW at 

Evreux Ju157; to 2252ndResFltCtr (CONAC) at Cli l1ton County 

AFB, OH Oct57. 



residence with the 782ndTCS at Neubiberg Dec53 ; moved 

with the squadron to join the 465thTCW at Toul Apr54 ; moved 


Aug55-Dec55 for maintenance then returned to 465thTCW; to 

317thTCW at Evreux Ju157; to Chateauroux depot Dec57 for 

maintenance/storage; to 2584thResFltCtr (CONAC) at 

Memphis, TN Oct58. 

51 -2591 C-119C 465thTGG (TAG) at Donaldson AFB, SG; 





152 

Nov55-Feb56 and Ju156-0ct56 for maintenance, returning to 

465thTCW after each period ; to 317thTCW at Evreux Ju157; to 

2584thResFltCtr (CONAC) at Memphis, TN Feb58. 




with the squadron to join the 465thTCW at Toul Apr54 ; moved 


Mar56-Jun56 for maintenance then returned to 465thTCW; to 

317thTCW at Evreux Ju157 ; to Chateauroux depot Aug57- 

Sep57 for maintenance then returned to 317thTCW; 

to Chateauroux depot Mar58 for maintenance/storage; to 

302ndTCW (CONAC) at Clinton County AFB, OH Apr59 and 

likely to have been the final C-119C to leave USAFE service. 


transferred with ,the group to USAFE and took up temporary 


with the squadron to join the 465thTCW at Toul Apr54; to 

SABENA at Brussels Nov54-Mar55 for maintenance then 

returned to 465thTCW; moved with the wing to Evreux May55; 

to SABENA at Brussels Aug55-0ct55 for maintenance then 

returned to 465thTCW; to 317thTCW at Evreux Ju157; to 

2577thResFltCtr (CONAC) at Brooks AFB, TX Mar58. 






Feb56-May56 for maintenance then returned to 465thTCW; 

to Nouasseur depot Dec56-Jan57 for maintenance then 


2578thResFltCtr (CONAC) at Ellington AFB, TX Feb5B. 



residence with the 7B2ndTCS at Neubiberg Dec53; moved 




Jan56-Mar56 for maintenance then returned to 465thTCW; to 

317thTCWat Evreux Ju157; to 2233rdResFltCtr (CONAC) at 

Mitchel AFB, NY Feb58. 






Nov55-Jan56 and May56-Aug56 for maintenance, returning to 

465thTCW after each period; to 317thTCW at Evreux Ju157; 

to 2577thResFItCtr (CONAC) at Brooks AFB, TX Mar58. 

51-2597 C-119C 465th TGG (TAG) at Donaldson AFB, SG; 



with the squadron to join the 465thTCW at Toul Apr54; 

damaged at Athens, Greece 21 Mar55, to Chateauroux depot 

Apr55 then Middletown AMA at Olmsted AFB, PA Aug55- 

Apr56 for repairs then returned to 465thTCW at Evreux; to 

2252nd Res FItCtr (CONAC) at Clinton County AFB, OH 

Dec56. 





Chateauroux depot Nov54-Dec54 for maintenance then 

returned to 465thTCW; to BMC at Birmingham, AL Mar55- 

May55 for maintenance then returned to 465thTCW at Evreux; 

to SABENA at Brussels Jun56-Aug56 for maintenance then 


2584thResFltCtr (CONAC) at Memphis, TN Mar58. 






Oct55-Jan56 for maintenance then returned to 465thTCW; to 

2259thResFltCtr (CONAC) at Andrews AFB, MD Feb57. 





SABENA at Brussels Dec54-May55 for maintenance then 


to Chateauroux depot Sep55-Jan56 and SABENA at Brussels 

Jan56-Feb56 for maintenance then returned to 465thTCW; to 

SABENA at Brussels Ju156-Sep56 for maintenance then 

returned to 465thTCW; to Nouasseur depot Dec56 for 

maintenance then returned to 465thTCW; to 317thTCW at 

Evreux Ju157; to 2589thResFltCtr (CONAC) at Dobbins AFB, 

GA Oct57. 





BMC at Birmingham, AL Ju154-Dec54 for maintenance then 

returned to 465thTCW; to Chateauroux depot Feb55 for 

maintenance then returned to 465thTCW; moved with the 

wing to Evreux May55; to SABENA at Brussels May56-Aug56 

for maintenance then returned to 465thTCW; to 317thTCW at 


GA Oct57. 






Apr56-Ju156 for maintenance then returned to 465thTCW; 

crashed 03Jul57 shortly after take-off from Evreux following 

engine failure. 

51-2603 C-119C 456thTGW (TAG) at Miami, FL; to 60thTCW 

(USAFE) at Rhein Main Jan53; to 44thBW (SAC) at Lake 

Charles AFB, LA Feb55. 

51-2604 C-119C 64thTGW (TAG) Donaldson AFB, SG; to 

317thTCW (USAFE) at Neubiberg Dec53; to SABENA at 

Brussels Nov54-Mar55 for maintenance then issued to 

60thTCW at Rhein Main; to 4676thAirDefGrp (ADC) at 

Grandview AFB, AZ Jun55. 

51-2605 C-119C 456thTGW (TAG) Miami, FL; to 60thTCW 

(USAFE) at Rhein Main Jan53; to SABENA at Brussels 

Nov54-Mar55 for maintenance then issued to 580thARCG at 

Wheelus; to 7272ndABW at Wheel us Sep56; to 

2252ndResFltCtr (CONAC) at Clinton County AFB, OH Jan57. 

51-2606 C-119C 465thTGG (TAG) at Donaldson AFB, SG, 





Feb56-May56 for maintenance then returned to 465thTCW; to 

317thTCW at IEvreux Ju157; to 2259tl1ResFltDet (CONAC) at 

Youngstown, OH Dec57. 


(USAFE) at Rhein Main Feb53; to BMC at Birmingham, AL 

Jun54-Dec54 for maintenance then returned to 60thTCW; to 

68thBW (SAC) at Lake Charles AFB, LA Feb55. 

Typically anonymous-looking G-119G 51-2607 is seen here visiting Scottish Aviation at Prestwick in August 1953, six months after 

its arrival at Rhein Main for the 60thTGW. The aircraft was only present in Europe for two years before being passed on to 

Strategic Air Gommand in February 1955 as the 60thTGW began conversion to the G-119G. (MAP U13950) 



(USAFE) at Rhein Main Mar53; to SABENA at Brussels 

Dec54-Mar55 for maintenance then issued to 580thARCG 

at Wheelus; to 7272ndABW at Wheelus Sep56; to 

2252ndResFltCtr (CONAC) at Clinton County AFB, OH Nov56. 

51-2609 C-119C 2370thABS (GONAG) at Long Beach, GA; to 

60thTCW (USAFE) at Rhein Main Sep53; to 317thTCW at 

Neubiberg Nov53; to SABENA at Brussels Oct54-Feb55 then 

issued to 60thTCW at Rhein Main; to 566thAirDefGrp (ADC) 

at Hamilton AFB, CA May55. 

51-2610 C-119C 456thTGW (TAG) at Miami, FL ; to 60thTCW 

(USAFE) at Rhein Main Jan53; to 68thBW (SAC) at Lake 

Charles AFB, LA Feb55. 


(USAFE) at Rhein Main Feb53; loan to RAE Farnborough 

Apr53; to Burtonwood depot Feb54-Mar54 for maintenance 

then returned to RAE loan ; on completion of loan issued to 

465thTCW at Evreux Sep56; to SABENA at Brussels Sep56- 

Jan57 for maintenance then returned to 465thTCW; to 

317thTCW at Evreux Ju157; to 2578thResFltCtr (CONAC) at 

Ellington AFB, TX Feb58. 


(USAFE) at Rhein Main Mar53; to BMC at Birmingham, AL 

Dec54-Mar55 for maintenance then returned to 60thTCW; 

moved with the wing to Dreux Sep55; to Burtonwood depot 

Oct55-Feb56 for maintenance then returned to 60thTCW; to 

580thARCG at Wheelus Ju156; to 7272ndABW at Wheel us 

Sep56; to 465thTCW at Evreux Oct56; to 2259thResFltCtr 

(CONAC) at Andrews AFB, MD Mar57. 

51-2613 C-119C 64thTGW (TAG) at Donaldson AFB, SG; to 

60thTCW (USAFE) at Rhein Main Dec53; to SABENA at 

Brussels Dec54-Apr55 for maintenance then issued to 

580thARCG at Wheelus; to SABENA at Brussels Sep56- 

Feb57 for maintenance then issued to 465thTCW at Evreux; 

to 2259thResFltCtr (CONAC) at Andrews AFB, MD Feb57. 


(USAFE) at Rhein Main Feb53; to Chateauroux depot Mar53- 

Oct53 for maintenance then returned to 60thTCW; to BMC at 

Birmingham, AL Nov54-Feb55 for maintenance then returned 

to 60thTCW; moved with the wing to Dreux Sep55; to 

580thARCG at Wheelus AB Aug56 ; to 7272ndABW at 

Wheelus Sep56; to 2252ndResFltCtr (CONAC) at Clinton 

County AFB, OH Dec56. 





Burtonwood depot Apr55-Jun55 for maintenance then 

returned to 465thTCW at Evreux; to SABENA at Brussels 

Ju155-Sep55 for maintenance then returned to 465thTCW; to 

Chateauroux depot Feb56-Mar56 for maintenance then 

returned to 465thTCW; to 2252ndResFltC1r (CONAC) at 

Clinton County AFB, OH Feb57. 

51-2616 C-119C 465thTGG (TAG) at Donaldson AFB, SG; to 

San Antonio AMA at Kelly AFB, TX Nov53-May54 then 

Middletown AMA at Olmsted AFB, PA May54-Nov54 for 

maintenance; assigned to 60thTGW (USAFE) at Rhein Main 

and started delivery flight Nov54 but became unserviceable at 

Dover AFB, DE; returned to Middletown AMA at Olmsted AFB, 

PA May55 and USAFE assignment cancelled. 


transferred with the group to USAFE at Toul Jan54 (believed 

to have been operated by the 780thTCS which took up 

temporary residence at Rhein Main until Apr54); assigned to 

465thTCW at Toul Apr54; moved with the wing to Evreux 

Dec54; to Burtonwood depot Jan55-Ju155 for maintenance 

then returned to 465thTCW; to Chateauroux depot Dec55- 

Mar56 for maintenance then returned to 465thTCW; to 

SABENA at Brussels Mar56-May56 for maintenance then 

154 


Chateauroux depot Ju157-Aug57 for maintenance then 

returned to 317thTCW; to 2578thResFltCtr (CONAC) at 

Ellington AFB, TX Feb58. 



residence with the 781stTCS at Wiesbaden Jan54; moved 

with the squadron to join the 465thTCW at Toul May54; to 

SABENA at Brussels Dec54-Apr55 for maintenance then 


to SABENA at Brussels May56-Aug56 for maintenance then 


2584thResFltCtr (CONAC) at Memphis, TN Mar58. 


(USAFE) at Rhein Main Jan53; to 91stSMW (SAC) at 

Lockbourne AFB, OH Feb55. 


(USAFE) at Rhein Main Feb53; to SABENA at Brussels 

Dec54-Apr55 for maintenance then issued to 580thARCG at 

Wheelus; to 7272ndABW at Wheelus Sep56; to 465thTCW 

at Evreux May57; to 2252ndResFltCtr (CONAC) at Clinton 

County AFB, OH May57. 

51-2621 C-119C 64thTGW (TAG) at Donaldson AFB, SG; 

assigned to 317thTCW (USAFE) at Neubiberg Nov53 but 

crashed 27Nov53 at Choisy-Ie-Roi, France following structural 

failure during delivery flight . 



residence with the 781stTCS at Wiesbaden Dec53; moved 


BMC at Birmingham, AL ,luI54-0ct54 for maintenance then 

returned to 465thTCW; moved with the wing to Evreux Feb55; 

to SABENA at Brussels Apr56-Aug56 for maintenance then 


2259thResFltDet (CONAC) at Youngstown, OH Dec57. 



residence with the 781stTCS at Wiesbaden Jan54; moved 

with the squadron to join the 465thTCW at Toul May54 ; 

moved with the wing to Evreux May55; to SABENA at 

Brussels Mar56-May56 for maintenance then returned to 

465thTCW; to Chateauroux depot Dec56-Dec57 for 

maintenance then issued to 317thTCW at Evreux; to 

2584thResFltCtr (CONAC) at Memphis, TN Apr58. 


60thTCW (USAFE) at Rhein Main AB Nov53 ; to 91 stSMW 

(SAC) at Lockbourne AFB, OH Jan55. 


(USAFE) at Rhein Main Jan53; to BMC at Birmingham, AL 

Jan55 for maintenance then issued to 566thAirDefGrp (ADC) 

at Hamilton AFB , CA. 






Brussels Nov55-Jan56 for maintenance then returned to 

465thTCW; to 317thTCW at Evreux Ju157; to 2252ndResFltCtr 

(CONAC) at Clinton County AFB, OH Oct57. 




with· the squadron to join the 465thTCW at Toul May54; to 

BMC at Birmingham, AL Feb55-Jun55 for maintenance then 


Jun56-Aug56 for maintenance then returned to 465thTCW; to 


Brooks AFB, TX Mar58. 

Aeromi/itaria - Winter 2010

465thTGW G-119G 51-2630 is seen here on a typically rain-soaked ramp at Bur1onwood on 18th May 1957 for that year's 

Armed Forces Day open house. (MAP Ul0235) 




with the squadron to join the 465thTCW at Toul May54; 


Brussels Aug55-Nov55 for maintenance then returned to 

465thTCW; to 317thTCW at Evreux Ju157; assigned 

to 2584thResFltCtr (CONAC) at Memphis, TN Mar58 but 

became unserviceable at Lajes, Azores Mar58-Jun58 during 

delivery; to 2577thResFltCtr (CONAC) at Brooks AFB, TX 

Jun58. 



residence with the 781 stTCS at Wiesbaden Dec53; moved 



Brussels Jan56-Mar56 for maintenance then returned to 

465thTCW; to 317thTCW at Evreux Ju157; to 2577thResFltDet 

(CONAC) at Dallas, TX Dec57. 






Brussels Aug55-Dec55 for maintenance then returned to 

465thTCW; to 317thTCW at Evreux Ju157; to 2589thResFltCtr 

(CONAC) at Dobbins AFB, GA Dec57. 



residence with the 781 stTCS at Wiesbaden Dec53; 

moved with the squadron to join the 465thTCW at Toul 

May54; to SABENA at Brussels Nov54-Mar55 for 


wing to Evreux May55; to SABENA at Brussels Ju156-Sep56 

for maintenance then returned to 465thTCW; ,to 317thTCW at 

Evreux Ju157; to 2259thResFltDet (CONAC) at You ngstown , 

OH Dec57. 


transferred with the group to USAFE and took up 

temporary residence with the 781 sITCS at Wiesbaden Dec53; 

moved with the squadron to join the 465thTCW at Toul 

May54; moved with the wing to Evreux May55; to SABENA 

Aeromi/itaria - Winter 2010 

at Brussels Feb56-Apr for maintenance then returned to 

465thTCW; to Nouasseur depot Jun56-Ju156 for 

maintenance then returned to 465thTCW; to Chateauroux 

depot Feb57-May57 for maintenance then returned to 

465thTCW; to 2259thResFltCtr (CONAC) at Andrews AFB, 

MD Jun57. 

51-2633 C-119C 465th TGG (TAG) at Donaldson At=B, SG; 


residence with the 781 stTCS at Wiesbaden Dec53; to 

Chateauroux depot Feb54 for maintenance then returned 

to 781 stTCS; moved with the squadron to join the 465thTCW 

at Toul May54; moved with the wing to Evreux May55; to 

SABENA at Brussels Nov55-Feb56 for maintenance then 

returned to 465thTCW; to Burtonwood depot Jun56 for 


Evreux Ju157; to 2578thResFltCtr (CONAC) at Ellington AFB, 

TX Feb58. 



residence with the 781 stTCS at Wiesbaden Dec53; to 

Nouasseur depot Mar54-Apr54 for maintenance then returned 

to 781 stTCS; moved with the squadron to join the 465thTCW 

at Toul May54; to Chateauroux depot Ju154-Sep54 for 


wing to Evreux May55; to SABENA at Brussels Aug55-Nov55 

for maintenance then returned to 465thTCW; to Chateauroux 

depot Jan57 -Feb57 for maintenance then returned to 


(CONAC) at Ellington AFB, TX May58. 






Brussels Jan56-Apr56 for maintenance then returned to 


(CONAC) at Brooks AFB, TX Apr58. 



residence with the 781 sITCS at Wiesbaden Dec53; moved 


Chateauroux depot May54-Jun54 for maintenance then 

155

eturned to 465thTCW; to Burtonwood depot Apr55-Jun55 for 

maintenance then returned to 465thTCW at Evreux; to 

SABENA at Brussels Feb56-Apr for maintenance then 


2584thResFltCtr (CONAC) at Memphis, TN Feb58. 






Brussels Ju155-Sep55 and Sep56-Nov56 for maintenance, 

returned to 465thTCW after each period; to 317thTCW at 

Evreux Ju157; to 2584thResFltCtr (CONAC) at Memphis, TN 

Jan58. 





BMC at Birmingham, AL Apr55-Ju155 for maintenance then 


Aug56-0ct56 for maintenance then returned to 465thTCW; to 


Brooks AFB, TX Mar58. 






Brussels Jan56-Mar56 for maintenance then returned to 


(CONAC) at Dobbins AFB, GA Dec57. 

51-2641 C-119C 465thTGG (TAC) at Donaldson AFB, SG; 





Brussels Ju155-Sep55 and Aug56-0ct56 for maintenance, 

returned to 465thTCW after each period; to 317thTCW at 

Evreux Ju157; to 2578thResFltCtr (CONAC) at Ellington AFB, 

TX Jan58. 


transferred with the group to USA FE at Toul Dec53 (believed 



465thTCW at Toul Apr54; to BMC at Birmingham, AL Dec54- 

Apr55 for maintenance then returned to 465thTCW at Evreux; 

to SABENA at Brussels Jun56-Aug56 for maintenance then 

returned to 465thTCW; to Chateauroux depot Jun57 for 


Evreux Ju157; to 2584thResFltCtr (CONAC) at Memphis, TN 

Feb58. 


transferred with the group to USAFE at Toul Dec53 (believed 




Dec54; to Chateauroux depot Nov55 for maintenance then 

returned to 465thTCW; to SABENA at Brussels Mar56-May56 

for maintenance then returned to 465thTCW; to 317thTCW at 

Evreux Ju157; to 2577thResFItCtr (CONAC) at Brooks AFB, 

TX Mar58. 

51-2644 C-119C 465th TGG (TAG) at Donaldson AFB, SG; 



temporary residence at Rhein Main until Apr54) ; aSSigned to 


May55; to SABENA at Brussels Ju155-Sep55 and Ju156-Sep56 

for maintenance, returned to 465thTCW after each period; to 

Nouasseur depot Jan57 for maintenance then returned to 


(CONAC) at Ellington AFB Jan58. 

156 






Dec54; to SABENA at Brussels Dec54-Apr55 for maintenance 

then returned to 465thTCW; crashed 18Apr55 near Moulins, 

France following engine failure. 






Dec54; to SABENA at Brussels Nov55-Jan56 for maintenance 

then returned to 465thTCW; to Chateauroux depot Jan57 for 


Evreux Ju157 ; to 2259thResFltCtr (CONAC) at Andrews AFB, 

MD Nov57. 






Dec54; to SABENA at Brussels Mar56-Jun56 for maintenance 

then returned to 465thTCW; to Burtonwood depot Nov56- 

Jan57 for maintenance then returned to 465thTCW; to 

Chateauroux depot Jun57 for maintenance then returned 

to 465thTCW; to 317thTCW at Evreux Ju157; to Burtonwood 

depot Sep57-0ct57 for maintenance then returned to 

317thTCW; to 2584thResFltCtr (CONAC) at Memphis, TN 

Mar58. 




temporary residence at Rhein Main until Apr54) ; assigned to 

465thTCW at Toul Apr54; to BMC at Birmingham, AL Ju154- 

Dec54 for maintenance then returned to 465thTCW; moved 

with the wing to Evreux Jan55 (on detachment at Neubiberg 

Dec54 when the rest of the wing moved to Evreux); crashed 

18Apr55 at Ghisonaccia, Corsica following engine failure. 






Dec54; to SABENA at Brussels Apr56-Jun56 for maintenance 

then returned to 465thTCW; to 317thTCW at Evreux Ju157; to 

2259thResFltDet (CONAC) at Youngstown, OH Apr58. 






Dec54; to SABENA at Brussels Feb56-May56 for 

maintenance then returned to 465thTCW; to Nouasseur depot 

Jan57-Feb57 for maintenance then returned to 465thTCW; to 


Memphis, TN Mar58. 




temporary residence at Rhein Main until Apr54); aSSigned to 

465thTCW at Toul Apr54 ; moved with the wing to Evreux 

Dec54; to SABENA at Brussels Ju155-Sep55 and Sep56- 

Nov56 for maintenance, returned to 465thTCW after each 

period; to 317thTCW at Evreux Ju157; to 2578thResFltCtr 

(CONAC) at Ellington AFB, TX Feb58. 







Dec54; to SABENA at Brussels Jan56-Mar56 for maintenance 

then returned to 465thTCW; to 317thTCW at Evreux Ju157; to 

2589thResFltCtr (CONAC) at Dobbins AFB, GA Dec57. 






Dec54; to SABENA at Brussels Nov55-Feb56 for maintenance 

then returned to 465thTCW; crashed 12Feb56 when touched 

down 200ft short of the runway during a night landing at 

Chateauroux; transferred to control of 3131 stMaintGrp at 

Chateauroux depot the same day; authorised for salvage 

29Feb56 and stricken from inventory 18Apr56. 






Dec54; to SABENA at Brussels Jan56-Mar56 for maintenance 

then returned to 465thTCW; to 317thTCW at Evreux Ju157; 

to Burtonwood depot Jan58 for maintenance then returned to 

317thTCW; to 2577thResFltCtr (CONAC) at Brooks AFB, TX 

Mar58. 





465thTCW at Toul Apr54; to BMC at Birmingham, AL Ju154- 

Oct54 for maintenance then returned to 465thTCW; moved 

with the wing to Evreux Dec54; to SABENA at Brussels 

May56-Aug56 for maintenance then returned to 465thTCW; to 

317thTCW at Evreux Ju157; to 2577thResFltDet (CONAC) at 

Dallas, TX Dec57. 






Dec54; to BMC at Birmingham, AL Apr55-Ju155 for 

maintenance then returned to 465thTCW; to SABENA at 

Brussels Mar56-Jun56 for maintenance then returned to 

465thTCW; to 317thTCW at Evreux Ju157; to 2577thResFltDet 

(CONAC) at Dallas, TX Oct57. 






