Date:	Friday 11 July 1952
Time:	afternoon
Type:	de Havilland DH.100 Vampire FB Mk 5
Owner/operator:	93 Sqn RAF
Registration:	VV224
MSN:	EEP/42468
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	North Wootton Marshes, 3 miles West of Kings Lynn, Norfolk -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Duxford, Cambridgeshire
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
de Havilland DH.100 Vampire FB.Mk 5 VV224/"T-X" of 93 Squadron, RAF Jever: Delivered 23.4.1951. Written off 11.7.1952 in a Category 5 Flying Accident. Mid-air collision with Vampire FB.5 WA189 during a dogfight with a RCAF F-86 Sabre. VV224 crashed into North Wootton Marshes, 3 miles West of Kings Lynn, Norfolk. pilot - Pilot Officer John Charles Wood baled out and was rescued from the mud flats into which he landed. The 93 Sqaudron diary recorded the incident as follows:

"During the morning a meeting was arranged between Canadian F.86's and ourselves, results, however, were disappointing, only one pair were encountered, and these utilised their speed and power advantages to avoid serious contact. The TURNHOUSE detachment returned to DUXFORD during the morning.

In the afternoon a further encounter with F.86's took place, with even less illustrious results, as a pair of our aircraft collided, one pilot [Fg.Off. Wood in VV224] being forced to bale out, safely, but with minor damage [to him] caused by excessive slipstream".

According to a contemporary newspaper report ("Eastern Daily Press Saturday 12th July 1952).

Race to Rescue Air Pilot Threatened by Tide
Parachute Drop Into Mud from Vampire Over King's Lynn

TWO KING'S LYNN vessels - the ferry boat Lynn Regis and the Conservancy Board's launch Robert Taylor - made a three mile dash down the Great Ouse late yesterday afternoon to the rescue of an R.A.F. pilot who had baled out from his Vampire aircraft [FB.5 VV224] and lay waist deep in the mud of the banks off North Wootton marshes.

It became a race against time. The tide was almost at its lowest and within short a while was due to turn. After that, the bank on which the pilot was lying would quickly be submerged.

The rescued airman, Pilot Officer John Charles Wood, aged 27, who is based at Duxford, Cambridgeshire, was in Kings Lynn Hospital last night. Apart from a dislocated shoulder and shock he seemed little the worse for his experience, but he was wondering what had happened to his aircraft and what had caused the crash.

Saw Parachute Open

Apparently no one in King's Lynn actually saw the aircraft go down, but two people sitting in the sun on Common Staithe Quay, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Cook, of 43, King's Avenue, had seen several jet planes apparently on training flights over The Wash and then had noticed a parachute open. Mr. Cook, at one time a Lynn fireman, gave the alarm. The ferry boat operating between the town and West Lynn heard the call.

With a scratch crew, including Mr. Rodney Chapman, who had been in charge of the ferry, and Mr. Jack Hobson and Mr. Victor Wilkin, of the Eastern Sea Fisheries, who hurriedly joined her, the Lynn Regis made for The Wash. At the same time, Harbour Master Capt. John Nicholson, Skipper J. Bunting and another Conservancy Board employee dashed for the launch Robert Taylor.

Past the Point, where the river widens into The Wash, they found the pilot. Meanwhile aircraft kept up a constant flight over the area.

Mud Almost Waist Deep

Describing the rescue Mr. Hobson said they had to run about half a mile along a stone bank and then wade about 100 yards in mud almost waist deep to reach the pilot, who was lying by his parachute. The first words he said were: "I'm very glad to see you. For heaven's sake get me out of this." He was in pain, said Mr Hobson.

Mr. Chapman said the pilot was taken on board the boat belonging to the Robert Taylor and then transferred to the launch. Because of low water the Robert Taylor grounded and the pilot was then put on board the ferry boat. On the way back, said Mr. Hobson, the pilot told them that he had baled out at 20,000 feet. He said he thought he touched another plane. His aircraft disappeared and he was left hanging on his parachute.

Mr Chapman stated that the pilot said, his aircraft seemed to break up into little pieces. The ferry boat brought the pilot back along the river, just before the tide began to turn and at the ferry steps an ambulance waited to take him to hospital.

Aircraft Broken Up

It was later learned that the aircraft, which had broken up, fell in Terrington St. Clement. Parts of it were spread over an area of about a mile. The village is two miles from where the pilot was rescued. No property was damaged and no one injured. Several people working in fields had narrow escapes and there were some near misses of property. The engine fell in Cdr. A. H. B. Hume's garden."

Wreckage recovered and struck off charge. 15.8.1952 as CAT 5(Scrap) at No.58 MU RAF Cosford

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.131 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Last Take-off: A Record of RAF Aircraft Losses 1950 to 1953 by Colin Cummings p 266
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft SA100-VZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1985 p 62)
4. Eastern Daily Press Saturday 12th July 1952 transcript: http://www.rafjever.org/93sqnstor010.htm
5. http://www.rafjever.org/93sqnstor010.htm
6. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=VV
7. 93 Squadron ORB for 11.7.1952: http://www.rafjever.org/93fm540jul52.htm#vv224
8. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/_DH100%20prodn%20list.txt .

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
05-Mar-2013 18:46	Dr. John Smith	Added
05-Apr-2013 07:11	Nepa	Updated [Operator]
09-Jan-2020 15:19	stehlik49	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator]
10-Jan-2020 20:32	stehlik49	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator]
15-Mar-2021 16:01	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Cn, Location, Source, Narrative]
16-Mar-2021 19:17	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
16-Mar-2021 19:18	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]