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Date: | Friday 12 October 1951 |
Time: | day |
Type: | de Havilland DH.100 Vampire FB Mk 5 |
Owner/operator: | 98 Sqn RAF |
Registration: | WA143 |
MSN: | EEP/42... |
Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
Location: | Asherton Farm, Horse Down, Larkhill, Wiltshire -
United Kingdom
|
Phase: | En route |
Nature: | Military |
Departure airport: | Boscombe Down, Wiltshire (EGDM) |
Destination airport: | |
Confidence Rating: | Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Narrative:DeHavilland DH.100 Vampire FB.Mk.5 WA143/"C", 98 Squadron, RAF: Written off when crashed and destroyed 12/10/1951: Caught fire during ground attack practice on the Larkhill ranges during Exercise "Surprise Packet". Blew up in forced landing, Asherton Farm, Horse Down, Larkhill, Wiltshire.
The aircraft was seen to climb away from the target area, but also seen to be on fire around the engine bay and the wing roots. The pilot was informed of the fire by ATC (Air Traffic Control), and although he made no reply, the aircraft was seen to attempt a forced landing. However, the Vampire broke up on impact with the ground, and the pilot sustained fatal injuries when he was thrown from the wreckage of the disintegrating airframe.
Crew of Vampire WA143:
Pilot Officer Nigel Robert Lumsden Saunders (Service Number 607122, aged 22) - killed on active service 12/10/1951, buried at Cranwell (St. Andrew) Churchyard, Cranwell, Lincolnshire,
Sources:
1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.120. ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Last Take-off: A Record of RAF Aircraft Losses 1950 to 1953 Colin Cummings p 187
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft WA100-WZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1985)
4. National Archives (PRO Kew) File BT233/71:
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C424192 5. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AVIA 5/32/S2547:
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6578393 6. Photo of pilots grave:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/96555212@N08/48580184867/ 7.
http://www.planetrace.co.uk/1950-1959_26.html 8.
http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/_DH100%20prodn%20list.txt 9. Wreckage of Vampire WA143 (0:47-0:58):
https://www.britishpathe.com/video/selected-originals-army-manoeuvres 10.
http://www.rafjever.org/98squadaircraft.htm Revision history:
Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
01-Mar-2008 09:08 |
JINX |
Added |
23-Jan-2012 05:26 |
Nepa |
Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Phase] |
06-May-2013 12:06 |
Dr. John Smith |
Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Source, Narrative] |
24-Dec-2019 22:27 |
Dr. John Smith |
Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Cn, Operator, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
25-Dec-2019 12:01 |
stehlik49 |
Updated [Operator, Operator] |
27-Dec-2019 21:16 |
Dr. John Smith |
Updated [Source] |
08-Jan-2020 22:44 |
stehlik49 |
Updated [Aircraft type, Operator] |
12-Feb-2021 21:07 |
Dr. John Smith |
Updated [Narrative] |
12-Feb-2021 21:12 |
Dr. John Smith |
Updated [Source, Narrative] |