Dec54; to BMC at Birmingham, AL JuI55-Dec55 for 



GA Dec57. 


317thTCW at Neubiberg Nov53; to SABENA at Brussels 

Nov54-Mar55 for maintenance then issued to 60thTCW at 

Rhein Main; to 521 stAirDefGrp (ADC) at Sioux City, lA Apr55. 

51-2659 C-11,9C 64thTGW (TAG) at Donaldson AFB, SG; to 


Oct54-Jan55 for maintenance then issued to 60thTCW at 

Rhein Main; to 501stAirDefGrp (ADC) at Chicago-O'Hare, IL 

May55. 



Oct54-Jan55 for maintenance then issued to 60thTCW at 

Rhein Main; to 33rdFtrGrp (ADC) at Otis AFB, MA Aug55. 



Aeromililaria - Winter 2010 



465thTCW at Toul Apr54 ; moved with the wing to Evreux 

Dec54; to SABENA at Brussels Jan55-Apr55 for maintenance 

then returned to 465thTCW; to 2259thResFltCtr (CONAC) at 

Andrews AFB, MD Apr57. 

51-8233 C-119C new production at Fairchild Hagerstown 

(accepted 29Dec52); delivered to 60thTCW (USAFE) at Rhein 

Main Feb53; to SABENA at Brussels May55-Aug55 for 


2252ndResFltCtr (CONAC) at Clinton County AFB, OH 

Dec57. 



Main Feb53; to SABENA at Brussels Apr55-Aug55 for 

maintenance then issued to 465thTCW at Evreux; damaged 

31Aug56 after landing at Algiers, Algeria when hydrauliC 

failure resulted in the aircraft taxying into a ditch; re-assigned 

to 3131stMaintGrp at Chateauroux depot 190ct56 for 

assessment; SOC 13Dec56 from Chateauroux for spares 

recovery (aircraft may still have been at Algiers). 



Main Mar53; crashed 15May53 10nm NE of Mannheim, West 

Germany following collision with 22ndFBS F-84E 51-062B. 



Main Mar53; to 47thBW Sculthorpe May55; to SABENA at 

Brussels Aug55-0ct55 for maintenance then returned to 

47thBW; to 433rdTCW (CONAC) at Brooks AFB, TX Oct58. 


(accepted BJan53); delivered to 60thTCW (USAFE) at Rhein 

Main Apr53; to SABENA at Brussels Jun55-Sep55 for 

maintenance then returned to 60thTCW; moved with the wing 

to Dreux Sep55; to 5BOthARCG at Wheel us May56; to 

7272ndABW at Wheelus Sep56; to 465thTCW at Evreux AB 

Oct56; to 2259thResFltCtr (CONAC) at Andrews AFB, MD 

Feb57. 


(accepted 19Jan53); delivered to 60thTCW (USAFE) at Rhein 

Main Feb53; to 317thTCW Neubiberg Feb55; to 60thTCW 

Rhein Main Apr55; to SABENA at Brussels May55-Ju155 for 


2252ndResFltCtr (CONAC) at Clinton County AFB, OH 

Feb57. 

[Note: the aircraft record cards covering the period 1955 

through to 1964 for the remainder of this G-119G batch, all of 

which served in Europe (and, incidentally, for a part of the 

FY51 F-86D Sabre batch which follows them, many of which 

also served in Europe), appear to have gone missing from the 

Air Force Historical Research Agency. They may simply have 

been misfiled so if anyone has ever managed to track them 

down we would be very interested in hearing from you! In the 

histories below some of the 60th TGW G-119Gs will have been 

sent back to the USA during 1955 while others will have been 

turned over to the 465thTGW at Evreux before being sent 

back in 1957/58 (for example, the 465th is known to have 

transferred 34 G-119Gs to GONAG between January and 

June 1958 but we can only account for 28). It is also possible 

that a handful of others were passed on to the 580thARGG at 

Wheelus and maybe even the 582ndARGG at Molesworth 

before those two units were inactivated. The 47thBWaircraft, 

which departed Sculthorpe during the course of 1958, will 

have been the last active examples from this batch to serve in 

Europe.] 



Main Feb53 and still current Dec54; [further official details 

missing]; by 1964 with 906thTCG (CONAC) at Clinton County 

AFB, OH. 

157



Main Mar53 and still current Jun54; [further official details 

missing; noted at Prestwick 05Jan57, unit details 

unconfirmed); by 1964 with 909thTCG (CONAC) at Andrews 

AFB , MD. 


(accepted 21Jan53) ; delivered to 60thTCW (USAFE) at Rhein 

Main Feb53 ; crashed 15May53 10nm NE of Mannheim, West 

Germany following collision with 22ndFBS F-84E 51-0628. 



Main Feb53 and still current Jan55; [further official details 

missing; noted at Burtonwood 03Jan57, unit details 


AFB, MD. 



Main Mar53 and still current Nov54; [further official details 

missing); by 1964 with 909thTCG (CONAC) at Andrews AFB , 

MD. 



Main Feb53 and still current Apr54 ; [further official details 

missing, in 47thBW marks at Sculthorpe May55; noted 

at Upper Heyford 19May56 named "Leapin' Lena" and at 

Sculthorpe May57); by 1964 had been deleted from the USAF 

inventory. 



Main Feb53 and still current May54; [further official details 

missing); by 1964 with 909thTCG (CONAC) at Andrews AFB, 

MD. 



Main Feb53; RAF Burtonwood Dec53 for maintenance, 

returned to 60thTCW Jan54 and still current Sep54; 

[further official details missing ; damaged on landing at Athens, 

Greece 02Apr55 while still with 60thTCW but subsequently 

repaired ; noted at Prestwick 14Dec55, unit details 

unconfirmed]; by 1964 with 926thTCG (CONAC) at NAS New 

Orleans, LA. 

51·8247 C-119C new production at Fairchild Hagerstown 


Main Mar53; to Chateauroux depot Nov53-Dec53 for 

maintenance then returned to 60thTCW; to 47thBW at 

Sculthorpe Feb55; [further official details missing , in 47thBW 

marks at Sculthorpe May55; noted at Burtonwood 11Jun57); 

by 1964 with 906thTCW (CONAC) at Clinton County AFB, 

OH. 



Main Mar53 and still current Jan54; [further official details 

missing]; by 1964 with 905thTCG (CONAC) at Bradley Field, 

CT. 


(accepted 26Jan53); to Middletown AMA at Olmsted AFB, PA 

Feb53; delivered to 60thTCW (USAFE) at Rhein Main Mar53 

and still current Sep54; [further official details missing); by 

1964 with 910thTCG (CONAC) at Youngstown, OH. 



Feb53; delivered to 60thTCW (USAFE) at Rhein Main Apr53 

and still current Jan55; [further official details missing, in 

11thTCS 60thTCW marks at Sculthorpe May55; noted at 

Wellesbourne Mountford 15Sep56, Castle Bromwich 14Sep57 

& Prestwick 21 Mar58, unit details unconfirmed); by 1964 with 

924thTCG (CONAC) at Ellington AFB, TX. 

158 



Feb53; delivered to 60thTCW (USAFE) at Rhein Main 

Mar53; to Chateauroux depot Ju154-Aug54 for maintenance 

then returned to 60thTCW; [further official details missing) ; by 

1964 with 906thTCG (CONAC) at Clinton County AFB , OH. 

51 ·8252 C-119C new production at Fairchild Hagerstown 

(accepted 29Jan53) ; to Middletown AMA at Olmsted AFB, PA 

Feb53; delivered to 60thTCW (USAFE) at Rhein Main Mar53; 

[further official details missing, in 11thTCS 60thTCW marks at 

Sculthorpe May55; noted in 47thBW marks at Woodbridge 

18May57); by 1964 with 905thTCG (CONAC) at Bradley Field, 

CT. 



Feb53; to Oklahoma City AMA at Tinker AFB, OK Mar53; 

delivered to 60thTCW (USAFE) at Rhein Main Apr53; to 

47thBW at Sculthorpe Feb55; [further official details missing, 

in 47thBW marks at Sculthorpe May55; noted at Sculthorpe 

17May58 named "Houn ' Dawg'l; by 1964 with 924thTCG 

(CONAC) at Ellington AFB, TX. 



Feb53; delivered to 60thTCW (USAFE) Rhein Main Mar53; to 

SABENA at Brussels Jan55 for maintenance; [further official 

details missing); by 1964 with 909thTCG (CONAC) at 

Andrews AFB, MD. 



Feb53 ; to Oklahoma City AMA at Tinker AFB, OK Mar53; 

delivered to 60thTCW (USAFE) at Rhein Main Mar53; to 

SABENA at Brussels Jan54 for maintenance; [further official 

details missing); by 1964 with 909thTCG (CONAC) at 

Andrews AFB, MD. 



Main Mar53 and still current Dec54; [further official details 

missing); by 1964 with 129thTCG (CA ANG) at Hayward, CA. 



Feb53 ; delivered to 60thTCW (USAFE) at Rhein Main 

Mar53 and still current Jun54; [further official details missing; 

noted at Prestwick 22Jun56 & 22Apr57, unit details 


AFB, MD. 



Feb53; delivered to 60thTCW (USAFE) at Rhein Main Apr53 ; 

to 47thBW at Sculthorpe Feb55; [further official details 

missing, in 47thBW marks at Sculthorpe May55 ; noted at 

Mildenhall 19May56); by 1964 with 926thTCG (CONAC) 

at NAS New Orleans, LA. 



Feb53 ; delivered to 60thTCW (USAFE) at Rhein Main Mar53 

and still current Ju154; [further official details missing); by 1964 

with 129thTCG (CA ANG) at Hayward, CA. 



Main Mar53 and still current Aug54; [further official details 

missing ; noted unmarked with 465thTCW at Dijon 1955; noted 

at Blackbushe 16Aug55, unit details unconfirmed); by 1964 

with 923rdTCG (CONAC) at Carswell AFB, TX. 


(accepted 10Feb53); delivered to 60thTCW (USAFE) at Rhein 

Main Apr53 and still current Sep54; [further official details 

missing); by 1964 with 905thTCG (CONAC) at Bradley 

Field, CT. 


This undated picture of C-119C 51-8257 may well have been taken during the period covered by the missing aircraft record cards. 

It would have left 60th TCW service in 1955 but remained in Europe for at least another two years before being sent back to the 

USA for use by the reserves. (George Pennick collection) 


(accepted 29JanS3); delivered to 60thTCW (USAFE) at Rhein 

Main AprS3; to 46SthTCW at Toul JanSS; [further official 

details missing]; by 1964 had been deleted from the USAF 

inventory. 


(accepted 31 JanS3); delivered to 60thTCW (USAFE) at Rhein 

Main MarS3 and still current MarS4; [further official details 

missing; noted at Burtonwood 10JunSS & Prestwick 31 MayS7, 

unit details unconfirmed]; by 1964 with 129thTCG (CA ANG) 

at Hayward, CA. 


(accepted 20FebS3); delivered to 60thTCW (USAFE) at Rhein 

Main MarS3 and still current NovS4; [further official details 

missing]; by 1964 with 910thTCG (CONAC) at Youngstown, 

OH. 



Main Apr53; to SABENA at Brussels Jan5S for maintenance; 

[further official details missing; noted at Prestwick OSFeb56, 

unit details unconfirmed]; by 1964 with 910thTCG (CONAC) at 

Youngstown, OH. 

51-8266 C-1'19C new production at Fairchild Hagerstown 

(accepted 25Feb53); delivered to 60thTCW (USAFE) at Rhein 

Main Apr53; to 47thBW at Sculthorpe Feb55; [further official 

details missing, in 47thBW marks at Sculthorpe May55; noted 

at Sculthorpe May57]; by 1964 with 924thTCG (CONAC) at 

Ellington AFB, TX. 


(accepted 25Feb53); delivered to 60thTCW (USAFE) at 

Rhein Main Mar53 and still current AugS4; [further official 

details missing]; by 1964 with 90SthTCG (CONAC) at Bradley 

Field, CT. 



(accepted 2SFeb53); delivered to 60thTCW (USAFE) at Rhein 

Main AprS3 and still current Sep54; [further official details 

missing; noted at Prestwick 01 SepS7, unit details unconfirmed]; 

by 1964 with 910thTCG (CONAC) at Youngstown, OH. 


(accepted 2SFebS3); delivered to 60thTCW (USAFE) at Rhein 

Main AprS3 and still current JunS3; [further official details 

missing]; by 1964 with 910thTCG (CONAC) at Youngstown, 

OH. 



Main AprS3 and still current JanSS; [further official details 

missing; noted at Blackbushe 23Ju15S, Biggin Hill 1SSepS6 & 

Prestwick 02MayS7, unit details unconfirmed]; by 1964 with 

90SthTCG (CONAC) at Bradley Field, CT. 



Main Apr53; [further official details missing; noted at 

Blackbushe 23JulSS, unit details unconfirmed]; by 1964 with 

906thTCG (CONAC) at Clinton County AFB, OH. 


(accepted 2SFeb53); delivered to 60thTCW (USAFE) at Rhein 

Main Apr53; damaged 1SAugS3 on landing at RAF Topcliffe, 

to Burtonwood depot for repairs and returned to 60thTCW 

AprS4; to 47thBW at Sculthorpe FebSS; [further official details 

missing, in 47thBW marks at Sculthorpe MaySS; noted at 

Burtonwood 26JuIS7]; by 1964 with 924thTCG (CONAC) at 

Ellington AFB, TX. 



Main MayS3; crashed 2OJunS4 near St Trond, Belgium 

following structural failure. 

159

5332 was one of the small batch of F.K.2s built as trials aircraft for the F.K.3. It was tested at CFS with an oleo undercarriage. 

It was later passed to No.2B Squadron at Gosport. 

Armstrong Whitworth F.K.3 

By Gordon Page and Jim Halley 

Armstrong and Whilworth were big names in engineering, 

their products ranging from artillery, warships, airships, 

ammunition, aircraft engines and, probably most famously, 

nuts and bolts which became the Whitworth standard sizes for 

aircraft production for decades. 

Aircraft production began with orders for B.E.2a, B.E.2b and 

B.E.2c to be built at a new factory at Gosforth, outside 

Newcastle, converted from an ice rink. On the staff was a 

Dutch engineer, Frederick Koolhoven, who had arrived from 

his position as chief engineer at the British Deperdussin 

Syndicate in Highgate in June 1913. One of his first designs 

was for the F.K.1, a single-seat type that was underpowered 

and remained a prototype. 

With production of B.E.2s under way, Koolhoven designed a 

similar aircraft in the shape of the F.K.2. This was a simplified 

version of the B.E.2c to speed up production. It was ordered 

into production in July 1915 but was followed up by largescale 

production of the F.K.3, with modifications found 

desirable during the tests of what were in effect production 

prototypes. 

Improvements had been made in construction features by 

eliminated most of the welding and cutting down on 

complicated metal fittings. The prototype was fitted with a 

70 hp Renault engine but production examples had the 90 hp 

RAF 1 a as standard. 

Initially the F.K.3 followed B.E.2 practice in having the 

observer in the forward cockpit and the pilot in the rear but it 

was decided to modify the arrangement to provide a large 

cockpit which would accommodate the crew back to back. 

This provided a defensive rear gun position where the 

observer had a Lewis gun on a mounting post. No forwardfiring 

guns were fitted although attempts had been made to 

find an offset mounting that would miss the propeller or struts 

when fired by the pilot. It was not adopted as standard. Bomb 

racks under the wings could take up to 112 Ib of bombs. 

A shortage of engines resulted in some aircraft being fitted 

with 120 hp Beardmore engines. This was heavier than the 

RAF 1 a and also reduced the forward view of the pilot. The 

fuel tanks were moved as the 120 hp engines used more 

petrol and the weight increased by 400 Ibs. Performance was 

160 

only slightly improved and those given Beardmore engines 

were later converted back to RAF 1 as. 

Despite having a better performance than the B.E.2c, the 

F.K.3 did not see service in France. Production aircraft were 

shipped to Greece, where No.47 Squadron supported the 

Allied forces faCing the Bulgarian army north of Salonika in 

Macedonia. Other squadrons received a few F.K.3s while 

mobilising , including Nos.28, 34, 35, 42, 43, 52, 53, 55, 58, 59, 

63, 69, 110, 121 and 126. These included both standard and 

trainer versions. 

Many F.K.3s were issued to training schools in Britain until 

the end of the war. They went to reserve/training squadrons 

and other training units as shown in the tables. 

At the end of the war, 53 were still on home establishment 

and nine in the Middle East. They soon disappeared apart from 

four which were sold and received civil registrations, G-EABY 

(ex B9629), G-EABZ (ex B9518), G-EAEU (ex B9612) and 

G-EALK (ex B9603) . None of these survived very long. 

Aircraft Tables 

In the absence of any systemised record cards surviving from 

the First World War, details of the activities of F.K.3s have 

been compiled from surviving records of squadrons and 

training units that have been preserved. There are many gaps 

in these while a number of aircraft have no record. These 

were probably put directly into storage but were never issued 

to RFC/RAF units. Included are the first seven aircraft built as 

F.K.2s as virtually pre-production aircraft for the definitive 

F.K.3. 

7 Armstrong Whitworth F.K.2s ordered under Cont No 

941A1103 from Sir WG Armstrong, Whitworth & Co Ltd, 

Gosforth, Newcastle, and numbered 5328 to 5334 (70-hp 

Renault or 90-hp RAF 1a) 

5328 (c/n A.w.2c) Deld Mkrs to RAF Farnborough by 

13.7.15; CFS Upavon by 8.15; 21 Sqn Netheravon to 

7 RS Netheravon 8.1.16; 42 Sqn Filton by 6.5.16; 

4 Wing ARS Netheravon 31.7.16; 20 Sqn Filton 


5329 Deld Mkrs to Admin Wing Farnborough 24.7.15; 4 

RAS Northolt 20.8.15; 21 Sqn Netheravon 16.12.15; 

7 RAS Netheravon 8.1.16; 42 Sqn Filton from 

29.7.16 

5330 (c.n A.W.2e) Deld Mkrs to RAF Farnborough 13.8.15; 

21 Sqn Netheravon to 7 RAS Netheravon 8.1.16; 

42 Sqn Filton 26.5.16; wa 2.7.16 sac 

5331 Deld Mkrs to RAF Farnborough 13.8.15; Admin Wing 

Farnborough to 21 Sqn Netheravon 14.9.15; 7 RAS 

Netheravon 8.1 .16 

5332 (RAF 1a) Tested CFS Upavon with oleo 

undercarriage, comparison with 1755 31.8.15; 1 AP 

Sl.amer 8.9.15; retd England 12.9.15; CFS Upavon 

to 28 Sqn Gosport 22.4.16; photo shows the alc with 

undercarriage wiped off 

5333 Deld Mkrs to RAF Farnborough 28.8.15; Admin Wing 

Farnborough to CFS Upavon 31 .8.15 

5334 Deld 7 RAS Netheravon 21 .8.15; 21 Sqn Netheravon 

to 7 RAS Netheravon 8.1 .16; CFS Upavon; crashed 

and sac 6.4.16 



Gosforth, Newcastle and numbered 5504 to 5553 (90-hp 

RAF 1 a unless otherwise stated) 

5504 CFS Upavon; to 28 Sqn Gosport 19.4.16; shipped to 

Salonika 9.16; 47 Sqn Macedonia. Ditched in sea 

19.10.16 (Lt HW Dartnell & Lt Dore); sac 24.10.16 

5505 (120hp Beardmore) . Deld 47 Sqn Macedonia 19.9.16 

fitted with RAF4a 

5506 47 Sqn Beverley, spring 1916; 36 flS Beverley by 

9.16 

5507 43 Sqn Stirling/Raploch from 29.5.16; sac 18.8.16 

5508 (120hp Beardmore) Shipped to Salonika; 47 Sqn 

Macedonia from 10.16; 47 Sqn Macedonia by 21 .7.17; 

Salonika AP by 17.9.17; 47 Sqn. Crashed in forced 

landing on bombing and reconnaissance sortie 14.30 

5.10.17 (GC Gardiner & AS Clark); sac 8.10.17 

5509 47 Sqn Beverley, spring 1916; 15 RS Doncaster from 

28.4.16 - 5.16 

5510 47 Sqn Beverley, spring 1916; 53 Sqn Catterick; 

52 Sqn Hounslow Heath from 9.8.16; 42 RS 

Hounslow 10.11.16 

5511 47 Sqn Beverley by 6.16 - 8.16; 36 RSfTS Beverley 

by 6.17 - 8.17 

5512 47 Sqn Beverley, spring 1916; 53 Sqn Catterick from 

19.6.16; 43 Sqn Stirling/Raploch 21 .8.16; 63 Sqn 

Stirling/Raploch 30.8.16; wa 23.9.16 

5513 To France 25.3.16 (fitted with Challenger gun gear); 

47 Sqn Beverley by 8.16; 36 RS Beverley by 8.16 - 

9.16 

5514 36 (HD) Sqn Cramlington from 22.6.16; 58 Sqn 

Cramlington 8.7.16; Mkrs 19.7.16; 58 Sqn 

Cramlington to 63 Sqn Cramlington 15.12.16; wa 

22.12.16 

5515 47 Sqn Beverley, spring 1916. Wrecked 22.7.16 

5516 47 Sqn Beverley by 6.116 - 7.16; 36 RS Beverley by 

8.16 - 9.16 


Cramlington 8.7.16; 63 Sqn Cramlington 20.12.17; 

wa 4.1.17 

5518 34 Sqn Castle Bromwich by 8.6.16 

5519 CFS Upavon, fitted with 105-hp RAF 1b by 5.16; 

42 Sqn Filton from 5.7.16; 52 Sqn Hounslow (90-hp 

RAF 1a) to 42 RS Hounslow 10.11 .16 - @27.2.17 

5520 58 Sqn Cramlington from 20.7.16; wa 29.9.16 

5521 19th Wing ARS Catterick from 4.8.16; 53 Sqn 

Catterick 10.8.16; sac 7.9.16 

5522 15 RS Doncaster by 5.16 

5523 15 RS Doncaster by 24.5.16 

5524 Deld Mkrs to 15 RS Doncaster 20.5.16 

5525 19 Wing ARS Catterick from 4.8.1' 6; 53 Sqn Catterick 

by 16.9.16 - 10.16 


Catterick 19.6.16; 19 Wing ARS Catterick to 53 Sqn 

Catterick 10.8.16; 43 Sqn Stirling/Raploch 16.8.16; 

63 Sqn Stirling/Raploch 29.8.16; sac 7.9.16 


5527 55 Sqn Lilbourne. Collided with another aircraft at 

500ft; dived into ground 10.8.16 (Lt JS Rodgers & 

2/U C de Frece both killed) 

5528 (120hp Beardmore) CFS Upavon for tests by 5.5.16; 

shipped to Salonika; 47 Sqn Macedonia by 12.16; 

Salonika AP 30.7.17; 17 Sqn. did 4 loops then dived 

into sea, Mikra Bay, 8.8.17 (21Lt C Sheehan killed); 

sac 14.8.17 


Catterick 28.6.16; sac 25.8.16 

5530 47 Sqn Beverley; 15 RS Doncaster by 7.16 

5531 43 Sqn Stirling/Raploch. Engine cut; crashed in 

forced landing, 14.8.16 (Lt RWP Hall injured) ; wa 

24.8.16 sac 

5532 15 RS Doncaster by 8.16 - 9.16; Photograph shows 

alc crashed on nose 

5533 CFS Upavon (fitted 120-hp Beardmore) to 28 Sqn 

Gosport 19.4.16 

5534 No information 

5535 15 RS Doncaster by 8.16 - 1 .17; 41 RS Doncaster by 

1.17 

5536 Sedgeford 1916; 7 Wing ARS Narborough to 35 Sqn 

Narborough 16.9.16; sac 16.12.16 

5537 15 RS Doncaster from 28.4.16 - 7.16 

5538 (120-hp Beardmore) 7 Wing ARS Narborough; 

35 Sqn Narborough 2.9.16; 50 RS Narborough 

21.12.16 

5539 47 Sqn Beverley spring 1916 - @4.8.16; 36 RS 

Beverley by 8.16 - 9.16 

5540 47 Sqn Beverley by 6.16; 35 Sqn Narborough 

24.7.16; 59 Sqn Narborough. Engine cut; stalled in 

forced landing 4.12.16 (2/Lt AP Donnell killed & 1AM 

PB Gardner DoW 6.12.16); sac 12.12.16 

5541 7 Wing ARS Narborough to 35 Sqn Narborough 

8.9.16; 50 RS Narborough 21.12.16. Stalled clearing 

fence on overshoot and crashed, 28.2.17 (Lt FL 

Barclay injured) 

5542 50 TS Narborough by 8.17 - 10.17 


5544 47 Sqn Beverley, spring 1916; 43 Sqn Stirlingl 

Raploch from 24.7.16; 63 Sqn Stirling/Raploch 

29.8.16; wa 1.9.16 sac 

5545 47 Sqn Beverley by 8.16 


5547 47 Sqn Beverley, wrecked 22.7.16 

5548 Deld 36 RS Beverley 16.6.16; crashed on landing 

11.9.16 (2/Lt CA Pike); 36 RSfTS Beverley/Montrose 

by 6.17 -7.17 

5549 43 Sqn Stirling/Raploch from 27.5.16; sac 1.7.16 

5550 43 Sqn Stirling/Raploch from 31 .5.16. Stalled and 

dived into ground 31 .7.16 (1 injured) ; sac 8.8.16 

5551 CFS Upavon for trials by 10.5.16, fitted with nonstandard 

rudder; 8 RS Netheravon; 42 RS Hounslow 

by 3.17 

5552 CFS Upavon for trials by 10.5.16, fitted with nonstandard 

rudder and 90hp RAF 1 a; 8 RS Netheravon 

by 7.16 

5553 47 Sqn Beverley by 8.16; 57 TS Tadcaster by 9.16 

[also used by 36 RS for night landings] 

1. Armstrong Whitworth F.K.3 ordered under Cont No 


Gosforth, Newcastle, and numbered 5614 (90-hp RAF 1 a) 

5614 Shipped to Middle East; Arr Salonika AP ex England 

28.11 .16; 47 Sqn Macedonia, sac 27.3.17 



Gosforth, Newcastle and numbered 6186 to 6227 (90hp 

RAF.1A) 


6187 Shipped to Salonika 9.16; 47 Sqn Macedonia, sac 

24.10.16 

6188 20 RS Wye 

6189 43 Sqn Stirling/Raploch . Stalled and crashed, 

31 .7.16(1 injured) sac 8.8.16 

161

6190 50 TS Narborough by 1.17 - 10.17 

6191 36 AS Beverley; 58 Sqn Cramlington from 27.10.16; 

tested after rebuild 20.3.17; WO 21 .5.17 

6192 58 Sqn Cramlington from 27.10.16. Stalled on night 

take-off, sideslipped and crashed, 22.1.17 (21Lt 

J Aimmer injured) 

6193 53 Sqn Catterick from 8.8.16 

6194 53 Sqn Catterick by 8.16; shipped to Macedonia; 

47 Sqn Macedonia, sac 28.12.16 

6195 Newcastle AAP to 35 Sqn Narborough 27.7.16; 

50 AS Narborough 21.12.16 

6196 Shipped to Salonika 9.16; 47 Sqn Macedonia. Shot 

down E of Hudsoo on bombing raid by Lt atto 

Brauneck, Ja 25 11.2.17 (Mjr MA Black killed) 

6197 Shipped to Salonika 9.16; 47 Sqn. Crashed on 

landing and sac 27.10.16 

6198 Shipped to Salonika 9.16; 47 Sqn Macedonia. Shot 

down and landed in enemy lines, 15.1.17 (2/Lt SJM 

White & 2/Lt H Matthews both killed); sac 26.1 .17 

6199 Shipped to Salonika 9.16; 47 Sqn Macedonia, 

forcedlanded 11.2.17; retd to 47 Sqn by 5.17 

6200 Shipped to Salonika 9.16; 47 Sqn Macedonia, 

forcelanded 19.10.16; 17 Sqn Macedonia; sac 

17.9.17 

6201 AAP Newcastle to 35 Sqn Narborough 25.7.16. Lost 

speed in turn and crashed, 29.8.16 (pilot OK? but 

1AM M Boyd killed); sac 6.9.16 

6202 35 Sqn Narborough by 7.16 

6203 Shipped to Salonika 9.16; 47 Sqn Macedonia until 

sac 16.1 .17 

6204 Gosforth to 15 AS Doncaster 19.7.16 (Lt Green) . 

Crashed 24.7.16 (1 injured) 

6205 15 AS Doncaster by 7.16 

6206 Shipped to Salonika 9.16; 47 Sqn from 10.16; 

Salonika AP fromlby 21 .3.17; 47 Sqn Kirec to 

Salonika [AP?) 6.11 .17; 47 Sqn Janes 14.12.17. 

Force-landed after combat 1.1 .18 

6207 53 Sqn Catterick from 26.7.16; sac 25.8.16 

6208 19 AS Hounslow from 7.16; 52 Sqn Hounslow to 

19 AS Training Brigade Flight for use of General 

Brancker 22.9.16 

6209 58 Sqn Cramlington from 5.8.16 

6210 (140hp AAF 4a) 47 Sqn Macedonia. Crashed on 

landing, 25.10.16; Salonika AP by/from 23.4.17; sac 

12.5.17 

6211 Shipped to Salonika 9.16; 47 Sqn Macedonia, sac 

27.10.16 

6212 Shipped to Salonika 9.16; 47 Sqn Macedonia. 

Missing from reconnaissance flight, 12.3.17 (2/Lt 

DH Glasson) sac 14.3.17 

6213 Shipped to Salonika 9.16; 47 Sqn Macedonia 10.16- 

1.18. Forcelanded on observation flight, 21.8.17 

(JC Nelson & AS Clarke) 

6214 Shipped to Salonika 9.16; 47 Sqn from 10.16; 

Salonika AP 27.2.17; 47 Sqn Macedonia by 29.8.17, 

sac 22.8.18 

6215 52 Sqn from 12.10.16; 42 AS Hounslow 10.11 .16. 

After bumpy landing, took off again and caught by 

gust at 100ft; sideslipped into ground 3.1.17 (2/Lt 

D Alliban injured) 


6217 Shipped to Salonika 9.16; Salonika AP by 25.4.17; 

47 Sqn Macedonia, sac 15.5.17 

6218 (120hp Beardmore) 47 Sqn Macedonia to Salonika 

AP 6.1.17; 47 Sqn Janes to AP Salonika 21 .6.17; 

47 Sqn Janes 14.10.17. Crashed 25.2.18 (21Lt DF 

Woodford) 

6219 Shipped to Salonika; arr Salonika AP 28.11 .16; 

47 Sqn Macedonia. Forced down S of Demirhisar 

12.2.17 (2/Lt AC Stopher PoW) . Captured intact and 

flown operationally by Bulgarians. 


6221 Shipped to Salonika, arr Salonika AP 28.11 .16; 

47 Sqn Macedonia by 12.16 - @2.17; Salonika 

AP to 47 Sqn Janes 4.10.17. Crashed during 

formation flying, 12.11 .17 (2/Lt J Boyd & 21Lt PW 

Taylor) 

6222 B Sqn CFS Upavon by 11 .16 

162 

6223 52 Sqn from 12.10.16; 42 AS Hounslow 10.11 .16. 

Engine failed, crashed in forced landing , 27.11.16 (1 

injured) 


6225 58 Sqn Cramlington from 13.10.16 - 3.17 

50 Armstrong Whitworth F.K.3s ordered 19.6.16 with dual 

control under Cont No 87/A1475 from Mkrs (subcontracted 

to Hewlett & Blondeau Ltd, Oak Road, 

Leagrave, Luton) and numbered A1461 to A1510 (90-hp 

RAF 1a) 

A1461 

A1462 

A1463 

A1464 

A1465 

A1466 

A1467 

A1468 

A1469 

A1470 

A1471 

A1472 

A1473 

A1474 

A1475 

A1476 

A1477 

A1478 

A1479 

A1480 

A1481 

A1482 

A1483 

A1484 

A1485 

A1486 

A1487 

42 AS Hounslow from 2.11 .16. Forcelanded while 

lost and hit tree 7.1.17 (2/Lt C L Green injured) 

Salonika AP by 1.18; 47 Sqn 4.2.18 (AAF 4a) until 

30.4.18. 16th Wing AP Salonika, sac 17.6.19. 

47 Sqn, in combat 23.8.17; AP Salonika 9.17; 

47 Sqn. stalled at low height on test flight; 

crashed and caught fire 16.10.17 (2/Lt PC Hunter 

Dol & 2/Lt AS Butler killed) sac by 16 Wg, 

25.10.17 

47 Sqn Macedonia by 6.17; Salonika 9.17 

16 Wg, WO 17.619 

Arr England to 16 Wing 28.2.17; Salonika to 47 Sqn 

21 .6.17 (AAF 4a) ; shot down Albatros D-II!, then shot 

up and forcelanded, 20.8.17 (Lt FWH Thomas MC 

DoW 5.1.18 & 21Lt HA Jones wounded) ; retd to 

17 Sqn and sac 8.10.17 

Arr England to 16 Wing 28.2.17; 16th Wing 

Macedonia dd 28.2.17. 47 Sqn, in combat 23.8.17; 

AP Salonika 9.17; 16 Wing AP to X AD 4.6.18; 38(T) 

Wing AAS 13.6.18; 5 FS, sac 22.2.19 

Arr England to 16 Wing 28.2.17; AP Salonika 9.17; 

47 Sqn; crashed, Kirec-Janes 19.12.17 (AJ Brandt & 

AS Clarke); 16 Wing AP to X AD 4.6.18; 38(T) Wing 

13.6.18; 5 FS, sac 21 .3.19 

Arr England to 16 Wing 28.2.17; AP Salonika to 

47 Sqn Janes 3.7.17; AP Salonika 9.17; 47 Sqn 

(AAF 4a), in combat 24.1.18. Crashed on bombing 

raid , 29.1.18 (MM Wilson & JS Jones) 

Arr England to 16 Wing 28.2.17; 17 Sqn; AP Salonika 

to 47 Sqn Kirec 22.7.17; AP Salonika 9.17; 47 Sqn 

Janes 27.10.17 (RAF 4a); in combat 28.11 .17. 

crashed 7.12.17 (CBS Spackman); in combat 

24.1.18; X AD to 17 TDS 25.7.18; 5 FS, sac 

23.2.19 

58 Sqn Cramlington from 20.1.17; 63 Sqn 

Cramlington 15.3.17 

50 AS Narborough by 3.17 - 7.17; 50 TS Spittlegate 

47 Sqn Macedonia. 

50 AS Narborough by 2.17 - 3.17 

AP Salonika to 47 Sqn Janes 29.8.17. Crashed en 

route Kirec to Janes 20.11 .17 (LJ Collier & GS 

Bennett); sac 16 Wg 28.11 .17 

47 Sqn by 9.17; crashed en route Kirec to Janes 

1.10.17 (FHA Glenwood) ; to AP Salonika for repair; 

47 Sqn Janes 2.11 .17. Crashed on photographic 

flight 30.11 .17 (JC Melson & AS Pick) 

AP Salonika to 47 Sqn Kirec 17.7.17; AP Salonika 

20.10.17 - 12.17; 47 Sqn (RAF 4a); combat 24.1.18; 

still with 47 Sqn 3.18; to Egypt; X AD to 17 TDS 

25.7.18; 5 FS Heliopolis by 9.18; 19 TDS by 11.18; 

5 FS, sac 23.2.19 

AP Salonika to 47 Sqn Janes 26.8.17. Missing from 

bombing raid 29.10.17 (JA Gubbin DoW 20.11 .17 & 

2AM TH Bury PoW); sac 1.11.17. 

47 Sqn Macedonia; AFC TS, crashed into tree 

37 TS Spittlegate. Crashed, 20.12.17 (Lt MO Prismall 

killed). 

No information 

42 AS Hounslow by 2.17 


42 AS Hounslow by 3.17; 35 AS Northolt, wrecked 

58 Sqn Cramlington from 25.2.17 - 4.17 

63 Sqn Cramlington from 25.2.17; WO 16.3.17 

42 AS Hounslow by 2.17 - 4.17; 1 (Aux) SoAG 

Hythe. Spun into ground 31.10.17 (Lt JC Barraclough 

& 2/Lt EJ Curtis both injured) 


A1488 

A1489 

A1490 

A1491 

A1492 

A1493 

A1494 

A1495 

A1496 

A1497 

A1498 

A1499 

A1500 

A1501 

A1502 

A1503 

A1504 

A1505 

A1506 

A1507 

A1508 

A1509 

A1510 

50 RSrrS Narborough by 3.17 - 7.17, marked with 

dark disc aft of fuselage cockade; 37 TS Spittlegate. 

Crashed 20.12.17 (Lt MO Prismall killed) 

50 RS Narborough by 3.17 - 4.17 

50 RSrrS Narborough by 3.17 - 7.17 

50 RS Narborough by 3.17 - 4.17 

51 TS Waddington by 15.5.18 

50 TS Narborough by 7.17 

50 RSrrS Narborough by 3.17 - @28.7.17; 65 RS 

Sedgeford 


42 RS Hounslow by 3.17 

18 Wing ARS Hounslow to Southern Trg 8de 

2.12.17; 103 Sqn Old Sarum by 28.12.17 

1 (Aux) SoAG Hy1he by 7.17 

2 (Aux) SoAG Turnberry by 4.17 


1 (Aux) SoAG Hy1he. Went out of control during 

aerobatics and crashed 20.5.17 (Sgt IN Rogers & 

2AM J Paton both killed) 

Croydon (17 RS?); RAF Farnborough. SARD 

Farnborough, tested 13.4.17; SARD in use as a 

photographic machine 5.7.17 - @ 29.7.17. 

50 RS Narborough by 4.17 


(90hp RAF) Y Sqn SAG Loch Doon; flown from 

Bogton aerodrome in standard colour scheme; 52 TS 

Catterick by 2.18; 120 Sqn Cramlington, repainted in 

starred colour scheme. Crashed from 700ft 27.3.18 

(21Lt J Armstrong & Lt ES Howell both killed) 


49 TS Spittlegate 1917. 

69 (Aust) Sqn AFC South Carlton., collided with 

8.E.2e A 1368 over aerodrome 16.6.17 (2/Lt 

H.H.wilson killed) 

50 TS Narborough by 7.17 

50 TS Narborough by 4.17 - 10.17 

One F.K.3 Trainer to be built by Sir WG Armstrong, 

Whitworth & Co Ltd, Gosforth, Newcastle and numbered 

1967. Reservation 7.16 (90-hp RAF 1a) 

A 1967 Not known whether taken up 


871A1476 from Hewlett & Blondeau Ltd, Oak Road, 

Leagrave, Luton with dual control, sub-contracted from 

Armstrong-Whitworth, and numbered A8091 to A8140 

A8091 58 Sqn Cramlington by 6.17 

A8092 58 Sqn Cramlington by 6.17 - 9.17; 15 TS Spittlegate 

by 3.18 - 5.18; 20 RS 

A8093 58 Sqn Cramlington by 6.17 - 9.17 

A8094 No information 

A8095 58 Sqn Cramlington by 6.17 

A8096 58 Sqn Cramlington. Landed too steeply and crashed 

22.6.17 (21Lt CH Mason injured) 

A8097 58 Sqn Cramlington from 23.5.17. Crashed into butts 

on landing 4.6.17 (2/Lt CW Clegg slightly injured) 


A8099 69 (Aust) Sqn AFC South Carlton by 13.6.17 

A8100 1 (Aux) SoAF Hy1he by 6.17 [? - listed as Avro 8100] - 

(Capt Corke & Col Chaney) 

A8101 69 (Aust) Sqn AFC South Carlton by 12.6.17 

A8102 69 (Aust) Sqn AFC South Carlton by 11.6.17; 37 TS 

Spittkegate by 10.8.17 

A8103 ES Orfordness for camouflage experiments; to AES 

Martleslilam 21.5.18; AES Orfordness to AES 

Martlesham 31.8.18; AES Orfordness. Forcelanded, 

Woodbridge Links, 26.6.19 (RM Charley); dismantled 

and scrapped 


A8105 Cramlington by 7.7.17 (Lt Pybus); 18 TS Montrose by 

9.17 - to.17 

A8106 Cramlington by 7.7.17 (Lt Gillaby); 18 TS Montrose 

from 16.7.17. Crashed in night landing 25.7.17 (2/Lt 

WN Owen seriously injured) 

A8107 1 (Aux) SAG Hy1he as alc 12. 

Aeromilitaria = Winter 2010 

A8108 1 (Aux) SAG Hy1he as alc 14. 


A8110 1 (Aux) SoAG Hy1he. While landing, crashed off slow 

turn, Littlestone 21.9.17 (Lt JC 8arraclough & Lt WA 

Millar both slightly injured) 

A8111 (90hp RAF 1 A) SARD Farnborough, tested 4.7.17; 

18 Wing ARS Hounslow to 6 Wing ARS Dover 

12.7.18 


A8113 1 (Aux) SoAG Hythe by 8.17 

A8114 1 (Aux) SoAG Hy1he by 9.17 

A8115 37 TS Scampton by 7.17 - 8.17 

A8116 1 (Aux) SAG Hy1he 

A8117 18 TS Montrose by 9.17; 37 TS Spittlegate by 

26.4.18 


A8118 

A8119 1 (Aux) SoAG Hy1he ('26') by 9.17 

A8120 1 (Aux) SoAG Hy1he. Hit by Camel 8895 on take-off 

and wrecked Eastbourne, 4.7.18 


A8122 1 (Aux) SAG Hy1he 




A8126 9 TS Mousehold Heath by 7.8.17; propeller accident 

Southwold 29.9.17 (Lt AL Pink injured) 

A8127 9 TS Mousehold Heath by 7.8.17; 50 TS Narborough 

by 10.17; 39 TDS Spittlegate by 12.18 

A8128 Waddington to Hy1he 29.7.17 (2/Lt Jackson) 

A8129 to A8132 - No information 

A8133 61 TS South Carlton by 8.17 

A8134 AAP Coventry by 25.8.17; Spittlegate 27.8.17 


A8136 Crashed at Spittlegate (50 TS ?). 

A8137 24 Wing (Lake Down ?); ground collision with F.K.8 

83336 [no date] 

A8138 1(0) SAG. Engine cut; crashed, 12.10.17 (Capt 

H Hulbert OK & Cpl H Hughes injured) 



1 Armstrong Whitworth F.K.3 Trainer built from spares by 

58 Sqn under the Reserve Aeroplane Scheme, numbered 

A9972 

A9972 58 Sqn Cramlington from 9.2.17; WO 26.5.17 

50 Armstrong Whitworth F.K.3s ordered 16.6.17 with dual 

control under Cont No AS.13073/1 from Hewlett & 

Blondeau Ltd, Oak Road, Leagrave, Luton and numbered 

B9501 to B9800. Last 150 cancelled 13.9.17 (90hp RAF.1A) 


89502 1 (Aux) SAG Hy1he. Turned over and pilot fell out 

6.3.18 (2/Lt TW Malney & Lt FG Montgomery USAS 

both killed) 

89503 SoAG Aboukir by 15.6.18; 5 FS Heliopolis by 9.18 - 

2.19; SOC 'Z' Sqn 21.7.19 

89504 5 FS Heliopolis by 9.18; SOC 9.6.19 


89506 44 TS Waddington. 

89507,89508 - No information 

89509 1 (Aux) SAG Hythe. Cashed and undercarriage 

collapsed 

89510 1 (Aux) SAG Hy1he ('10) 1918 

89511 1 (Aux) SAG Hy1he by 5.18 

89512 to 89515 - No information 

89516 9 TS Norwich/Sedgeford by 10.17 - @8.3.18 

89517 9 TS Norwich by 10.17 

89518 To Civil Register and EDC Herne of Porthcawl as 

G-EA8Z. Named Rhondda on rear fuselage. 

89519 & 89520 - No information 

89521 1 (Aux) SAG Hy1he. Engine cut at 1 ,200ft over sea; 

ditched, 7.1.18 (Lt CO Feddon killed & Ca pt DF Reid 

injuredl exposure) 


89524 20 TS by 4.18; 50 TS Spitalgate by 13-15.7.18; 

50 TS CraiI15.7.18 - @4.8.18 

163

89554 was built by Hew/ett and 8/ondeau and shows the combined cockpit for both crew members. 

89525 15 TS by 7.17 - @8.17; 50 TS Spitalgate 

89526 20 TS Harlaxton by 11.17 - @3.18; 37 TS Spittlegate 

by 26.4.18; 25 TS Thetford . Tipped up on landing. 


89528 1 (0) SoAG Hythe by 5.18 


89531 1 (0) SAG Hythe by 5.18 


89533 49 TDS Catterick; 52 TS by 6.18 


89535 15 TS Spittlegate by 27.12.17 - @5.18 


89537 Cranwell; engine failed, landed Spittlegate, 20.5.18; 

15 TS Spittlegate by 5.18 

89538 50 TS Spittlegate. Dived into ground 4.2.18 (Lt 

WR Clarke killed) 

89539 50 TS Spittlegate by 4.18; 37 TS Spittlegate. Spun 

into ground from 50ft, 16.5.18 (2/Lt EF Coyle slightly 

injured) 

89540 15 TS Spittlegate by 11 .1.18 - 2.18 

89541 15 TS Spittlegate. Stalled and sideslipped on landing, 

crashed, 31.12.17 (1 injured) 

89542 Visited Cranwell 2.4.18; 15 TS Spittlegate. Collided 

with another aircraft 2.7.18 (1 injured) 


89544 15 TS Spittlegate by 21 .1 .18 


89547 15 TS Spittlegate by 20.1.18 - 6.18 

89548 (90hp RAF) 15 TS Spittlegate by 16.2.18; 39 TDS 

Spittlegate. Hit hedge and force-landed; damaged 

25.10.18 (1 injured) 


89550 37 Sqn. Crashed after low turn after take-off, 23.3.18 

(2 injured) 

89551 9 TS Sedgeford by 25.2.18 - @3.6.18 

89552 9 TS Sedgeford by 11 .6.18 

89553 Spittlegate (50TS ?). 


89557 37 TS Spittlegate by 7.4.18; 


89559 50 TS Spilllegate. Hit tree on landing in fog 31.1 .18 

(1 injured) 


89561 9 TS Sedgeford by 2.18 

89562 9 TS Sedgeford by 27.2.18 

164 

89563 2'Sqn1919 

89564 9 TS Sedgeford by 18.2.18 - @2.6.18; 26 TS 

Narborough 

89565 9 TS Sedgeford by 20.6.18 


89570 20 TS Harlaxton by 11 .17 - @3.18; 37 TS Spittlegate 

by 8.4.18; 50 TS Spittlegate by 14.7.18; 50 TS Crail 

15.7.18 - @20.7.18 

89571 Zig-zag fuselage marking (a training unit) 

89572 Zig-zag fuselage marking (a training unit) 


89578 9 TS Sedgeford by 2.18; 26 TS Narborough by 

17.5.18; 


89581 26 TS Narborough by 16.3.18. Spun in off low turn 

2.6.18 (2/Lt KN Finlay Dol 3.6.18) 

89582 26 TS Narborough by 24.3.18; 


89585 121 Sqn Narborough; 110 Sqn Sedgeford by 3.18 - 

5.18 


89590 37 TS by 4.18 


89592 26 TS Narborough by 3.18 

89593 121 Sqn Narborough by 5.18. Stalled while turning 

near ground in strong wind and spun into ground, 

9.6.18; D8F (21Lt PH Gange killed) 

89594 Reported 2(Aux) SAG Marske but photo shows what 

is probably Waddington. Had white band ahead of 

fuselage cockade; 15 TS Spittlegate by 18.3.18 - 

5.18 

89595 1'10 Sqn Sedgeford by 4.18 

89596 121 Sqn Narborough; 110 Sqn Sedgeford by 3.18 

89597 1'8 Sqn by 23.11.17; 9 TS Sedgeford by 22.2.18; 

64 TS Harlaxton by 2.18 


89599 52 TS Catterick by 3.18; Spittlegate to Agricultural 

Hall ·for preservation 12.9.18 

89600 51 TS Waddington by 2.18; 48 TS Waddington . Tail 

broke; crashed 23.3.18 (Capt FMc Turner MC & Sgt 

JH Robinson both killed) 

89601 51 TS Waddington by 15.5.18 - 6.18; 47 TS 

Waddington by 7.18 


89603 51 TS Waddington by 5.18 ; 8ecame G-EALK 


89604 Spittlegate. Crashed & WO (with 50TS ?) 


89606 (Engine No E6039IWD32444) Deld MP Hendon 

9.2.18; tested there 23.2.18 (Lt Watson) ; reallotted 

from 18th Wing ARS Hounslow to 119 Sqn Duxford 

3.4.18; 9 TS Sedge ford by 26.6.18; 50 TS Spittlegate 

by 25.7.18; collected from Gormanston 31 .3.19 by 

Oswald McDowell and flown from Marsh Farm, 

Dromiskin, Co Louth until 4.24, never registered. 

Engine and two propellers held in 1975 by his nephew 

89607 50 TS Spittlegate. Engine failed at low height; 

crashed at Grantham vicarage, 5.3.18 (1 injured) 

89608 15 TS Spittlegate by 7.4.18; 20 TS Harlaxton. Spun 

into ground from 1 ,800ft, 20.7.18 (2 injured) 

89609 15 TS Spittlegate by 28.2.18 - 4.18; 50 TS Spitalgate 

to 50 TS Crail15.7.18 - @26.8.18; 27 TDS Crail. 


89612 126 Sqn Fowlmere by 6.18; became G-EAEU with I 

Kingsbury Aviation 

89613 1 TDS Stamford by 29.4.18 - 8.18 


89615 Shawbury by 3.18; 69 TS Narborough by 6.18 

89616 110 Sqn Sedgeford by 5.18 


89620 26 TS Narborough by 24.3.18 

89621 26 TS Narborough by 3.18 - @16.5.18; 69 TS 

Narborough by 7.18 

89622 26th Wing ARS Thetford to 26 TS Narborough 5.3.18 

- @21.3.18 

89623 26 TS Narborough by 3.18 - @22.4.18 

89624 26 TS Narborough by 3.18 - @26.4.18 


89626 Shawbury by 3.18; 69 TS Narborough by 6.18; 

121 Sqn Narborough by 23.7.18 

89627 26 TS Narborough by 21.4.18; 

The later production variant with an enlarged rear cockpit. 

89628 No linformation 

89629 To Civil Register and EDC Herne of Porthcawl as 

G-EABYand named Porthcawlon rear fuselage. 

89630 50 TS S pittlegate by 9-11 .7.18 

89631 37 TS Spittlegate., Dived into ground after flat spin, 

10.3.18 (1 injured) 

89632 37 TS Spittlegate by 20.4.18 

89633 15 TS Spittlegate by 4.18 - 5.18 

89634 75 TS Cramlington by 22.3.18 

89635 46 TS Catterick by 8.6.18; 52 TS by 9.18 

89636 52 TS Catterick by 3.18; 3 TS by 3.18 - @6.18 

89637 46 TS Catterick by 5.18; 127 Sqn Catterick by 6.18. 

89638 51 TS Waddington by 7.18 - @8.18 


89640 15 TS Spittlegate by 20.4.18; 13 TDS Ternhill by 

7.18; 39 TDS Spittlegate by 9.18; at one time marked 

with white zig-zag on rear fuselage. 


89642 1 (S)ARD, tested 15.5.18 & 26.5.18, then used as 

'hack' and instructional machine until at least 

12.11.18 

89643 110 Sqn Sedgeford, sideslipped, dived into ground 

15.5.18 (21Lt RF Finke injured) 

89644 17 TS by 12.17; 69 TS Narborough by 7.18; 35 TDS 

Duxford by 9.18? 


89646 Shawbury py 3.18; 121 Sqn Narborough by 4.18 - 

@5.18 


89648 9 TS Norwich by 13.10.17; ARS to 121 Sqn 

Narborough 3.4.18 - @11.4.18 

89649 121 Sqn Narborough by 25. 4.18; 69 TS Narborough 

by 6.18 


89651 to 89900 cancelled 13.9.1"7 


This shows the P. 74 prototype, complete with rotor, being towed out for ground-running at Luton in 1956. 

(Hunting Percival Aircraft PN2818 via Phil But/er). 

Percival P. 74 

By Phil Butler 

An earlier view of the P.74 at Luton, minus rotor, clearly showing the circular jet exhaust above the engine installation, and the 

louvered fore-and-aft sets of gas vents which were opened when the generated gas was not being fed to the overhead rotor. 

(Hunting Percival Aircraft PN2701 via Mike Hooks) 


A view of a P.74 model shown at a Farnborough Show, with a fin (incorporating a rudder) in lieu of a tail rotor. 

(Percival Aircraft PY3509 via Mike Hooks) 

The P.74, Percival's first attempt at a helicopter design, was 

schemed to meet Specification EH.125D, which called for an 

experimental helicopter to conduct ground and flight tests of a 

rotor driven by jets at the blade tips. The jets were to be 

supplied with gas from a fuselage-mounted gas generator. 

The Specification, which was issued on 08May1952, called for 

the prototype to be fitted with stub wings to relieve the rotor of 

aerodynamic loads in flight, but the final design did not have 

wings. Conveniently, the chosen power plant consisted of 

two Napier N.Or.1 Oryx (Napier .E.164) gas generators 

(convenient because Percival's Luton works was immediately 

adjacent to D. Napier & Sons' Flight Test Department, where 

Napiers had already built a helicopter-rotor test facility). This 

facility was also used to try out experimental gas generator 

systems, and was also used for ground running of the 

prototype P.74. The single prototype was issued with the Air 

Ministry serial number XK889 on 120ct1955, under Contract 

No. 6/Aircrattl7054/CB.9(b). 

XK889 was rolled out May 1956 for engine runs without the 

rotor, and later tests were made with the rotor fitted . The 

Specification called for an extensive ground test schedule 

prior to any flight tests. When the flight test stage was 

reached, the aircraft failed to fly due to the un-powered cyclicpitch 

controls being unable to overcome system inertia, 

despite the heroic efforts of two pilots attempting to obtain liftoff. 

A 'P.74 Mk.II' with an RB.108 engine and redeSigned rotor 


system (with hydraulic power for the cyclic pitch controls) was 

proposed as the Percival P .113, but this came too late to save 

the project, which was cancelled and the prototype sent for 

scrap. As originally schemed, the P.74 had a large 

conventional fin, but it was found necessary to provide the 

complication of a tail-rotor on the aircraft, thereby partly 

negating one of the claimed design benefits, which was of the 

system simplification to be achieved by eliminating rotor drive 

shafts and gearboxes. As already mentioned, the rotor was 

driven by hot gas ducted from the engines through to the main 

rotor blades and ejected at the blade tips. The rotor blades 

were of a laminar-flow cross-section. 

Doubts about the success of the original concept had led to 

earlier revised proposals under the design numbers P.104 and 

P.105, but these did not proceed because of confidence - 

misplaced as it turned out - that the P.74 would fly 

successfully. The P.104 was essentially the P.74 with 

conventional (non-Iaminar-flow) rotor blades and powered 

cyclic-pitch controls, while the P.1 05 was a more fundamental 

redesign with a different arrangement of the gas-generating 

units and gas vents. The P.74 gas vents, shown in one of the 

photographs, ejected hot gases at ground-level while the 

engines were running but when no gas was being directed to 

the rotor - very hot and dangerous for the ground personnel - 

while the proposed P.105 would have had the Oryx engines 

and gas vents above the cabin. 

167

The Short S.41 seaplane returning to its base at Shot/ey in June 1912. 

Samso'n At Shotley . 

Early naval aviation off East Anglia 

By David J. Keeble 

At the beginning of the twentieth·century, Harwich Harbour, on 

the coast of East Anglia, was an important naval anchorage, 

and it was from here, in 1912, that Commander C. R. Samson, 

the pioneer naval aviator, made a number of flights off the 

Suffolk coast. 

Born in 1883, Charles Rumney Samson had entered the 

Royal Navy in 1898, and as a Lieutenant in 1911, he had been 

selected as one of the first naval officers to be taught to fly. By 

May 1912, Acting-Commander Samson was in charge of the 

new naval flying school at Eastchurch, on the Isle of Sheppey 

in Kent. Small in stature, he was nonetheless an impressive 

figure, with his pointed beard, piercing grey-blue eyes, and 

dashing manner. 

In preparation for his first visit, two large sheds were erected 

on the northern shore of Harwich Harbour just to the east of 

the Government pier at HMS Ganges, the Boys Training 

Establishment of the Royal Navy at Shotley. Each shed was 

fitted with a full-width door and a slipway running down to the 

waters edge. 

Commander Samson arrived at Shotley on the afternoon of 

Monday, 3 June 1912, after flying the forty miles across the 

Thames Estuary from Burntwick Island near Sheerness in the 

Short S.41 seaplane. Over the course of the next eight days, 

he made four flights with a passenger out over the North Sea 

to investigate the possibility of detecting submerged 

submarines from the air. The trials took place about six miles 

off the Suffolk coast and each flight lasted between two and 

three hours. The C class submarines of the Harwich flotilla 

acted as submerged targets for the trial, and the torpedo-boat 

destroyer HMS Zebra was usually on hand as escort for the 

seaplane. Samson also made {our local flights around the 

harbour area during his this stay at Shotley, on one occasion 

carrying Admiral Tupper as a passenger. 

Samson flew back to Sheerness with the Short S.41 on the 

morning of Friday, 14 June. His visit had attracted large 

crowds to all sides of the harbour every day, and his departure 

was much mourned by the local traders - but the aeroplane 

sheds at Shotley remained standing. 

One month later, Commander Samson paid a second visit 

to Harwich Harbour when he was assigned to the Red · 

(attacking) Fleet, commanded by Admiral Callaghan, for a 

large naval exercise in the North Sea. Samson, accompanied 

by Artificer O'Conner, arrived over the harbour in the Short 

168 

S.41 just after two o'clock on the afternoon of Sunday, 14 July, 

at the end of a flight around the coast from Portsmouth that 

had included an overnight stop at Dover due to bad weather. 

After a quick circuit around the harbour, the seaplane came to 

rest on the water opposite the aeroplane sheds at Shotley 

where it was brought ashore. The torpedo-boat destroyer, 

HMS Kestrel, acting as a tender for the seaplane, arrived at 

Harwich soon afterwards. 

Just before eleven o'clock on the morning of Tuesday, 

16 July, Samson and O'Conner took-off from the sheltered 

waters of Harwich Harbour on a scouting mission to Great 

Yarmouth. Flying a few hundred yards from the shore, the 

seaplane followed the coast northwards, both occupants being 

clearly visible to the holidaymakers on the beaches below. 

Just off Lowestoft, the Gnome engine of the Short S.41 began 

to falter, forcing the machine to alight on the water near the 

Commander Samson (on the right) walking down a pier with 

two other Naval Officers. 

Aeromi!itaria - Winter 2010

South Pier. About half-an-hour later, HMS Kestrel arrived and 

a working party of sailors manhandled the seaplane onto the 

beach where adjustments were made to the engine during the 

afternoon, watched by a large crowd. 

Just before nine o'clock the next morning, Samson and 

O'Conner began the flight back to Harwich, but after only five 

miles, more engine trouble forced them to descend just north 

of Covehithe. The seaplane drifted down with the tide until it 

was abreast of Southwold where the faithful Kestrel took it in 

tow for the remainder of the journey. 

The destroyer arrived back off Shotley at about two o'clock 

that afternoon and the stricken seaplane was hauled 

ignominiously into one of the aeroplane sheds. The thirty-five- 

Above: A view of the two aeroplane 

sheds on the shore at Shot/ey, with the 

Short S.41 seaplane at rest on the 

water, and the buildings of HMS 

Ganges in the background. 

Right: The Short S.41 being 

manhandled from the waters of 

Harwich Harbour. 

Below: The Short S.41 being pushed 

into one of the sheds at Shotley. The 

bearded figure of Commander Samson 

can be seen standing between the 

wings and tailplane, wearing his 

flying helmet. 


mile tow through the choppy North Sea behind the Kestrel had 

taken its toll, and the Short S.41 remained under repair at 

Shotley until Commander Samson flew it back to Sheerness 

on Tuesday, 27 August 1912. 

The aeroplane sheds at Shotley were dismantled during 

October 1912, but Harwich Harbour had not seen the last of 

Charles Samson, as he pursued his illustrious career in the 

years that followed. 

Authors note: 

The Short S.41 has been referred to as a Seaplane in 

preference to the terms Amphibian, Hydro-aeroplane or 

Water-plane, used by contemporary sources. 

169

Vickers Wellington Bill R3224 AA-U of 75 'New Zealand' Squadron. A typical machine due for dismantling and salvage at 

Morris Motors' site. (Via Brian Lowe) 

Prior to the declaration of war against Germany on 3rd 

September 1939, the British Government had set in motion 

the vast expansion of the Royal Air Force and the necessary 

production in large Shadow Factories, of aircraft for the 

Services. 

The Secretary of State for Air turned to the larger vehicle 

manufacturers such as the Rootes Group, Austin Motor Co 

and Morris Motors Lld etc, to take on the production of, and in 

the case of the latter, the repair of aircraft. Lord Beaverbrook 

was appointed Minister of Aircraft Production and Lord 

Nuffield (William Morris) made Director General of 

Maintenance. This position also put him in charge of the new 

nationwide Civilian Repair Organisation (CRO). 

It was realised that this huge expansion in numbers, 

would eventually cause headaches, if and when machines 

were accidentally destroyed or severely damaged beyond 

repair, such that disposal of the scrap would become a 

problem. 

The CRO headquarters was installed in Merton College, 

Oxford, with its Civilian Repair Unit (CRU) established in the 

Morris Motors works at Cowley. So far, this set-up provided for 

From Scraps to Scrap 

By Peter Wright 

'living' aircraft, but what of those that were declared 'dead'? It 

was also decided to establish a large storage site and 

reclamation facility for crashed and battle-damaged machines 

- both Allied and enemy. This was identified as No 1 Metal 

and Produce Recovery Depot (MPRD), sited on 100 acres of 

open land behind the Pressed Steel Co Lld works, which was 

adjacent to the Morris plant. 

To transport crashed aircraft, twenty 'Queen Mary' vehicles 

were transferred from the RAF to No 50 Maintenance Unit 

(MU), which was formed at, and controlled by, Morris Motors. 

Although all personnel of the MU were civilians, it was 

commanded by an RAF Squadron Leader. 

During the earlier part of the war, a 'Queen Mary' 

transporter with its driver and a mate, could be despatched to 

any part of the country to recover crashed aircraft, but later, 

the north of the Kingdom was eventually served by No 2 

MPRD which was at Eaglescliffe near Stockton-on-Tees. If the 

machine to be loaded was a large aircraft, such as a fourengined 

bomber, then a pair of 'QMs' would be sent, one to 

load the fuselage and the other to take the wings, tailplane, 

fin(s) and rudder(s) and the engines. 

A 'Queen Mary' of 50 MU brings in another enemy aircraft to be reduced to produce. JuBBA-1 9K+HL (Werke Nr 7036) of 

Kampfgeschwader 51 'Eidelweiss', has had its Luftwaffe cross, swastika and unit badge on the nose painted out. This aircraft was 

almost immediately transported onwards to RAE Farnborough and was later flown in RAF markings as AX919. (Via Brian Lowe). 


A 10- or 12-strong gang of workers would be needed to 

dismantle a large aircraft; one of the special' pieces of 

equipment they took with them was a pair of 'Morris Gantry' 

sets, each of which comprised a pair of concentric multitubular 

uprights, which could be height-extended if necessary, 

with a horizontal RSJ section cross-arm to take a block and 

tackle with rollers. The uprights each sat on a ground-plate, 

fixed to the earth with spiked pegs. For stability, each whole 

assembly had guy-wires. This equipment was used to lift 

wings and especially engines. 

Brought to Cow/ey by 50 MU 'Queen Mary', this Short S.19 

Singapore Ill, K4580, was from 4 OTU Stranraer and is seen 

here in a damaged photograph. (John Bayliss). 

USAAF aircraft were a/so brought in to Cow/ey. 

(Morris Motors) 

On arrival at MPRD, an aircraft would be stripped of all reuseable 

equipment and the rest of it, via some of the eight 

miles of internal 'roads', would be piled-up 10 feet high. When 

the scrap arrived at Cowley, the particular type of aircraft 

would be taken to its own site, shall we say, all Wellington 

parts would be stacked together. All 8-17 parts in their own 

particular area. In fact, the 'roads' were given names like 

'Wellington', 'Hurricane', 'Typhoon' etc. 

Large chunks of a machine would be cut-up on site with 

oxy-acetylene torches, compressed air cutters and cropping 

Wellington geodetic structure being cropped to size to fit into 

MPRD furnaces. (MorriS Motors) 

The MPRD site at Cow/ey is now used for storage of BMW 

Mini cars. This picture was taken by the author at 1,000 ft, 

from micro/ight Gemini F/ash 2, G-MNLX. (Peter Wright) 

A crew from 50 MU Cow/ey at work on a crashed B/enheim IV, L8795, coded EP-B of 104 Squadron. Note the Morris gantry units 

standing ready for the lift. (Via Brian Lowe) 


171

The remains of Deputy Fuhrer Rudolf Hess' Bf110 VJ+OQ, which was on display in Sf. Giles, Oxford, before going on to Cowley. 

(Via Brian Lowe) 

guillotines, this to aid getting the aluminium into the smelting 

furnaces. The molten metal would be fed into ingot moulds 

and when cool, the ingots stacked outdoors. At its busiest, 

MPRD employed 1500 people and produced in all, enough 

aluminium to build about 5000 new aircraft. 

To give a taste of life as a 'OM' driver during those early 

wartime days, a few lines written by the late Denis Gibson, 

provide an illuminating account of a journey from Cowley to 

Cornwall, to collect the remains of a D017 which, while on its 

way to a raid on Liverpool, had been hit by AA fire over 

Plymouth and subsequently crashed near Lostwithiel. The raid 

was on the night of 9/10 November 1940 and the machine 

was Dornier D017Z-3 (2683) coded 7T+KH of KflGr 606 ; 

(KOstenfliegerGruppe 606) . This unit was a naval Coastal 

Reconnaissance Group. 

Denis writes ' .. .... On Wednesday 13 November 1940, I was 

directed with my mate Ernie Eden and our 60 feet long 

articulated transporter, to the town of Liskeard in Cornwall, to 

help salvage a Dornier bomber. It had crashed into Boconnoc 

Wood on an estate, with its bombs still aboard. They blew the 

aircraft apart and the four crew members all died. The speed 

of a heavy 'OM ' was restricted to 20mph, so the 200 miles 

journey would take in all about 10 hours. We located the site 

of the crash in parkland and found the salvage gang from 

50MU, already there with a heavy crane. It took the next two 

days to load the wreckage and clear up, and on Saturday 16th 

we started back and reached Trowbridge, where we stayed 

overnight at a pub. On the Sunday, we completed the journey, 

arriving at Cowley by midday.' 

The remains of one particularly interesting enemy machine 

that came to Cowley, was the mount of Deputy FOhrer Rudolf 

Hess, Bf110 (3869) VJ+OO, which he flew to Scotland on 10 

May 1941 ,and then baled-out in order to see and talk with 

Lord Douglas Hamilton, someone of note he had met in pre- 

172 

war Germany. The wreckage had a rather bizarre ending in 

that it was not intended to be put on public display however, it 

was placed on show in St Giles, Oxford for a full day, much to 

the annoyance of the authorities. 

I understand that a fuselage side panel bearing the aircraft's 

letter coding VJ+OO is now with the IWM at Lambeth. For 

some years it was rumoured that the pilot's seat was stored 

privately in Scotland, but how true this is, is conjectural. 

By 1945, the MPRD site at Cowley was almost completely 

filled and the problem arose of what could be done with 

thousands of redundant British and USAAF aircraft and stores, 

which were no longer required. The Air Ministry had quite a 

severe problem! To quote from part of a memo headed 

'Movement of Materials to MPRD's' dated 26 February 1945', 

' .... total estimated weight of surplus and obsolete equipment 

which will be removed from storage .. .. 66,000 tons.' This total 

Avro York 'office' brought in. It could have made an interesting 

garage or shed! (Bus Museum, Long Hanborough) 


At least it survives, and one can 

only hope that restoration will 

eventually be possible. 

The two photographs seen 

above were taken on 15.7.07, 

whilst the photograph on the right, 

and also that seen on page 175, 

were taken on 11.7. 10 in slightly 

brighter conditions! 

174 

Feedback 

Just a small addition to 

the piece about the Ripon 

in the last Aeromilitaria 

from Dave Partington. 

One still survives . .. just! 

This is RI-140, which is 

in the storage hangar of 

the Piiijiit-Hiimeen IImailumuseo 

at Lahti-Vesivehmaa 

airfield in Finland. The 

Ripon is in poor condition 

as this is not a restoration 

facility but contains a 

mixed selection of Finnish 

Air Force aircraft of both 

pre- and post-war vintage. 

The 'exhibits' are mostly 

dismantled and are 

crowded close together 

with very little natural light. 

This and the sheer size of 

the Ripon makes it very 

difficult to photograph. 

Aeromi/itaria - Win/er 2010

lOut of the Archives I 

From: Air Marshal F J Linnel/ (CRD). March 1944 

1.Spitfire XXI ('Victor') 

Spitfire Development 

Spitfire XXI (Griffon 65) with standard 40 ft span wing, has just 

started production, and as the present programme will go on 

until the end of 1943, (though about half the production stops 

at the end of 1944). 

This must therefore be regarded as one of our main fighter 

types for the next 2 years or so, and its main characteristics 

are: 

A:UW 

Top speed 

Max rate of climb 

Service ceiling 

9120lb 

448 mph at 25,000 ft 

4,500 ftlmin 

42,000 ft 

Any improvement which can be made to Griffon 65 in this 

period will of course be incorporated so that slight 

improvements in this performance can be expected. 

2. F1/43 

This was really an experimental spec No., the purpose being 

simply to try out the laminar-flow wing, contra-rotating 


propellers etc. as quickly as possible. The idea was to fit these 

modifications to Spitfire VIII airframes using Merlin or Griffon 

engines. Only four of these airplanes will be built. 

3. Production version of F1I43 (Type 371 or 'Valiant') 

This is to have a new fuselage, appreciably different from both 

VIII and XXI fuselages, giving much better view over the nose 

with a higher position for the pilot. It is to be capable of taking 

either Merlin or Griffon engines, and for the latter it will have 

contra-rotating propellers. It is due to start production at the 

end of 1944. In the first place the engine will presumably have 

to be Griffon 65, or alternatively the Merlin version which will 

by then be available (possibly RM16SM) 

As time goes on the Griffon 65 will be replaced by its 

immediate developments (improved superchargers, etc.) and 

immediately by the RG1SML [three-speed variant]. This stage 

will probably be reached by the end of 1945. 

The main advantage expected of the 'Valiant' over the 

Spitfire XXI are: 

(i) Improvement in rOiling manoeuvrability owing to 

the shorten span. 

(ii) Improved maximum speed, owing to the IOW-drag 

wing section. In the early stages this improvement 

is unlikely to be more than about 10 mph, but as 

the development proceeds giving higher speeds, 

the advantage of using the low-drag wing will 

steadily increase. 

The Valiant will probably weigh about 8800 lb. with Griffon 

engine and 8500 with Merlin. 

Summarising, then, we see that there are two new Spitfire 

types envisaged for production during the next two years. 

(i) Spitfire XXI, or 'Victor' with Griffon 65 and standard 

wing (and initially standard fuselage). It will get the 

new fuselage at some future date. 

(ii) 'Valiant' with laminar-flow wing and improved view, 

with Griffon or Merlin developments. 

This is the programme as it stands at the moment. It is just 

possible that in order to expedite the introduction of the new 

wing, it might be fitted directly to Spitfire VIII or XXI, as on the 

F1/43 experimental versions, but I understand Supermarine's 

are very much against this. 

AVIA 15/1747 

From War Office 

10 October 1914 

The Aircraft Commander, 

Aircraft Headquarters, 

Expeditionary Force 

With reference to your memorandum No.47 of 30-9-14, re 

numbering of aeroplanes, I am to inform you that Nos: 800 to 

1000 are Naval numbers, and that we are taking numbers 

from 1600 upwards for land service. All land service machines 

with numbers 800 and upward should therefore be altered to 

1800 and upwards, to 2000. 

Will you please have this carried out and forward a list of the 

renumbered machines to the directorate. 

Asst. Director of Military Aeronautics 

None of the books giving the serial number in these ranges 

mentions any being renumbered aircraft, yet it would seem 

that there were some that needed renumbering. The serial 

range 1801 to 2000, in the event, was allocated to aircraft 

purchased from France. 

175

This formation shot of Meteor F.Bs of No.41 Squadron includes WEB67, code 'S', from the batch in this issue, as well as at least 

one aircraft which will appear in the first issue of 2011 . (R. Adams, photo ref. 466/51) 

Gloster Single-Seat Meteors (Part 7) 

WE863 19 Sqn 8.5.51 coded A; Avro 10.8.54 for 

refurbishment; 34 Sqn 28.3.55 coded E; 20 MU 

18.1.56; SS 14.9.57 to H H Bushell 

WE864 19 Sqn 8.5.51. Collided with WE868 and abandoned 

near Linton-on-Ouse during attack on ' Lincoln, 

20.1.52; F/Sgt G M Smith injured 

WE865 64 Sqn 27.4.51 coded S; Cat 3R 12.6.52; ROS; 

64 Sqn 30.7.52; Cat 3R 28.5.53; ROS ; 65 Sqn 

6.10.53 coded B; Cat 3R 2.12.54; ROS ; 65 Sqn 

4.4.55; Stn Fit Ouston 4.3.57; 12 MU 25.7.57; 

SS 27.3.58 to B K L Alloys 

WE866 33 MU 28.5.51 ; 247 Sqn 22.4.52 coded V; Cat 3R 

27.5.52; recat 2R and ROS ; 247 Sqn 1.6.52; 

undershot runway and undercarriage leg collapsed, 

Odiham, 25.11.53; Cat 4R; 32 MU 9.2.54; 20 MU 

18.5.55; 12.8.59 to International Alloys 

WE867 6 MU 8.6.51 ; 41 Sqn 19.7.51 coded S; turbine blade 

fractured and spar damaged by hot gases, 18.2.52; 

Cat 4R; 32 MU 20.3.52; CFE 17.6.53; 38 MU 

25.9.53; 20 MU 9.3.54; 604 Sqn 2.8.56 coded C; 

12 MU 11.2.57; 33 MU 10.1.60; to FRL 17.11.61 for 

cv to U.16 drone; RAE Llanbedr 23.4.64; FRL 

15.9.65 for spares 

WE868 19 Sqn 8.5.51 . Collidec;l with WE864 and abandoned 

near Linton-on-Ouse during attack on Lincoln, 

20.1.52; Sgt J R Richmond killed 

WE869 63 Sqn 21.5.51 coded X later Q. Collided with 

WB106 , during formation roll and abandoned, 

Waterbeach, 15.9.51; FO R Pavey killed 

WE870 19 Sqn 18.5.51 coded G; Cat 3R 26.9.52; ROS; 

19 Sqn 10.5.53; 609 Sqn 28.5.53; 19 Sqn 5.7.53 

coded 0 ; Cat 4R 25.2.54; ROS ; 19 Sqn 8.5.54; Cat 

3R 26.10.54; ROS; 609 Sqn 21.1,55; 20 MU 

14.10.55; SS 12.3.58 to B K L Alloys 

WE871 8 MU 23.5.51; 609 Sqn 30.7.51 coded E; FRL 1,3.55; 

609 Sqn 5.8.55; 12 MU 15.2.57; SS 19.5.58 to H H 

Bushell 

WE872 33 MU 22.5.51; 226 OCU 4.4.52 coded KR-S; 

collided with WA835 in turn, 30.11 .53; Cat 3R; ROS ; 

226 OCU 8,3.54; Cat 3R 16.5,55; ROS ; 12 MU 

2.11 .55; to FRL 28.10.59 for cv to U.16; RAE 

Llanbedr by 11 .62 

176 

WE873 8 MU 17.5.51; 247 Sqn 18.4.52 coded D; Cat 3R 

23.8.53; ROS; 247 Sqn 1.12.53; 504 Sqn 15.6.55 

coded R. Control lost during practice interception; 

abandoned in spin 3m NW of Mildenhall, 1.1.56; 

PO G H Smith injured 

WE874 38 MU 25.5.51; to RMF 17.12.51; despatched 

19.12.51; became A77-953 

WE875 33 MU 28.5.51; 56 Sqn 18.7.51 coded L; Cat 3R 

20.11.53; ROS; 56 Sqn 2.8.54; 63 Sqn 18.3.54; Cat 

3R 30.10.54; ROS; 63 Sqn 30.12.54; Cat 3R 22.4.55; 

ROS ; 63 Sqn 7.6.55 coded B; 20 MU 29.11.55; 


WE876 33 MU 23.5.51 ; 247 Sqn 18.4.52 coded F; 54 Sqn 

7.5.53 coded S; 49 MU 7.1.55; FRL 15.1 .55 for 

refurbishment; 13 Gp CF 21.5.55; Stn Fit Church 

Fenton 7.1.58; 23 Sqn 16.4.58; 20 MU 14.7.58; 

33 MU 1.4.60; 5 MU 6.8.60; 33 MU 23.2.61; APS Sylt 

16.3.61; 33 MU 7.9.61; 5 MU 17.3.62; 33 MU 

26.4.62; to FEAF 8.6.62; 389 MU 19.6.62; TTF 

Changi 10.3.64; became 1574 Fit 1.5.64; Cat 3R 

20.12.66; ROS; 1574 Fit 16.1.67; Cat 3R 20.10.67; 

ROS; 1574 Fit 28.3.68; SOC 26.7.71 to Comfer (RN) 

WE877 38 ·. MU 25.5.51; to RMF 12.12.51; despatched 

18.12.51 from Abingdon; became A77-393 

WE878 6 MU 25.5.51; 74 Sqn 21.6.51 coded E; Cat 3R 

7.7.53; ROS ; 74 Sqn 26.8.53; Avro 10.8.54 for 

refurbishment; 56 Sqn 18.3.55 coded T3; 63 Sqn 

14.1.58 coded T3; 56 Sqn 1.12.58; 5 MU 20.1.59; SS 

27.7.59 to Enfield Rolling Mills 

WE879 CGS 5.6.51 coded FJX-B. Lost leading edge and bellylanded, 

Camaby, 18.8.53 (FO FA Trowern OK); Cat 5C 

WE880 38 MU 25.5.51; to RMF 12.12.51; despatched from 

Abingdon 19.12.51 ; became A77-120 

WE881 6 MU 25.5.51 ; 609 Sqn 28.6.51 coded B; FRL 

10.2.55; 609 Sqn 2.9.55 coded D; 12 MU 15.2.57 ; 

33 MU 2.3.60; to FRL 2.10.61 as U.16 spares; SS 

9.9.69 to B A Taylor 

WE882 CGS 5.6.51 coded FJX-C; collided with target during 

air-firing practice, 29.8.51 (FlU G R Elliott OK) ; Cat 

3R; ROS; CGS 19.10.51 . Stalled on approach and 

undershot; crashlanded, Leconfield. 13.11.53; Cat 

4R; Glosters 21 .1.54; recat 5C 17.6.54 


WE883 6 MU 19.6.51; 56 Sqn 5.7.51 coded M; Cat 3R 

19.9.52; ROS; 56 Sqn 9.12.52; 247 Sqn 12.3.54; 

257 Sqn 4.4.54; 56 Sqn 3.5.54 coded M; Cat 3R 

1.8.54; ROS; 63 Sqn 24.11.54 coded K; 610 Sqn 

16.9.55 coded R and A; 12 MU 20.2.57; SS 11.3.59 

to B K L Alloys 

WE884 29 MU 19.6.51; 63 Sqn 14.11 .52 coded Y. Hit birds 

and engine caught fire; abandoned 1 m N of 

Wendling, Norfolk, 26.2.55 ; FO K N Carpenter OK. 

WE885 29 MU 19.6.51 ; 74 Sqn 20.7.51 coded G; Cat 3R 

25.1 .54; ROS; 74 Sqn 2.3.54; FRL 21.9.54 for 

refurbishment; 74 Sqn 4.4.55 coded T; Cat 3R 

25.10.56; ROS; 74 Sqn 28.12.56; 20 MU 8.3.57; 

SS 6.7.59 to H H Bushell 

WE886 33 MU 15.6.51; to RAAF 19.11.51 ; 47 MU 19.12.51; 

shipped in SS Ben Led; from Southampton to Japan 

25.2.52; became A77-645 later A77-643 

WE887 33 MU 19.6.51 ; CGS 3.9.51 coded J; became FWS 

1.1 .55; 233 OCU 24.7.56 coded T. Collided with 

WH459 in formation and abandoned 4m ENE of 

Worms Head, Glamorgan, 14.1.57; FlU R W Hayes 

killed 

WE888 33 MU 8.6.51 ; 56 Sqn 17.7.51 coded K. Cockpit 

overpressurised and canopy failed; dived into 

ground, Hales Church, near Loddon, Norfolk, 4.3.52; 

FlU G V Svehla killed; Mrs M E Colman injured on 

ground 

WE889 33 MU 19.6.51; to RAAF 19.12.51 ; shipped on SS 

Ben Ledi from Southampton to Japan, 25.2.52; 

became A 77 -1 57 

WE890 33 MU 13.6.51 ; to RAAF 28.12.51 ; shipped on SS 

Ben Led; from Southampton to Japan, 25.2.52; 

became A 77 -570 

WE891 33 MU 18.6.51; 610 Sqn 28.3.52 coded M; FA3R 

4.9.53; ROS; 610 Sqn 13.10.53; Cat 3R 7.9.55; ROS ; 

610 Sqn 18.10.55; FRL 29.12.55; 610 Sqn 20.4.56; 

12 MU 20.2.57; SS 2.6.59 to H H Bushell 

WE895 609 Sqn 4.7.51 coded H; Cat 3R 19.10.53; ROS; 

609 Sqn 1.3.54; Cat 3R 22.7.55; ROS; 609 Sqn 

23.8.56. Control lost; abandoned in dive 4m SW of 

Selby, Yorks., 22.4.56; FlU W S Campbell killed 

WE896 38 MU 18.6.51 ; to RAAF 12.12.51; despatched 

19.12.51; became A77-397; overshot runway on 

landing on delivery flight, Mingaladon, Burma, 2.1 .52 

(F/Sgt 0 F T Smith OK); ROS; shipped in HMS 

Unicorn to Japan 

WE897 33 MU 25.6.51; 247 Sqn 18.4.52; turbine blade 

failure damaged airframe, 7.10.52; Cat 3R ; recat 4R; 

Glosters 3.12.52; 33 MU 29.9.53; 43 Sqn 6.11 .53. 

Collided with WL 114 while attacking a Seahawk and 

ejection seat fired 1 m NW of Leuchars, 24.7.54; 

FO H J Gourley killed 

WE898 38 MU 19.6.51; to RAAF 17.12.51 ; despatched 

18.12.57; became A77-134 

WE899 38 MU 21 .6.51 ; 12 MU 11 .9.51 ; 61·1 Sqn 3.4.52 

coded J; AWA 29.12.55 for refurbishment; 611 Sqn 

6.7.56; 12 MU 15.2.57; SS 26.5.59 to H H Bushell 

WE900 38 MU 19.6.51 ; to RAAF 17.12.51 ; despatched 

19.12.51 ; became A77-415 

WE901 8 MU 26.6.51; 245 Sqn 23.8.51 coded Z; Cat 3R 

2.2.53; ROS; 245 Sqn 22.5.53; overshot landing into 

lights, Stradishall, 12.11.55 (FO W D P Jones OK); 

Cat 3R; ROS; 245 Sqn 20.1.56; 58 MU 7.5.57; to 

7430M 17.5.57 at Stradishall for fire practice 

WE902 6 MU 25.6.51; 63 Sqn 12.7.51 coded Y; Cat 3R 

27.10.52; ROS; 63 Sqn 7.4.53; control column 

jammed on formation take-off; swung to clear other 

aircraft and skidded through fence, Waterbeach, 

8.7.53; Cat 4R; 58 MU 21>.7.53; FRL 11 .10.53; 33 MU 

4.10.54; RAFFC 22.3.55; Cat 3R 16.9.55; ROS; 

RAFFC 9.11.55; taxied into Canberra WH699 at 

night, Strubby, 17.8.56 (W/Cdr 0 F Dennis OK) ; Cat 

2; ROS; 20 MU 16.11 .56; FRL 15.9.60 for cv to U.16 

drone; despatched to Fairey Avn Australia 10.7.61; 

Edinburgh 2.10.61; 1 ATU 26.7.62. Shot down by 

missile, 12.11.64; SOC 14.1.65 

WE903 8 MU 8.2.51 ; to RAAF 1.3.51 ; shipped 14.3.51 in 

HMS Unicorn; became A77-31 


WE904 64 Sqn 18.4.51 coded B; hit bird and engine caught 

fire, 6.11 .51 ; Cat 3R; recat 4; Glosters 5.2.52; 

211 AFS 11.12.52; became 211 FTS 1.6.54 coded 

36. Dived out of cloud and hit ground during 

recovery, Millthorpe, Derbyshire, 12.5.55; PO R A 

Tritton killed 

WE905 8 MU 6.2.51; to RAAF 8.3.51 ; shipped 14.3.51 in 

HMS Unicorn; became A77-51O 

WE906 8 MU 18.1.51 ; to RAAF 9.2.51; despatched 15.2.51; 

became A77-251 

WE907 38 MU 8.2.51; to RAAF 19.2.51; despatched 22.2.51; 


WE908 38 MU 1.2.51; to RAAF 15.2.51 ; shipped 15.2.51 in 



15.2.51; became A77-959 

WE910 38 MU 2.2.51 ; to RAAF 20.2.51; despatched 22.2.51 ; 


WE911 38 MU 5.2.51; to RAAF 19.2.51; shipped 22.2.51 in 


WE912 29 MU 18.6.51 ; 41 Sqn 6.7.51; overshot runway on 

landing into road, Biggin Hill, 21.7.51 (FO J L 

Broadbent OK) ; Cat 3R; recat 4R; 32 MU 15.8.51 ; 

38 MU 4.7.52; 616 Sqn 9.6.53. Engine caught fire; 

abandoned 1 m N of Spalding, Lincs., 27.9.53; PO 

G Furniss killed 

WE913 64 Sqn 15.3.51 coded F; Cat 3R 13.6.52; ROS; 

64 Sqn 30.7.52; 141 Sqn 5.8.52; Stn Fit Coltishall 

21.12.54; 23 Sqn 27.10.55; 20 MU 7.5.58; SS 

14.9.59 to H H Bushell 

WE914 38 MU 20.6.51 ; 245 Sqn 23.8.51 coded N. Stalled on 

single-engined approach; cartwheeled and broke up, 

Horsham St Faith, 17.11.52; PO B Rundell killed 

WE915 263 Sqn 31 .3.51 coded J; Cat 3R 11.5.51; ROS; 

263 Sqn 12.6.51 ; Cat 3R 22.12.53; ROS; 263 Sqn 

5.3.54; Airwork Hurn 28.2.55 for pilot training on 

Rebecca 7; 12 MU 7.8.57; to FRL 26.2.59 for cv to 

U.16 drone; RAE Llanbedr 19.8.60; expended 

14.10.60 

WE916 65 Sqn 8.6.51 coded B; tyre burst on take-off; 

bellylanded, Linton-on-Ouse, 19.7.51 (S/Ldr 0 A 

Taylor OK); Cat 4R; 32 MU 18.8.51 ; 38 MU 20.5.52; 

211 AFS 7.8.53; became 211 FTS 1.6.54. Dived into 

ground at night 4m SE of, Sheffield, 26.5.55; PO J A 

Cohen killed 

WE917 29 MU 1.5.51; CGS 2.7.51 coded FJX-J; bowser 

backed into engine nacelle, Leconfield, 24.8.51 ; 

Cat 3R; ROS; CGS 17.9.51; Cat 3R 20.6.52; ROS; 

CGS 17.9.51; sank back on take-off and damaged 

nacelles, Leconfield, 20.6.52 (F/Sgt E F Watolski 

OK); Cat 3R; ROS; CGS 4.9.52 coded L; 211 AFS 

7.10.52. Lost leading edge; inverted and dived into 

ground 11f2m N of Worksop, 2.9.53; Sgt B N Penley 

killed 

WE918 38 MU 5.2.51 ; to RAAF 19.2.51; despatched 22.2.51; 


WE919 OH Props Hatfield 30.3.51 for jettison tests of rocket 

pods; RAE 25.8.53 for rocket ballistic trials and Blue 

Sky sighting trials; 20 MU 15.12.55; 33 MU 2.6.60; 

FRL 4.10.61 for cannibalisation for U.16 spares; 

SS 9.9.69 to B A Taylor 

WE920 65 Sqn 21 .2.51 coded A; Cat 3R 13.10.53; ROS; 

64 Sqn 1.12.53 coded A; undercarriage leg collapsed 

taxying, Duxford, 29.6.54 (FO T J Withington RAAF 

OK) ; Cat 3R; ROS; 64 Sqn 4.11.54; 63 Sqn 5.9.56 

coded F; 20 MU 5.2.57; SS 5.8.59 to H H Bushell 

WE921 65 Sqn 22.2.51 Coded C; Cat 3R 6.8.52; ROS; 


2.3.54; Avro 20.9.54 for refurbishment; FCCS 4.5.55; 

20 MU 18.7.55; APS Sylt 18.11 .59; 5 MU 16.3.61; SS 

17.12.63 

WE922 65 Sqn 22.2.51 coded 0; Cat 3R 15.12.52; ROS; 

65 Sqn 10.2.53; jet pipe failed and heat damaged 

rear spar, 25.4.53; recat 4R 28.5.53; Glosters 

10.7.53; 12 MU 12.2.54; CGS 27.4.54 coded E; 

became FWS 1.1.55 coded E; Cat 3R 4.2.57; ROS; 

FWS 11.4.57; 12 MU 1.6.57; SS 10.4.59 to B K L 

Alloys 

177

WE923 64 Sqn 15.3.51 coded G; Cat 3R 26.6.52; ROS; 

64 Sqn 3.10.52; hood disintegrated and damaged fin, 

21.7.53 (FO B W Seaman OK); Cat 3R ; ROS; 65 Sqn 

4.11 .53 coded N; 74 Sqn 13.9.56 coded C; 20 MU 

21.3.57 ; SS 6.7.59 to H H Bushell 

WE924 66 Sqn 3.4.51 coded B. Landed one wheel up and hit 

air raid shelter, Linton-on-Ouse, 10.7.51 (FO L C 

Hayward OK) ; Cat 4R; recat 5S 31 .7.51 

WE925 64 Sqn 15.3.51 coded D; Cat 3R 31 .7.51; ROS; 

63 Sqn 10.9.51; 64 Sqn 26.10.51 coded D; 92 Sqn 

20.9.52 coded E; 43 Sqn 8.4.54 coded H; 34 Sqn 

10.9.54 coded H; Avro 19.5.55 for refurbishment; 

229 OCU 15.11 .55; 12 MU 6.2.58; 33 MU 20.4.61; to 

FRL 10.10.61 for spares; preserved at Wales Aircraft 

Museum, Cardiff Airport (now defunct) 

WE926 64 Sqn 15.3.51 coded E; Cat 3R 17.3.52; ROS; 


21 .5.53; Cat 3R 19.10.53; ROS ; 64 Sqn 6.2.54; Cat 

3R 17.1.56; ROS ; 64 Sqn 10.5.56; 601 Sqn 15.10.56; 

12 MU 14.2.57 ; SS 23.5.58 to Glosters 

WE927 64 Sqn 15.3.51 coded C; Cat 3R 26.5.52; ROS; 

64 Sqn 30.7.52; Cat 3R 26.11 .53; ROS; 64 Sqn 

24.4.54; Stn Fit Duxford 9.6.54 coded ,IR; 65 Sqn 

28.3.55 coded U; 264 Sqn 1.3.57; became 33 Sqn 

30.9.57 coded Z; 33 MU 30.9.59; SS 1.12.60 to R J 

Coley 


18.12.51 ; became A77-627 

WE929 29 MU 18.4.51 ; 64 Sqn 17.5.51 coded H. Collided 

with USAF F-86 during exercises and abandoned, 

Wood Street, Guildford, Surrey, 5.5.52; S/Ldr P D 

Thompson OK 

WE930 CSE 14.4.51; Cat 3R 25.8.54 ; ROS; 38 MU 19.4.55; 

19 MU 17.1.57; SS 19.12.57 to Eyre Smelting 

WE931 8 MU 4.4.51 ; FRL 17.4.51 ; CGS 25.6.51 coded 

FJX-F later E; 211 AFS 16.10.52; RAFFC 13.5.54; 


WE932 Stn Fit Biggin Hill 5.4.51; Cat 3R 15.6.53; ROS; 

Stn Fit Biggin Hill 25.9.53; 41 Sqn 12.10.53; Cat 3R 

16.3.54; ROS; 41 Sqn 22.7.54; Cat 3R 27.11.54; 

ROS; 41 Sqn 30.11.54; Cat 3R 18.4.55; ROS; 

41 Sqn 31.5.55; 12 MU 11.8.55; FRL 5.11 .59 for cv to 

U.16 drone; 728B Sqn 16.3.61 coded 656; S&H 

Llanbedr 20.11 .61 ; to Hal Far 23.2.62 for 728B Sqn 

coded 656; RAE Llanbedr 30.11.61 ; expended 23.2.62 

WE933 64 Sqn 15.3.51 . Dived into ground out of cloud, 

Acomb, near Rawcliffe, York, 6.5.51; Sgt K J 

Hodgson killed; cause not known 

WE934 245 Sqn 18.4.51 coded G; FRL 16.4.51 for mods to 

in-flight refuelling; 245 Sqn 28.5.51; abandoned takeoff 

after engine cut, Horsham St Faith, 16.5.52 (FO 

A Cootts-Smith OK) ; Cat 3R; ROS; 245 Sqn 7.7.52; 

33 MU 2.4.53; FRL 19.1.53 for high altitude inflight 

refuelling trials; later for cv to U.16 drone; FF as 

drone 15.4.56; RAE Llanbedr 7.2.62; expended 

14.5.62 

WE935 263 Sqn 30.5.51 coded K; Cat 3R 14.9.54; ROS; 

263 Sqn 11 .3.55; 257 Sqn 1.7.55 ; 12 MU 30.7.57; SS 

10.4.59 to B K L Alloys 

WE936 8 MU 5.4.51 ; CGS 25.6.51 coded FJX-G later G; 

Cat 3R 7.10.52; ROS; CGS 19.3.53; Cat 3R 18.4.53; 

recat 4R; Glosters 20.5.53; 8 MU 5.4.54; 4 FTS 

1.6.54; Cat 3R 12.4.57; recat 5C 26.7.57 

WE937 64 Sqn 3.5.51. Dived into ground out of cloud, 

Hempstead, 5m E of Saffron Walden, Essex, 

29.2.52; FO J H Catchpole killed 

WE938 29 MU 13.4.51; 63 Sqn 11.7.51 coded K; Cat 3R 

24.9.52; ROS; 63 Sqn 6.11.52. Collided with banner 

target, 18.11.54; Cat 3R: recat 4R 30.11 .54; recat 5C 

20.1.55 

WE939 29 MU 18.6.51 ; 41 Sqn 6.7.51 coded E; Cat 3R 

15.8.51; ROS ; 41 Sqn 25.9.53; Cat 3R 25.1.54; ROS; 

41 Sqn 9.4.54 ; 33 MU 8.8.55; sold to MoS Ordnance 

Board 7.11 .57 

WE942 8 MU 2.4.51 ; CGS 25.6.51 coded FJX-H later H; 

became FWS 1.1.55; Cat 3R 17.4.56; ROS; FWS 

4.7.56; 233 OCU 7.9.56 coded H; 12 MU 6.6.57; SS 


178 

WE943 6 MU 21.6.51; 41 Sqn 10.7.51 coded G; Cat 3R 

28.1.53; ROS ; 41 Sqn 16.2.53 ; Cat 3R 28.9.53; ROS ; 

615 Sqn 12.4.54; 41 Sqn 10.5.54; 32 MU 6.12.54; 

appeared at Royal Tournament 1955; to 7218M 

21 .6.55; to 10 S of TT Kirkham 18.1.56; SOC 17.9.57 

WE944 CFE/DFLS 17.4.51 coded J; FWS 10.3.55; Cat 3R 

31 .3.55; ROS ; FWS 25.7.55; 233 OCU 30.8.56 

coded J; 12 MU 6.6.57 ; SS 23.5.58 to H H Bushell 

WE945 CFE/DFLS 12.4.51 coded G2; undercarriage leg 

jammed up; landed on two wheels, West Raynham, 

14.4.53 (Fill L L Nieass OK); ROS ; 8 MU 12.1 .55; 

Cat 3R 25.5.55 ; ROS; 8 MU 25.11 .55; 20 MU 

12.3.57; SS 12.5.58 to Enfield Rolling Mills 

WE946 63 Sqn 18.5.51 coded G; taxied into ditch and 

nosewheel collapsed, Waterbeach, 6.5.52 (FO M D 

Parry OK); recat 4R 2.5.52; 32 MU 6.6.52; 12 MU 

16.11 .53 ; CGS 10.4.54; became FWS 1.1.55; Cat 4R 

23.6.55; recat 2 and retd to FWS; Cat 3R 10.4.56; 

ROS ; FWS 2.7.56; 233 OCU 23.8.56 coded K; 

12 MU 24.5.57; 33 MU 21.1 .60; to FRL 20.10.61 for 

cannibalisation; SOC 3.69 

WE947 6 MU 29.5.51; 1 Sqn 3.7.51 coded JX-L later L; Cat 

3R 19.2.52; ROS; 1 Sqn 4.3.52 coded L. Flew into 

ground out of cloud in heavy rain, Rowlands Castle, 

near Horndean, Hants., 7.8.52; PO P A Smith killed 

WE948 29 MU 17.5.51 ; 211 AFS 7.11 .52; RAFFC 14.4.54; 

211 FTS 14.7.54; bellylanded in error, Worksop, 

13.11.54 (PO J L Chorley OK); Cat 3R ; 32 MU 3.1 .55 

as Cat 4R; recat 5C and SOC 10.6.55 

WE949 41 Sqn 6.7.51 coded A; Cat 3R 20.11.52; ROS; 

41 Sqn 2.4.53; lost tread on take-off and 

undercarriage damaged, Biggin Hill, 25.8.53; ROS; 

41 Sqn 10.12.53 coded F; Cat 3R 22.10.54; ROS ; 

41 Sqn 11.2.55; 615 Sqn 25.3.55 coded C; Cat 4R 

20.12.55; to 7319M 6.2.56 at 10 S of TT Kirkham; 

seen painted as 7139M 11 .57 

WE950 8 MU 21.5.51; 56 Sqn 3.7.51 coded A. Bellylanded in 

field after both engines cut, Christchurch, Cambs., 

8.11 .51; Sgt J Atkinson injured; Cat 4R; recat 5C 

8.12.51 

WE951 56 Sqn 30.3.51 coded J later V; Cat 2R 25.7.52; 

ROS ; 56 Sqn 2.10.52 coded O. Overshot abandoned 

take-off through hedge, Waterbeach, 18.8.53; PO 

S A Sumner OK; Cat 5S 

WE952 64 Sqn 3.5.51 coded W; Cat 3R 14.3.52; ROS; 

64 Sqn 6.5.52; Cat 3R 31.3.53; ROS; 64 Sqn 19.6.53 

coded E; Cat 3R 15.2.54; ROS; 65 Sqn 9.6.54; 


WE953 CFE/DFLS 12.4.51; nosewheel retracted in error 

while taxying, West Raynham, 6.3.53 (W/Cdr G H 

Nelson-Edwards OK); Cat 3R; ROS; CFE 9.5.53; 

29 MU 15.3.55; 12 MU 8.2.57; SS 25.4.58 to B K L 

Alloys 

WE954 38 MU 10.4.51; 609 Sqn 28.6.51 coded A; Cat 3R 

10.5.53; ROS ; 609 Sqn 1.9.53; 60 MU 29.6.55 as Cat 

4R; recat 5C 30.8.55 and SOC 

WE955 1 Sqn 22.5.51 coded JX-C later T. Both engines cut 

on approach; bellylanded in field, Tangmere, 26.6.51 

(PO W E Willis OK); Cat 4R; recat 5S 16.7.51 

WE956 41 Sqn 25.4.51 coded B. Both engines cut, 

undercarriage collapsed on landing, Coxyde, 27.3.53; 

PO L V Jordan OK; Cat 5S 

WE957 41 Sqn 2.5.51 coded Y; hit by WA789 during dogfight 

with Sabres over Braintree, Essex; landed safely, 

31 .7.52 (FO M R Holmes OK); Cat 3R; ROS; 41 Sqn 

11.12.52. Damaged by shot-away target; overshot 

forced landing in field 1 m NE of Biggin Hill, 5.2.53; 

FO M R Holmes injured; Cat 5S 

WE958 64 Sqn 3.5.51 coded X; overshot runway and 

undercarriage leg collapsed, Duxford, 8.11 .51 (PO 

P D M Moore OK); Cat 4R; ROS; 64 Sqn 30.4.52; 

Cat 3R 22.4.53; ROS; 64 Sqn 24.8.53; 615 Sqn 

7.9.56 coded A later B; 20 MU 8.2.57; SS 5.8.59 to 

H H Bushell 

WE959 8 MU 8.6.51 ; 66 Sqn 2.7.51; Cat 3R 20.5.52; ROS ; 

66 Sqn 29.6.52 coded U later L; Cat 4R 25.8.53; 

32 MU 29.10.53; 38 MU 15.12.53; 20 MU 5.6.56; 


Aeromilitaria - Winter 20 1 0

From an earlier part of the listing, Meteor WA826 prepares for refuelling. 

WE960 8 MU 12.6.51; 33 MU 21.9.51; CFE/AFDS 19.10.51; 

74 Sqn 3.12.52 coded L; 58 MU 24.9.54; Glosters 

11 .10.54; 29 MU 2.7.55; FRL 28.2.59 for cv to U.16 

drone; despatched to Australia 30.5.60; Fairey Avn 

6.7.60; ARDU 16.11.60; Edinburgh 6.2.61; 1 ATU 

20.11.61. Shot down by missile, 29.1.64 

WE961 66 Sqn 18.5.51; undercarriage lowered too soon and 

damaged, 19.6.51; Cat 3R; ROS; 66 Sqn 9.11.51 

coded N later F; 56 Sqn 12.1 .54 coded G; Cat 3R 

23.9.54; ROS; 63 Sqn 7.12.54 coded T; 20 MU 

3.12.56; SS 12.3.58 to B K L 

WE962 19 Sqn 8.5.51 coded S; ran out of fuel and bellylanded 

in field, Howden, Yorks., 17.10.52 (FO 

D Turgoose OK); Cat 4R; Glosters 6.11.52; 20 MU 

9.7.53; 211 AFS 7.8.53; became 211 FTS 1.6.54 

coded 35; Cat 3R 9.5.55; ROS; 211 FTS 25.6.55; 

4 FTS 9.6.56 coded 16; 12 MU 14.6.57; 33 MU 

9.3.60; to FRL 2.3.61 for cv to U.16 drone; Short & 

Harland Llanbedr 21 .3.62; expended 18.4.62 

WE963 19 Sqn 8.5.51 coded 0; Cat 3R 7.7.53; ROS ; 19 Sqn 

8.9.53 coded D; FRL 4.3.54 for refurbishment; 

34 Sqn 4.8.54 coded E. Collided with Sea Vampire 

XG765 and crashed 2m W of Paines Wood, Sussex, 

3.3.55; FO T J Hartnoll killed 

WE964 38 MU 16.5.51; 66 Sqn 22.6.51 coded B; lost 

undercarriage door in flight, 4.1:0.51 ; Cat 3R; ROS ; 

66 Sqn 7.3.52. Tail broke off during tail-chase; 

crashed 112m S of Filey, Yorks., 18.8.53; FO R L 

Deeley killed 

WE965 38 MU 10.5.51; 609 Sqn 29.6.51 coded C; FRL 

24.10.55; sold to Glosters 14.12.55 as G-7-152 for 

Syrian AF No.418 

WE966 ML Aviation 18.5.51 for rocket battery jettison trials; 

to 7291 M 11.1.56 at 10 S of TT Kirkham; SOC 

1.11.57 

WE967 29 MU 17.5.51; 226 OCU 18.4.52 coded HX-F; 

Cat 3R 7.6.55; ROS ; 38 MU 29.11 .55 ; 19 MU 

29.1 .57; SS 19.12.57 to Eyre Smelting 

WE968 33 MU 21.5.51; 226 OCU 4.4.52 coded KR-A; 

overshot landing and undercarriage leg collapsed, 

Stradishall, 6.1 .54 (PO J D Saunders OK); Cat 4R ; 

ROS; 226 OCU 15.5.54; Cat 3R 7.6.55; ROS; 29 MU 

1.12.55; 20 MU 1.1.57; SS 12.8.59 to International 

Alloys 

WE969 38 MU 21 .5.51; to RAAF 12.12.51; despatched 

18.12.51; became A77-193 


WE970 33 MU 22.5.51; 611 Sqn 3.4.52 coded H; lost turbine 

blade and damaged, 15.11.53; Cat 3R; 32 MU 8.2.54 

as Cat 4R; 29 MU 16.12.54; TT Fit Gibraltar 6.4.56 

coded B; SS 5.6.59 to H H Bushell 

WE971 38 MU 21.5.51; to RAAF 19.12.51 ; shipped on SS 

Ben Ledi from Southampton to Japan, 25.2.52; 


WE972 8 MU 13.6.51; CGS 17.3.52; stalled on landing and 

damaged, Leconfield, 11.5.54 (FO G A Embleton 

OK); Cat 3R ; ROS; CGS 6.8.54; 211 FTS 4.10.54; 

canopy disintegrated in flight, 11 .2.55 (PO D R M 

James OK); Cat 3R; ROS; 211 FTS 6.5.55; 8 MU 

19.1 .56; sold to MoS Ordnance Board 16.8.57 

WE973 8 MU 28.5.51; 92 Sqn 25.6.51 coded R; Cat 3R 

27.5.52; ROS; 92 Sqn 1.7.52; Cat 3R 5.9.52; ROS; 

12 MU 10.12.56 ; 33 MU 9.4.59; 92 Sqn 1.6.59; 5 MU 

5.11.60; SS 3.1.64 

WE974 65 Sqn 27.7.51 coded N; Cat 3R 25.9.53; ROS; 

65 Sqn 9.2.54 coded S; 74 Sqn 7.9.56 coded S. 

Collided with WA879 during practice dogfight and 

abandoned, Hales, Norfolk, 3.1.57; FO R G Baillie 

killed 

WE975 41 Sqn 10.7.51 coded X; Cat 3R 18.3.52; ROS; 

41 Sqn 21' .4.52 coded H; 600 Sqn 24.4.56 coded X; 

Cat 3R 8.10.56; ROS; 600 Sqn 10.1 .57; 12 MU 

18.2.57; SS 10.4.59 to B K L Alloys 

WE976 CGS 1.6.51 coded FJX-A; overshot runway on 

landing, Leconfield, 24.4.52 (PO M G King OK); 

Cat 3R; ROS; CGS 21.5.52 coded A; RAFFC 6.5.54; 

Cat 3R 4.8.55; ROS ; RAFFC 2.11 .55; 29 MU 

13.3.56; 15 MU 14.12.56; SS 2.4.58 to International 

Alloys 

89 Gloster Meteor F.8s delivered between June and 

September 1951 by Armstrong Whitworth (WF638-688); 

remainder by Gloster, to Contract 61ACFT/5043 

WF639 38 MU 28.6.51; 12 MU 11.9.51; 615 Sqn 27.3.52 

coded Z; FRL 11.3.55; 615 Sqn 5.10.55; 

undercarriage retracted in error on run-up, Biggin Hill, 

13.1.56; Cat 3R; ROS; 600 Sqn 3.3.56 coded Z; 

12 MU 14.2.57; SS 24.4.58 to B K L Alloys 

WF640 6 MU 28.6.51 ; 12 MU 15.10.51; 500 Sqn 14.1'.52 

coded H. Collided with WK805 during camera-gun 

attack and abandoned 1 m NNW of Headcorn, Kent, 

7.11.53; PO R C S Cockell injured 

179

WF641 6 MU 3.7.51 ; 8 MU 5.9.51; 257 Sqn 17.4.52 coded D; 

Cat 3R 20.6.53 ; ROS; 257 Sqn 25.7.53 ; leading edge 

damaged by birdstrike, 1.1.54; Cat 3R ; ROS ; 

257 Sqn 4.5.54; 65 Sqn 2.2.55; Cat 4R 31 .3.55; to 

7205M 21 .4.55 for Manby 

WF642 1 Sqn 9.7.51 coded JX-Z later T; Cat 3R 8.10.51 ; 

ROS ; 1 Sqn 30.10.51 coded T; lost leading edge; 

bellylanded, Tangmere, 10.11.52; ROS; FRL 10.3.54 

for refurbishment; 34 Sqn 1.9.54 coded P; 1 Sqn 

13.10.55 coded B; 12 MU 26.7.57; SS 14.4.59 to 

B K LAlloys 

WF643 56 Sqn 3.7.51 coded P; Cat 3R 27.5.52 ; ROS ; 

56 Sqn 6.1 .53 coded Plater J; 1 Sqn 24.3.54 

coded X; Cat 4R 15.7.54; Glosters 24.9.54; 8 MU 

16.5.55; 611 Sqn 3.8.56 coded F; damaged by 

unknown object during air-to-ground firing, 21.10.56; 

Cat 3R ; ROS; 611 Sqn 7.12.56; 12 MU 15.2.57; to 

MEAF 91 .10.59 ; 29 Sqn 23.10.59 coded X; 103 MU 

11 .9.63; 29 Sqn 10.10.53; 5 MU 25.10.65; SOC 

29.11 .71 ; to Norfolk and Suffolk Air Museum 

WF644 6 MU 3.7.51 ; 12 MU 24.9.51 ; 500 Sqn 14.1.52; 

bellylanded in error, West Mailing, 21 .2.52; Cat 3R; 

recat 4R 12.3.52; 32 MU 8.4.52; 226 OCU 14.4.53 

coded KR-R; hit aileron of WH288 with tailplane in 

formation, 19.10.53; Cat 3R; ROS ; 226 OCU 27.3.56; 

Cat 3R 7.6.55; ROS ; 8 MU 6.3.56; sold to MoS 

Ordnance Board 23.8.57 

WF645 609 Sqn 4.7.51 coded D; brakes failed taxying; hit 

vehicle, Church Fenton, 14.7.52; Cat 3R; recat 2 and 

retd to 609 Sqn 25.7.52; FRL 23.3.55; 609 Sqn 

30.9.55 coded C; flew into birds after take-off, Church 

Fenton, 6.1 .57; Cat 3R; ROS ; 609 Sqn 18.1.57; 

12 MU 15.2.57; SS 31 .3.58 to B K L Alloys 

WF646 6 MU 6.7.51; 8 MU 5.9.51; 92 Sqn 16.1.52; GA3R 

31 .3.52; ROS ; 92 Sqn 4.10.52 ; APS Acklingtonm 

1.4.54; 20 MU 4.9.56; 33 MU 5.9.60; to FRL 16.10.61 

for cannibalisation; SOC 3.69 

WF647 74 Sqn 15.7.51 coded S; Cat 4R 23.9.53; 32 MU 

2.11.53; 38 MU 23.12.54; 12 MU 6.6.56; 615 Sqn 

14.9.56 coded D later L; 12 MU 18.2.57; SS 10.4.59 

to B K L Alloys 

WF648 56 Sqn 17.7.51 coded E; Cat 3R 12.2.52 ; Glosters 

27.3.52 as Cat 4R; 12 MU 18.3.53; 257 Sqn 18.6.53. 

Broke up in air and crashed in sea 8m E of 

Lowestoft, Suffolk, 4.9.53; FlU A S Finch killed 

WF649 6 MU 25.7.51 ; 8 MU 5.9.51 ; 92 Sqn 16.1.52 coded Z; 

611 Sqn 25.2.54; Avro 11.5.54 for refurbishment; 

610 Sqn 15.10.54 coded Z later C; ejection seat 

drogue fired and damaged fuselage, Hooton Park, 

24.4.55 ; Cat 3R; recat 2 and redt to 610 Sqn; 12 MU 


WF650 63 Sqn 11 .7.51 coded W; Cat 3R 10.12.53; ROS; 

63 Sqn 20.3.54 coded W; FRL 31.1 .55 for 

refurbishment; 63 Sqn 20.6.55; 20 MU 18.1 .57; SS 


WF651 74 Sqn 18.7.51 coded T; Avro 8.3.54 for 

refurbishment; 74 Sqn 22.9.54; Cat 3R 4.7.56; ROS; 

74 Sqn 24.8.56 coded E; 20 MU 13.3.57; SS 12.5.56 

to Enfield Rolling Mills 

WF652 74 Sqn 12.7.51 cod12ed Z; Cat 3R 8.9.53; ROS; 

74 Sqn 20.11.53; 58 MU 20.7.55; Cat 5C 3.10.55 

WF653 38 MU 29.8.51 ; to RAAF 17.12.51 ; despatched 

18.12.51 ; became A77-920 

WF654 56 Sqn 24.7.51; 64 Sqn 30.7.51 coded R; Cat 3R 

31 .3.52; ROS ; 64 Sqn 4.6.52; collided with WE926 in 

formation , 16.10.52; Cat 3R; ROS ; 64 Sqn 6.1.53; 

Cat 3R 1.5.53; ROS; 64 Sqn 27.8.53; Cat 3R 

23.11 .53; ROS; 64 Sqn 23.2.54; 33 MU 13.10.59; 

5 MU 1.4.60; to MEAF 6.5.60; 29 Sqn 13.5.60 coded 

W; 103 MU 24.7.63; 29 Sqn 4.9.63; 5 MU 25.10.65; 

85 Sqn 13.3.67 coded Z; 5 MU 18.11 .69; SOC 

22.6.72; to Cottesmore for fire practice 

WF655 64 Sqn 9.8.51; 66 Sqn 10.8.51 coded E later T; Cat 

3R 14.10.53; ROS ; 74 Sqn 9.3.54 coded L; Cat 4R 

19.10.54; 32 MU 14.1.55; recat 5C 11 .10.55 and 

SOC 

WF656 74 Sqn 30.7.51 coded Y; Cat 3R 22.10.53; ROS ; 


180 

27.6.55; Cat 3 15.10.56 ; 74 Sqn 7.12.56; 20 MU 


WF657 65 Sqn 30.7.51 coded Q; windscreen shattered, 

20.3.52; Cat 4R; Glosters 4.7.52; 33 MU 9.3.53; 

CFE/DFLS 11 .4.53 coded Q; bellylanded in error, 

West Raynham, 26.8.54; Cat 3R; ROS; recat 4R 

7.9.54; 32 MU 14.10.54; 38 MU 13.1.56; 15 MU 

18.12.56; to 7463M 8.8.57 at Biggin Hill 

WF658 609 Sqn 30.7.51; FRL 25.10.54 ; 609 Sqn 2.8.55 

coded F; flew into birds after take-off, Church Fenton, 

6.1.57; Cat 3R ; ROS ; 609 Sqn 18.1.57; 12 MU 


WF659 65 Sqn 30.7.51 coded P; Cat 3R 28.7.53 ; ROS ; 

65 Sqn 2.11 .53 coded M; Cat 3R 5.10.55; ROS ; 

65 Sqn 17.1.56; 20 MU 13.3.57; to FRL 9.9.60 for cv 

to U.16 drone ; despatched to Fairey Avn Australia 

16.11 .61 ; Edinburgh 27.3.62; 1 ATU 3.4.62; 2 ATU 

12.6.65; SOC 30.10.67 

WF660 65 Sqn 8.8.51 coded H; run into by WF738 after 

landing, Duxford, 9.6.52; Cat 3R ; ROS; 65 Sqn 

1.9.52 coded S; undershot runway and nosewheel 

collapsed, Acklington, 12.1.54; Cat 4R ; FRL 15.3.54; 

38 MU 1.8.54; 15 MU 17.9.56 ; to GI airframe 23.8.57 

at Biggin Hill 

WF661 609 Sqn 30.7.51 coded G; FRL 17.2.55; 609 Sqn 

5.8.55; 12 MU 15.2.57; SS 19.5.58 to H H Bushell 

WF662 65 Sqn 8.8.51 ; both engines cut ; bellylanded, West 

Mailing, 16.11.51 ; Cat 4R; 32 MU 10.12.51 ; 38 MU 

20.8.52; 66 Sqn 19.8.53 coded B; 111 Sqn 

11.1.54 coded B; Cat 3R 26.6.55; ROS ; 33 MU 

26.8.55; 20 MU 15.5.57; 4 FTS 11 .7.57 coded 22; 

RAFFC 3.6.58 ; SOC 3.3.60; to Waddington for fire 

practice 

WF677 8 MU 29.8.51 ; Stn Fit Church Fenton 21.9.51 coded 

MS later PFS and RWO; Cat 3R; ROS; Stn Fit 

Church Fenton 14.12.53 ; lost hood and damaged 

tailplane, 26.4.57; Cat 2R ; ROS ; 12 MU 19.12.57; 

SS 5.2.59 to Enfield Rolling Mills 

WF678 33 MU 22.8.51 ; 615 Sqn 24.9.51 coded D; FRL 

21.10.54 ; AWOCU 22.6.55 coded G; 12 MU 11.3.58 ; 


WF679 245 Sqn 4.9.51 coded 0 ; Cat 3R 23.11.53; ROS ; 

245 Sqn 11.3.54 coded D; Cat 3R 25.7.55; ROS; 

245 Sqn 27.1.56; 12 MU 21.6.57; SS 8.4.58 to B K L 

Alloys 

WF680 8 MU 20.8.51 ; 33 MU 24.9.51 ; 66 Sqn 8.10.51 coded 

T; FA3R 5.10.52; ROS ; 66 Sqn 4.2.53 coded C later 

T; 226 OCU 11.1.54; 222 Sqn 9.3.54; 29 MU 

12.11 .54; Air Attache Paris 15.3.56 ; 29 MU 23.4.56; 

20 MU 25.6.56; to FEAF 4.9.56; MBFE 27.9.56; 

Stn Fit Seletar 7.6.57; MBFE 9.4.58; SOC 7.7.58 as 

Cat5C 

WF681 29 MU 23.5.51 ; 615 Sqn 24.9.51 ; hood disintegrated 

and damaged airframe, 13.7.52 ; Cat 3R; ROS; 

41 Sqn 12.1 .53; Cat 3R 23.11 .53; ROS ; 41 Sqn 

17.6.54 coded R; 12 MU 11 .8.55; 33 MU 26.2.60; To 

FRL 6.10.61 for cv to U.16 drone; RAE Llanbedr 

12.9.63; expended 13.3.64 

WF682 8 MU 5.9.51; 504 Sqn 11.2.52 coded C; AWA 

10.10.55 for refurbishment; 504 Sqn 1.4.56; 12 MU 


WF683 29 MU 21 .8.51 ; FCCS 24.10.51 ; APS Acklington 

24.4.54; 600 Sqn 3.8.56 coded R; 12 MU 13.2.57; SS 


WF684 38 MU 29.8.51 ; 615 Sqn 24.9.51 coded A; FRL 

17.1.55; 615 Sqn 5.10.55 coded A; 600 Sqn 21 .10.55 

coded R; undercarriage leg jammed; landed on two 

wheels, Biggin Hill, 27.5.56; Cat 3R; ROS; 600 Sqn 

19.7.56; undercarriage leg collapsed after landing, 

Biggin Hill, 15.9.56; Cat 3R; ROS ; 600 Sqn 15.10.56; 

undercarriage began to retract on landing; overshot 

but underside damaged, Biggin Hill, 25.11 .56; Cat 

3R; ROS ; 600 Sqn 28.12.56; 20 MU 4.2.57; SS 


WF685 38 MU 29.8.51 ; 615 Sqn 24.9.51 coded B; FRL 

18.10.54; 20 MU 3.8.55 ; 33 MU 15.6.60; to FRL 

6.10.61 for cv to U.16 drone; RAE Llanbedr 8.5.69 

coded U later T; FRL 16.10.72 for spares 


Crash Sites in the United Kingdom during 

World War Two 

We continue the listing from the point where we left off in the Autumn 2010 issue. Abbreviations are: 

Ab: abandoned; BB: hit balloon barrage; BL: bellylanded; BUA: broke up in air; CFL: crashed in forced landing ; CL: crashed on 

landing; CO: crashed on overshoot; COA: crashed on approach ; Coli: collided; Cr: crashed; CTO: crashed on take-off; DIG : dived 

into ground; FHG : flew into high ground; FIG: flew into ground; NK: not known; OOF: out of fuel; OSL: overshot landing; 

SDAA: shot down by AA; SDE: shot down in error; SDF: shot down by fighter; SIG: spun into ground; UCCL: undercarriage 

collapsed on landing; UCCTO: undercarriage collapsed on take-off; USL: undershot landing. The addition of 'N' means that it took 

place at night. Fuller details of circumstances are, of course, to be found in the Air-Britain RAF Registers but there is no space 

to reproduce these here. 

Date 

3.7.43 

3.7.43 

3.7.43 

3.7.43 

3.7.43 

3.7.43 

3.7.43 

4.7.43 

4.7.43 

4.7.43 

4.7.43 

4.7.43 

4.7.43 

4.7.43 

4.7.43 

4.7.43 

4.7.43 

4.7.43 

4.7.43 

4.7.43 

4.7.43 

4.7.43 

4.7.43 

4.7.43 

4.7.43 

4.7.43 

4.7.43 

5.7.43 

5.7.43 

5.7.43 

5.7.43 

5.7.43 

5.7.43 

5.7.43 

5.7.43 

5.7.43 

5.7.43 

5.7.43 

5.7.43 

6.7.43 

6.7.43 

6.7.43 

6.7.43 

6.7.43 

6.7.43 

6.7.43 

6.7.43 

6.7.43 

6.7.43 

6.7.43 

6.7.43 

6.7.43 

6.7.43 

7.7.43 

7.7.43 

7.7.43 

7.7.43 

7.7.43 

7.7.43 

7.7.43 

Type 

Blenheim I 

Blenheim I 

Chesapeake I 

Fokker F.XXII 

Lysander III 

Oxford I 

Whitley V 

B-17F 

Beaufighter X 

Halifax 11 

Halifax 11 

Halifax V 

Hurricane I 

Hurricane I 

Manchester I 

Mustang I 

Oxford I 

Oxford I 

Oxford I 

Seafire IIc 

Spitfire IIC 

Stirling I 

Stirling III 

Wellington III 

Wellington X 

Wellington X 

Wellington X 

Blenheim I 

Hurricane I 

Blenheim I 

Mustang I 

Oxford 11 

Oxford .11 

Spitfire Vb 

Spitfire Vb 

Stirling 1I 

Stirling m 

Tiger Moth 11 


B-26C 

Blenheim IV 

Lancaster I 

Lysander HI 

Spitfire IIA 

Spitfire Vb 

Tiger Moth 11 

TyphoonlB 

Typhoon Ib 





Wellington X 

Halifax 11 

Hotspur 11 

Hotspur H 

Lancaster I 

Lancaster III 

Martinet I 

Master I 


Serial 

L1463 

L1351 

AL948 

HM159 

V9376 

EB689 

LA877 

42-5916 

JM223 

W1092 

JD203 

DK174 

V7081 

L1601 

R5770 

AG489 

DF300 

R6097 

MP374 

NM968 

P7918 

EF400 

BF504 

X3871 

HE337 

HE630 

HF493 

L1404 

V7180 

K7117 

AP220 

V3848 

AP403 

BM643 

EN780 

BF339 

EH886 

DE509 

BK249 

41-34725 

V5536 

R5736 

R9074 

P8010 

EP124 

T7232 

DN253 

EJ982 

Z1684 

BJ713 

BJ984 

HF629 

HE698 

DT676 

BT603 

BT683 

ED414 

DV169 

HN862 

T8776 

Unit 

12 PAFU 

130TU 

771 Sqn 

1680 Fit 

5GTS 

3 PAFU 

190TU 

92nd BG 

90TU 

1659 CU 

78 Sqn 

76 Sqn 

560TU 

560TU 

1660 CU 

20 MU 

18 PAFU 

15 PAFU 

3 PAFU 

879 Sqn 

520TU 

149 Sqn 

90 Sqn 

290TU 

260TU 

432 Sqn 

432 Sqn 

12 PAFU 

590TU 

27 MU 

2 Sqn 

6 PAFU 

3 PAFU 

4 1' 1' Sqn 

222 Sqn 

1665 CU 

620 Sqn 

64 Sqn 

160TU 

323rd BG 

1320TU 

1660 CU 

1 MS 

CGS 

118 Sqn 

28 EFTS 

3 Sqn 

1 Sqn 

260TU 

270TU 

160TU 

220TU 

270TU 

1659 CU 

3GTS 

3 GOTU 

1662 CU 

1662 CU 

1634 Fit 

7 PAFU 

Location 

112m N of Spittlegate 

Bicester 

Twatt 

Escart Bay, near Ghallagain Island, 

Loch Tarbert, Argyll 

Shobdon 

South Cerney 

Meallan Odhar, 7m SW of Dalwhinnie, Inverness 

Portreath 

Croglin Fell, Carlisle, Cumberland 

Topcliffe 

near Ashtead, Surrey 

Hartfordbridge 

adjacent to Tealing 

near Tealing 

Swinderby 

Park Woods, Thrupp, near Stroud, Glos. 

Grandborough, Warks. 

Preston Farm, Ramsbury, Wilts. 

Lulsgate Bottom 

2m W of Andover 

2m N of Nether Lyppiat, near Brimscombe, Glos. 

Lakenheath 

Wratting Common 

Bruntingthorpe 

Wing 

Penshurst, Kent 

Cobham, 2m SE of Gravesend, Kent 

Spittlegate 

Beanley, Eglingham, Northumberland 

Harlaxton 

Sawbridgeworth 

Windrush 

Long Newnton 

near Tonbridge, Kent 

Hornchurch 

Wool fox Lodge 

near Rede Hall, Chedburgh 

Acklington 

Ham Hill Cottages, near Kempsford, Glos. 

Earls Colne 

East Fortune 

Llangernyw, Denbigh 

Waddington 

Pandora Sands, 7m N of Kings Lynn, Norfolk 

2m E of Coltishall 

Bilbrook, Staffs. 

Manston 

Lympne 

Little Horwood 

Crowfoot Farm, near Church Broughton 

Upper Heyford 

Gaydon 

Cannock, Staffs. 

Dalton 

Stoke Orchard 

Stoke Orchard 

Blyton 

Blyton 

Muston, Yorks. 

1 m S of Glinton, Peterborough 

Cause 

CTO 

COL 

CTO 

DIW 

COL 

OSL 

CFL 

CL 

DIG 

CTON 

CL 

CL 

Coli 

COli 

CTO 

Coli 

Ab 

CFL 

USLN 

SIG 

Coli 

CTO 

OSLN 

COLN 

OSLN 

CFL 

Ab 

COL 

CFL 

UCCLN 

FIG 

COL 

COA 

Ab 

COli 

CTO 

CTO 

CTO 

CFL 

COL 

COL 

FHG 

OSL 

CFL ' 

CFL 

COO 

OSL 

CTO 

COL 

CTO 

BUA 

CTO 

CFL 

CFLN 

USLN 

USLN 

OSL 

OSLN 

CFL 

CFL 

181

7.7.43 Master III W8706 16 PFTS near Radcliffe-on-Trent station, Notts. CFL 

7.7.43 Mosquito 11 DZ716 605 Sqn Castle Camps COL 

7.7.43 Oxford I LW783 6 PAFU Castle Farm, Heythrop, near Chipping Norton, 

Oxon. Coli 

7.7.43 Spitfire I R6813 570TU Blagdon Hall, 1 m SE of Morpeth Coli 

7.7.43 Spitfire VB P8742 317 Sqn Perranporth CTO 

7.7.43 Stirling I N3722 1657 CU Lakenheath COL 

7.7.43 Typhoon IB JP404 183 Sqn 1 m from Harrowbeer SIG 

7.7.43 Typhoonlb EK217 3 Sqn Tangmere CTO 

7.7.43 Wellington IC X3160 150TU White Horse Hill, 1 1 /2m N of Odstone, Berks. BUA 

7.7.43 Wellington IC DV698 210TU Castle Farm, Heythrop, near Chipping Norton, 

Oxon. Coli 

7.7.43 Wellington III X3955 260TU Wing CTO 

7.7.43 Wellington III BK197 290TU Cawston, near Dunchurch, Warks. CFL 

7.7.43 Wellington X HE238 300TU Hanging Wicket, near Abbots Bromley, Staffs. DIGN 

7.7.43 Wellington X LN265 310 FTU Duston, Northants. FIG 

8.7.43 Beaufighter I T4647 FlU Ford BL 

8.7.43 Beaufighter IF R2188 510TU Cranfield CTO 

8.7.43 Beaufighter X JM217 254 Sqn 1 m S of Huttoft Bank, Lincs. CFL 

8.7.43 Halifax 11 BB308 1652 CU Marston Moor OSL 

8.7.43 Master III W8453 ECFS 11/4m NNE of Calne, Wilts. Coli 

8.7.43 Oxford I X6856 3 FIS CastleCombe COL 

8.7.43 Oxford 11 V3830 10th ADG Cowage Farm, Calne, Wilts. Coli 

8.7.43 Spitfire I X4482 570TU Eshott FIG 

8.7.43 Spitfire Vb BL852 315 Sqn Ballyhalbert CFL 

8.7.43 Typhoon IB JP405 195 Sqn Potter Heigham, Norfolk FIG 

8.7.43 TyphoonlB DN586 609 Sqn Manston CTO 

8.7.43 Wellington III X3934 170TU Priesthaywood Farm, Syresham, Northants. CTO 

9.7.43 Beaufighter IIF T3143 409 Sqn Acklington OSL 

9.7.43 Blenheim V AZ876 420TU Hillcliff Lane, Cross o'th'Hands, 3m W of Belper, 

Derbyshire DIGN 

9.7.43 Do 217E-4 U5+FN 5/KG2 Bletchingley, Surrey SDAA 

9.7.43 Do 217K-1 U5+FP 6/KG2 Bicknor Court Farm, Detling, Kent SDNF 

9.7.43 Halifax 11 BB208 1659 CU East Lodge Farm, 1 m W of Topcliffe CTO 

9.7.43 Halifax 11 JB959 408 Sqn Leeming CTON 

9.7.43 Hurricane I V6810 1 AAS Manby CTO 

9.7.43 Lancaster I R5889 1661 CU Winthorpe COL 

9.7.43 Lancaster I ED360 106 Sqn Parson Drove, 5 1 hm Wof Wisbech, Cambs. CFL 

9.7.43 Lancaster I ED369 460 Sqn Hawkinge CL 

9.7.43 Mosquito XII HK172 85 Sqn Kings Arms Inn, Boxley, Maidstone, Kent BUA 

9.7.43 Spitfire Vb BM323 19 Sqn Millbank Farm, Newchurch, Kent Coli 

9.7.43 Spitfire Vb BM539 19 Sqn Millbank Farm, Newchurch, Kent Coli 

9.7.43 Wellington X HF489 166 Sqn 6m S of Kirmington CFL 

10.7.43 Blenheim I L6763 12 PAFU Harlaxton CFLN 

10.7.43 Halifax 11 HR843 51 Sqn Sidney Farm, Staplefield, Sussex CFL 

10.7.43 Hurricane I P2881 550TU Stonehouse Farm, Gretna, Dumfriesshire CFL 

10.7.43 Lancaster I ED757 57 Sqn Morrison's Farm, North Carlton, Lincs. COO 

10.7.43 Oxford I ED255 6 PAFU near Bruern Crossing, Lyneham, 

Shipton-under-Wychwood COA 

10.7.43 Spitfire I X4912 570TU Middlepart Farm, Belsey, Northumberland SIG 

10.7.43 Typhoon IB JP432 245 Sqn 2 1 /2m NE of Ivychurch, Kent CFL 

10.7.43 Typhoon IB DN508 245 Sqn 2 1 hm NE of Ivychurch, Kent CFL 

11.7.43 Beaufighter VI X8036 90TU Harby Brow, Cumberland CFL 

11 .7.43 Blenheim I L1195 12 PAFU Harlaxton OSLN 

11.7.43 Hampden I AE228 455 Sqn 1 m N of Leuchars CFL 

11 .7.43 Martinet I HP269 1489 Fit Hutton Cranswick FIG 

11.7.43 Master 11 AZ714 17 PAFU Rhobell Fawr, near Dolgellau, Merioneth FHG 

11.7.43 Mosquito IV DZ517 540 Sqn on railway, Usan, 2m S of Montrose CFL 

11.7.43 Oxford I BG546 19 PAFU Loch Ness DIW 

11.7.43 Oxford I HN781 3 PAFU 1 m W of Long Newnton COO 

11 .7.43 Spitfire Vb BM399 350 Sqn Ouston Coli 

11.7.43 Spitfire Vb EN860 350 Sqn Ouston Coli 

11.7.43 Wellington X HE345 305 Sqn Ingham COO 

12.7.43 Blenheim IV V5890 510TU 1 m S of Slaughterford near Chippenham, Wilts. CTO 

12.7.43 Halifax 11 R9423 1652 CU Marston Moor UCCL 

12.7.43 Halifax V DG404 1663 CU Heathfield Moor, 2m NW of Pateley Bridge, Yorks. FHGN 

12.7.43 Hotspur 11 HH784 GPEU Netheravon USL 

12.7.43 Lancaster I W4777 1656 CU Thorganby, Yorks. Cr 

12.7.43 Martinet I HP182 1600 Fit Watch et Beach, Somerset CFL 

12.7.43 Master 11 DK924 80TU Davis Hill Farm, Udney, Aberdeenshire CFL 

12.7.43 Spitfire IV AA794 80TU 1/2m SE of Fraserburgh COA 

12.7.43 Tiger Moth 11 DE635 322 Sqn Llanbedr CTO 

13.7.43 Beaufighter VI X8221 488 Sqn Ayr DIG 

13.7.43 Gladiator 11 N2274 771 Sqn Twatt Cr 

13.7.43 Halifax V DK175 76 Sqn Holme-on-Spalding Moor CTON 

13.7.43 Lancaster III LM311 467 Sqn Long Bennington, 2m NNE of Bottesford COAN 

13.7.43 Mentor I L4417 30 MU Sealand USL 

13.7.43 Mosquito 11 HJ921 25 Sqn Weardale Road, Nottingham SIG 


13.7.43 Mosquito VI HJ755 10ADU Fayld, 2m E of Calne, Wilts. Cr 

13.7.43 Oxford I DF329 18 PAFU Wood Farm, Ufton, Warks. SIG 

13.7.43 Spitfire IX MA525 403 Sqn Kenley CFL 

13.7.43 Typhoon IB JP388 183 Sqn Harrowbeer OSL 

13.7.43 Wellington III Z1743 160TU Shropshire Farm, Alveley, Salop. CFL 

13.7.43 Wellington VIII HF838 70TU Bolea, near Limavady FIG 

13.7.43 Whirlwind I P7110 263 Sqn Warmwell COA 

14.7.43 B-17F 42-3211 381'st BG Manston CL 

14.7.43 B-17F 42-3223 381st BG over Rattlesden BUA 

14.7.43 Halifax 11 JD174 408 Sqn Arden Hall, Hawnby, Helmsley, Yorks. Ab 

14.7.43 Hampden I P5331 50TU 1'hm S of Long Kesh CTO 

14.7.43 Hurricane I P3475 590TU Church Farm Cottage, Elwick, Northumberland COli 

14.7.43 Oxford I HM649 3 PAFU 1 m NE of Bibury Coli 

14.7.43 Oxford I HM962 3 PAFU 1 m NE of Bibury Coil 

14.7.43 Spitfire I X4818 530TU over Humber near Goole, Yorks. SD (error) 

14.7.43 Spitfire I X4995 580TU 2m E of Grangemouth CFL 

14.7.43 Stirling III EE886 75 Sqn Oakington UCCL 

14.7.43 Whitley V LA831 810TU Pepper Street Bridge, Qina Brook, 

3m SW of Tilstock DIGN 

15.7.43 Halifax 11 DT771 78 Sqn Breighton CTON 

15.7.43 Magister I L8069 7 FIS 1 m NW of Collingbourne Kingston, Wilts. FIG 

15.7.43 Mustang I AG659 400 Sqn 4m S of Godalming, Surrey CFL 

15.7.43 Oxford I MP454 20 PAFU 'hm SE of Barton Abbey, near Steeple Barton, 

Oxon. SIG 

15.7.43 Spitfire IX MA598 222 Sqn Hornchurch CTO 

15.7.43 Spitfire Vb BM568 340 Sqn 'hm N of Blackford, 3m SW of Auchterarder, 

Perthshire CFL 

15.7.43 Typhoon Ib EK228 1 Sqn Paddlesworth, Kent BUA 

15.7.43 Wellington III X3453 230TU Pershore COO 

15.7.43 Wellington III HF812 220TU BIy1hefield Farm, Southam, Warks. CFL 

16.7.43 B-17F 42-30305 100th BG Dickleburgh Rectory, Dickleburgh, Suffolk CTO 

16.7.43 Beaufighter IC T3352 90TU Stockdale Hall, Cumwhinton, Cumberland CFL 

16.7.43 Beaufighter VI T5335 90TU Beanlands Park, Irthlington, Cumberland FIG 

16.7.43 Beaufort I DX156 50TU Long Kesh CTO 

16.7.43 Blenheim I L6621 130TU Bicester BL 

16.7.43 Blenheim IV V5497 130TU Bicester COLN 

16.7.43 Hampden I X3150 455 Sqn 2'hm S of Leuchars SIG 

16.7.43 Hudson VI FK571 301 FTU Ashton-under-Hill, Worcs. CFL 

16.7.43 Mustang I AM187 400 Sqn River Cuckmere, Sussex Ab 

16.7.43 Oxford 11 X7255 7 FIS Collingbourne Ducis, Wilts. Cr 

16.7.43 Oxford 11 N4773 4 RS Madley CTO 

16.7.43 Wellington IC DV720 110TU Westcott CTO 

16.7.43 Wellington III BJ797 170TU Silverstone CTO 

16.7.43 Wellington X JA119 432 Sqn 1'hm W of Malton, Yorks. BUA 

16.7.43 Whitley V BD276 100TU St.Eval OSL 

16.7.43 Whitley V BD550 HGCU Pershore COO 

17.7.43 Beaufort I JM514 50TU Ryefield, 1m NW of Moira, Co .. Down SIG 

17.7.43 Blenheim I K7077 12 PAFU Harlax10n COL 

17.7.43 Botha I W5044 4AGS Morpeth COL 

17.7.43 Defiant I N3509 260TU Desford OSL 

17.7.43 Spitfire Vc EE602 453 Sqn Enford Down, Wilts. Ab 

17.7.43 Sunderland I N6138 40TU Alness COL 

17.7.43 Wellington IV Z1460 1040TU Nutts Corner CTO 

18.7.43 Blenheim IV T1878 1 MS 3/4m N of Manby CTO 

18.7.43 Horsa I DP304 HGCU Brize Norton CTO 

18.7.43 Horsa I DP304 HGCU Brize Norton CTO 

18.7.43 Hotspur 1'1 HH264 3GTS Stoke Orchard USL 

18.7.43 Master II DM132 17SFTS 1 m NE of Belvoir Castle, Leics. FIG 

18.7.43 Mosquito IV DZ495 1655 MTU Harrold, Beds. FIG 

18.7.43 Oxford I LX284 14 PAFU 3/4m W of Innes House, near Elgin, Moray DIG 

18.7.43 P-47D 42-7897 6th FW Ffridd Dreboeth, Glandyfrdwy, Denbigh FHG 

18.7.43 Spitfire IIA P7380 610TU Aldersey, near Tattenhall, Cheshire CFL 

18.7.43 Wellington III BK235 1485 Fit 1'/4m SE of Appleby, Lincs. BUA 

19.7.43 Barracuda 11 DP868 Ferry Butterdean Farm, Grantshouse, Berwickshire CFL 

19.7.43 Beaufighter X LX955 304 FTU Port Ellen eTO 

19.7.43 Halifax V DG389 1663 CU Moat Farm, Catterton, near Rufforth CFLN 

19.7.43 Martinet I HP328 610TU Babinswood, near Whittington, Salop. SIG 

19.7.43 Martlet IV FN249 D'bristle 3'hm NW of Donibristle DIG 

19.7.43 Master I N7703 10 FIS Castle End Farm, near Twyford, Berks. CFL 

19.7.43 Master 11 AZ729 17 PAFU Trevalyn Farm, Rossett, Denbigh CFL 

19.7.43 Master 11 DL373 3 GTS Northleach USL 

19.7.43 Master 11 DL491 3 GTS Stoke Orchard FIG 

19.7.43 Oxford I HN772 285 Sqn Dorsett Road, Frier Park, West Bromwich, Staffs. BUA 

19.7.43 Wellington IC DV455 280TU Tyddyn Watcyn, L1anfigael, 1'/2m E of Bodedern, 

Anglesey Ab 

19.7.43 Wellington X HE480 220TU R.Avon, near Charlcote Park, Hampton Lucy, 

Warks. CTO 

19.7.43 Wellington X HF494 432 Sqn Close House Farm, 2m SE of Oulston, Yorks. FIG 


Photo Miscellany 

Mitsubishi A6M3 'Hamp' EB-201 in flight in the USA. This example of the Mitsubishi Type 0 Model 32 (cln 3030) was captured at 

Buna, New Guinea, in December 1942 and shipped to Australia. The code name 'Hamp' applied to the A6M3 clipped-wing version 

of the Zero, which - when first identified on reconnaissance photos - was thought to be a different type from the more common 

A6M5 'Zeke'. After being rebuilt at Eagle Farm, Brisbane, and test flown in July 1943, cln 3030 was shipped to Wright Field in 

Ohio and identified as 'EB-201' ('EB' = Evaluation Branch of the USMF Technical Data Laboratory in Wright Field). It remained 

airworthy there during 1944. (USAFM A-27381 via Phil Butler) 

Yokosuka D4Y3 'Judy 33' (S16) photographed at Clark Field, Manila, in June 1945 shortly after it had been captured and 

refurbished by the 'Technical Air ·Intelligence Unit - South-West Pacific Area '. This 'Judy', cln 3967, was officially designated 

'Navy Carrier Bomber Suisei Model 33'. (BuAer 193081 via Phil Butler) 

Nakajima B6N2 'JiII12' (S19) photographed in flight near Clark Field in June 1945. Officially designated 'Navy Carrier Attack 

Bomber Tenzan Model 12', this was another of the Japanese Army and Navy aircraft captured at Manila and test-flown 

by the TAIU-SWPA. (BuAer 194923 via Phil Butler) 


A detail shot of the Vickers Wellington NABS7 at Luton during its conversion (later abandoned) to become a flying test-bed for the 

Napier Naiad turbo-propeller engine, showing the revised engine nacelles intended to take the turboprop. NABS7 arrived at 

Luton on 1 BSep 1947 and was sold to Napiers in November 1949. (Napier 2524 via Dave Gearing Collection) 

The Dart Wellington LN71S arrived at Wisley for conversion on 13Jul1946 and after trials at Vickers Armstrong flew to Rolls-Royce 

at Hucknall on OSOct14B for continued trials, until being sent for scrap at No.60 MU on OSApr19S1 . (Via Phi! Butler) 

Aeromililaria - Winter 2010 185

This photograph shows the Heinkel He 115B-1 floatplane 'F64 , of the Royal Norwegian Navy after its arrival in the UK. 

The Norwegians had their own He 115A-2s, with 'F64 , being a later Luftwaffe example captured during the German invasion of 

Norway in Apri!1940 and flown to Scotland with the surviving He 115As after Allied forces withdrew from Norway. The photo 

is thought to have been taken in early 1941 at Scottish Aviation's Greenock works where the Heinkels were overhauled 

before entering RAF service and shows that British markings have been applied, but it still awaits the painting of its RAF serial 

number, BV187. It was W.Nr 2400, formerly 'M2+FH' of Kustenf/iegergruppe 106. (Via Phi! Butler) 

The Junkers Ju 89P 'DD-GE', photographed at Schleswig. This was one of two Junkers Ju 89P high-altitude reconnaissance 

aircraft captured at Fassberg in May 1945. Both were ferried to Schleswig, where one (Air Min 82, W.Nr 5132) belly-landed on 

27Aug1945. This aircraft is believed to be Air Min 118, W.Nr 086-5161, which had reportedly been used by 

Rheinmetall-Borsig GmbH for chemical warfare experiments. (AC Hislop via Phi! Butler) 

Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6/U2 TP814 (W.Nr 412951) was landed at RAF Manston in error by its Luftwaffe pilot, Lt Horst Prenzel, on 

21Ju11944. It was flown to Farnborough five days later and, after being flown at the RAE eight times, was ferried to the 

Air Fighting Development Unit at Witlering on 31Aug. This photo was taken at the AFDU on 18Sep1944 at the same time as 

some official recognition photos. (Via Alan Curry) 


Brewster Bermuda FF568 photographed at RCAF Suffield, Alberta, in 1943, where it was in use for Chemical Warfare trialsa 

'Smoke Curtain Installation' container can be seen below the starboard wing. This aircraft ended up as 

an instructional airframe. (RCAF A380 via Phil Butler) 

Bermuda FF741 parked while on a delivery flight in the USA No history is known for this example, which was probably en route 

to the scrap-man after the British contracts for Bermudas were cancelled. FF741 was one of 150 Bermudas set aside as 

potential USAAF target tugs, but trials for this role in England and with 2nd Tow Squadron at Bradley Field in the US 

proved unsatisfactory. (Via Phil Butler) 

A group of ten Bermudas at a USAAF Technical School, possibly at Lincoln Army Air Field in Nebraska. Several have roughly 

painted US 'stars'. The USAAF took over 98 Bermudas, designated 'R340', as ground-instructional aircraft 

after the British had cancelled Bermuda production. (Via Phil Butler) 


Picture Pages 

The aircraft seen on the Picture Pages in this issue were photographed by John Mounce at Miramar in August 2001. 

Grumman FM·2 Wildcat 16278. (JHM0883) 

Grumman TBM-3 Avenger 53726 '726'. (JHM0884) 

Sikorsky UH-340 150219 HMM-163 'YP 20'. (JHM6900) 


Grumman RF-9J Cougar 141722 Marines 'TN'. (JHM0885) 

F-1C Fury 135883 VMF-333 'ON 3 '. (JHM0896) 

Bell 214ST 5722 Iraqi AF. (JHM0878) 

AeromJ/itaria - Winter 20 1 0 189

Bookshelf 

Fighter Aces! 

By Alex Revell - Pen & Sword - £19.99 - 

ISBN 1848841 77 9 

The prolific output of Pen & Sword in the aviation field 

continues with biographies of two brothers named 

Constable Maxwell. Both were distinguished fighter pilots 

but differed from each other in that Gerald was a pilot in 

NO.56 Squadron, flying S.E.5As, during the First World 

War. His official total of victories mounted to 27 plus some 

that were not confirmed. 

Michael was 23 years younger than his brother and 

joined the Oxford University Air Squadron in 1935. He 

served in the Cameronians until his application for an RAF 

commission was granted in October 1939. 

After training at NO.9 FTS at Hullavington, he was 

posted to NO.7 B&GS at Stormy Down for advanced 

training. Being from an aristocratic family with many useful 

connections, he inevitably arrived in April 1940 at North 

Weald to join his brother's former squadron, No.56, then 

flying Hurricanes. 

During May he was flying sorties over Belgium to help 

cover the evacuation from Dunkerque and was shot down 

by Bf 109s. He abandoned his aircraft and was just in time 

to get on to a ship back to base. He then went through the 

Battle of Britain until posted to an OTU in February 1941 . 

Gerald. in the meantime, had been recalled and became 

Station Commander at Ford. Michael converted to night 

fighting at 60 OTU and joined 604 Squadron on October 

1941. The rest of his war was twin-engined fighters, 

Beaufighters and Mosquitoes. 

This is an unusual account of two very different brothers 

in two World Wars. 

Lawrence of Arabia's Secret Air Force 

By James Patrick Hynes - Pen & Sword - £19.99 - 

ISBN 184884 2666 X 

This is a book based on the diary for Fit Sgt George Hynes 

who was serving with X Flight, a detachment of No.47 

Squadron. As such, it is an interesting memoir of his time 

in the desert maintaining the handful of aircraft operating 

on the right flank of the British and Commonwealth army 

that was advancing up through Palestine to Lebanon and 

Syria. 

It is difficult to connect X Flight to Lawrence as it was 

engaged in reconnaissance and bombing to the east of the 

Jordan and while if provided transport on occasions to 

Lawrence, its operations were defined by the RFC and 

RAF and were not restricted only to supporting the Arab 

army that eventually won the race to be first into 

Damascus. 

George Hynes seemed to be worth his weight in gold by 

keeping X Flight aircraft in the air, being a very good 

mechanic. There was not too much gold available to him 

as the RFC accountants seemed to have lost track of X 

Flight and a lot of pay never arrived. Pursuing the question 

after the end of the war met with a stone wall and George 

was short of several thousand pounds. 

He met Lawrence a couple of times and after three years 

in desert conditions, the war ended and he was shipped 

back to the UK, first in a crammed ship to Taranto where, 

after waiting for a train to take them to the Channel ports, 

the other ranks were crammed into freight cars and 

chugged across Italy and France to Cherbourg for twelve 

days in freezing temperatures with little food. Some 

190 

passengers did not survive the trip and after waiting for a 

cross-Channel ship, he eventually arrived at Blandford 

Camp where personnel awaited posting. Not surprisingly, 

he did not choose to re-enlist in the RAF' 

The buzzwords in the title, Lawrence and Secret, seem 

to have been for publicity purposes as X Flight was not 

secret and had only a passing connection with Lawrence. 

Luftwaffe Over Scotland 

By Les Taylor - Whittles Publishing - £16.99- 

ISBN 978-184995-000 - 8 

This little book (softback 17 cm x 24 cm) of 141 pages 

deals thoroughly with a hardly-visited subject - the German 

air raids on Scotland throughout the Second World War. It 

will dispel a number of my1hs held by many outside 

Scotland about the Phoney War, reveal how many 'firsts' 

and 'lasts' took place in Scotland and not England and the 

ex1ent to which Scotland was being attacked by the 

Luftwatfe over the nine months before the Battle of Britain. 

The author deals in detail with the air defences of 

Scotland and the methods employed by the Luftwaffe both 

in the major raids on Clydeside and the great many others, 

particularly in the North East over 'Hellfire Corner'. 

Comprehensive tables cover air raids, casualties and 

German aircraft losses. Well written and illustrated, it is a 

very readable addition to the bookshelf. [IPVJj 

The Royal Air Force at Home 

By lan Smith Watson - Pen & Sword - £30.00 - 

ISBN978-1-84884-157 -4 

An unusual book on the Royal Air Force Displays and how 

they have been organised over the years from 1920 until 

they were cancelled just before the outbreak of World War 

Two. 

The background of the decisions to hold such 'Pageants' 

covers a wide variety of opinions from the Air Ministry, 

from Trenchard down. Committees decided what to show, 

always with safety in mind. ACCidents were not good 

publicity. However, the response was huge and vast 

numbers of cars converged on Hendon. 

Post-war, the 'At Home' day was instituted and large 

numbers of stations and airfields opened their gates to the 

local populace every year. Although there were many RAF 

stations, attendance was low at many as the crowd appeal 

of a cookery school was hit by the fighter station several 

miles away. 

The change to 'Battle of Britain Days' established a 

pattern whereby stations exchanged aircraft to provide a 

variety of types at each venue and a contrasting air 

display. Despite the title, USAF aircraft were welcome 

guests at each and visitors arrived from Nato air forces. 

Tables are given of attendees from 1965 at the more 

important stations. These have naturally shrunk in 

numbers as units were disbanded and airfields closed 

down. 

The result is a combination of policy and Sight-seeing 

information with an inSight into the organisation required 

and the problems that resulted. It opens up the many 

problems of the work that every display required from its 

resident airmen and is a very interesting mixture of facts. 

MiSSing Believed Killed 

By Roy Conyers Nesbit - Pen & Sword - £12.99 - 

ISBN 978-1-84674-169-27 

This book covers six aircraft that famously disappeared. 

One was an operational loss during the Second World War 

but the others were well-known people. 

Aeromi/itaria - Winter 2010

Amelia Earhart failed to make land on a round-world 

flight in a Lockheed 10 and was never found. Amy 

Johnson bailed out over the Thames Estuary, the Duke of 

Kent was lost in a transit flight from Invergordon to 

Reykjavik when his Sunderland flew into the ground in 

Caithness and Glenn Miller crashed in the English 

Channel. 

Most of these incidents have been fully-reported over the 

years. Many conspiracy theories have been aired. Earhart 

was trying to find Japanese airfields, Amy Johnson's 

purpose was not defined but flying an Oxford in bad 

weather was not very productive for this task. Glenn 

Miller was a band leader flying to Paris to arrange 

concerts and the Duke of Kent was on a staff visit to 

units in Iceland so he was subject to having alcoholic 

liquor aboard the Sunderland when it crashed . None hold 

water. 

Earhart was just lost for a number of navigational 

problems. Johnson was lost in bad visibility and bailed out 

under the impression she was over land as she could see 

barrage balloons poking out of the cloud and mist. 

Unfortunately they were defending a convoy in the Thames 

Estuary. Miller's aircraft seems to have strayed into a 

Bomber Command bomb jettison area and the Duke of 

Kent's crew got caught in a downdraught when altering 

course from its initial climb-out. 

The remaining instance deals with the salvage of a 

Beaufighter during a raid on the Norwegian coast. Nesbit 

was involved in the operation to recover it. 

A useful summary of all the cases and how the media 

could latch on to theories on how each happened. 

Scottish Airfields in the Second World 

War 11 - Vol 3, The Grampians 

By Martyn Chorlton - Countryside Books - £12.99 -ISBN 

978-1-84674-169-27 

The third in this series of airfield histories covers the 

Scottish coastal airfields in north-east Aberdeenshire and 

the north-facing coast of the Moray Firth. Most were 

brought into service for the Second World War, notably 

Kinloss, Lossiemouth and Banff. Some were set up as 

flying training schools in a region known for its good 

weather (a relative term when compared with the fog and 

rain in central England). 

When Germany occupied Norway, the airfields were the 

closest and Bomber Command sent squadrons north to 

bomb enemy airfields. Operational Training Units were set 

up and remained there for the rest of the war. 

Oyce was the only pre-war RAF station as it was the 

base of No.612 (City of Aberdeen) Squadron, sharing the 

airfield with the region's main civil airport but other 

fighter airfields opened up as it was found that German 

airfields in Norway were a source of raids before the action 

opened in the south from airfields in France and the 

Netherlands. 

Later in the war, Banff and Dallachy became the focus of 

strike wings engaged in cutting vital German convoy 

routes along the Norwegian coast with their Beaufighters 

and Mosquitoes, until closed soon after the end of 

the war. 

Meteor from the Cockpit 

By Peter Caygill - Pen & Sword - £19.99 - 

ISBN 978- -84884-210-9 

The Meteor was the first British jet fighter and to many all 

jet fighters that followed were developments of it. It has 


stuck in the memory of thousands of aircraft spotters who 

can recall hearing the burbling sound and seeing the 

strange shape. In the reviewer's case it was at low altitude 

over Morningside, Edinburgh. Thinking 'Meteor' was not 

logical since it was still on the Secret List. But word 'had 

spread and we all knew what it was. 

Over many years we watched it develop into the main 

first-line RAF fighter and production spread to the Low 

Countries. Others were exported. 

The Meteor was not faultless in flight. Tails came off, 

engines blew up. It was a new class of aircraft and 

the training pattern was itself in a state of development. 

Pilots learned from their mistakes or the accident 

investigation teams found what had happened from the 

wreckage. 

The Meteor developed into a variety of roles. Cameras 

gave the RAF fast reconnaissance results and the fighterreconnaissance 

versions replaced the Spitfires. The 

fuselage stretched to take an extra crewman in the night 

fighter version and in the T.7 hundreds of pilots learned 

how to transition to the single-seat fighter version. The 

Meteor F.8 went into action with the Royal Australian Air 

Force in Korea 

This book recounts a lot of the experiences of Meteor 

pilots. There were many incidents to be recounted and a 

fairly large number of fatal accidents. The tables of 

Meteors running currently in Aeromilitaria will show how 

many there were as they include the repairable ones 

and the rude mechanicals were busy for ten years 

straightening out a flow of bent airframes. Fortunately, the 

Welland and Derwent engines lasted a lot longer than their 

German equivalents and were exported to power the first 

US jet fighters. 

Nostalgia reading for those who lived through this era. 

Profiles of Flight 

Pen & Sword 

The following two books are from a new series from the 

prolific group of publishers, Pen & Sword. 

SepecatJaguar 

By Dave Windle and Martin Bowman - £19.99 - 

ISBN 089 1 84884 237 3 

The first book covers the Jaguar and is in landscape style. 

This is useful for getting in aircraft photographs which are 

landscape in shape without splitting across pages. 

Text and photographs of mainly RAF aircraft form the 

first part, followed by a listing of countries and units. This is 

followed by fifteen pages. each showing two side views of 

the same aircraft, showing standard and special schemes 

for squadrons and supporting units, plus those carried by 

establishments. 

BAe Hawk 

By Dave Windle and Martin Bowman - £19.99 - 

ISBN 00781 8488423663 

The second covers the British Aerospace Hawk from its 

early days to the present time. The colour section shows a 

more colourful variety of special markings up to the 

present day when the trainers can be decorated for 

occasions in the history of the type or unit. 

Each volume is neatly laid out and if pursued as a series 

should make a useful library of the basic information and 

photographs for post-war RAF aircraft. 

191

Gloster Javelin FAW.4 XA764. Farnborough, September 1956 

(Don Clayton DCC0153) 

Fairey Gannet AS.3 XA425, Farnborough. September 1956 


ML U.12oD Target Drone XG491 , Farnborough, 

September 1956 (Don Clayton DCC0149) 

OH. 106 Comet G.2 XK695. Farnborough. September 1956 


Farnborough 1956 

OH. 115 Vampire T 11 XK627, Farnborough. September 1956 

(Don Clayton DCCoI39) 

Short SB.3 Seamew AS. 1 XE174. Farnborough, 

September 1956 (Don Clayton DCCoI37) 

Napier Ramjet Test Vehicle RJTV29. Farnborough. 

September 1956 (Don Clayton DCC014o) 

Vickers Valiant B.1 WB215. Farnborough. September 1956 

(Don Clayton DCCoI50)

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