Hector losses
 

Hi,

I'm going through my Hawker Hector files in an attempt to update some of the info.

Does anyone have any details of the following losses?

8th Sept 1941 K8096, 18MU. Pilot killed
11th April 1942 K8126, 2 GTS. Pilot killed
13th April 1942 K9738, 101 GOTU. Pilot injured.

Regards,

Alex

Re: Hector losses
 

Alex,


The following is taken from 'Though Without Anger' - Cummings

Hope its a help

Regards
Peter


11 April 1942 K8126 Hector 2 GTS Half mile south of Weston on the Green

The aircraft was towing a glider and the combination entered cloud. The glider pilot released the tow and
made a forced landing safely but the tug carried on in cloud before reappearing at about 300 feet above the
ground in a gentle descent but on an even keel. The aircraft continued in this attitude until it struck the
ground. The cause of the accident is obscure but it it seems possible that the tug pilot did not revert to
visual flying when he cleared the cloud, although one might have thought he would be aware of his
surroundings,even if flying on instruments. The patch of cloud had formed in the area because of a
sudden deterioration in the weather


13 April 1942 K9738 Hector 101GOTU Kelmscott, Oxfordshire

The aircraft was engaged on a cross country sortie and was towing a pair of Hotspurs. During a turn, one of the gliders got above the tug aircraft and caused the tug's nose to be pulled down, at which point both glider pilots pulled off the tow and landed but the tug pilot was unable to recover from the induced dive before his aircraft struck the ground. Although it was judged that the tug pilot was too low, a decision was made to cease double towing of gliders.

Re: Hector losses
 

Hello Alex,
K8096
Flew into high ground while lost in cloud on Ferry Flight Binbrook - Dumfries, Red Pike, Wastedale, Cumberland 8.9.41 pilot killed.
Two names come to mind, A D Moss and J A Craig DFC am I near ?

Alex

Re: Hector losses
 

Hi guys,

Thanks for your replies, much appreciated.

Peter,

Does this book contain a lot of info on Glider tugs? I have about 30 accidents relating to Hector glider tugs that I need info on.

Alex,

According to the CWGC Fly Off James Anderson Craig DFC is buried in Beath Cemetery, Ayrshire. LAC (Pilot) Arthur Dennis Moss is buried in Montrose Cemetery.

No unit details for both pilots are given but it looks as though it could be Fly Off Craig as he is buried in the right location and I don't think they used Hectors for pilot training.

Where was 8 MU based?

Alex

Re: Hector losses
 

David Earls book, "Hell on High Ground" places F/O Craig on Hector K8096. I'm at work so I can't recall if its Vol. 1 or Vol. 2 of his works.

have you ordered the aircraft crashes cards from RAF Hendon, might solve this query?

Re: Hector losses
 

Alex,

The book lists around 40 Hector losses but not all glider tugs. If you post your list of Hector's I'll have a look. Date of loss/accident would help.

Regards
Peter

Re: Hector losses
 

Hi guys,

Thanks for your replies. I found this on J A Craig DFC.

http://www.aircrew-saltire.org/lib103.htm

I'll post a list of Hectors later today.

Alex

Re: Hector losses
 

Alex,
Nothing on K9738.

For K8096: on the strength of 1 SAC but used by 18 MU. Ferry Dumfries to Catterick. Crashed Red Pike Mountain, Mosedale, 2 miles N of Water Water, Lake District, Cumbria. F/O J.A. CRAIG - DFC - 70146 killed.

For K8126: Sgt J.S. ROBERTS - 659164 killed; aircraft crashed ½ mile SW of Weston-on-the-Green (death of the pilot registered at Ploughley).

Regards,
Henk.

Re: Hector losses
 

Hi Henk,

Thanks for the info, much appreciated.

dp_burke,

I have a number of F1180 cards on order, but I have nearly 50 Hector accidents to look into so it's going to take a while to purchase them all. I'm also working my way through the FlightGlobal archives. Can't get on the Times website just now, some sort of problem.

Peter,

I'm trying to get a copy of the book. Some further Hector accidents.

18/05/41 GTS Thame, K9751
22/05/41 GTS Thame, K9775
28/05/41 GTS Thame, K9782
03/07/41 GTS Thame, K8119
06/07/41 GTS Thame, K9723
22/09/41 GTS Thame, K9762
11/01/42 2 GTS, K9785
26/04/42 2 GTS, K9765
19/05/42 102 GOTU, K9747
14/06/42 102 GOTU, K9742
22/06/42 101 GTS, K8093
29/06/42 1 GTS, K9755
30/07/42 4 GTS, K8151
16/08/42 4 GTS, K8145

I have the basic info from the K File and most of these don't appear to have any fatalities. Again I'm looking for pilot/observer names/numbers.

Regards,

Alex

Re: Hector losses
 

I was told by Peter Chamberlin who wrote a book on the history of Haddenham ( RAF Thame) That one of the Hectors there lost a wheel and the pilot abandoned the aircaft. The Hector crashed on the airfield. Also Hectors towed Slingsby Kirby Kite there, this i was told by Jack Caslaw one of the early army glider pilots who flew kite's.

Dave

Re: Hector losses
 

Hi Dave,

I found quite a bit on the 'net about Haddenham including mention of the one wheel Hector. Unfortunately there was no mention of any other accidents.

Alex

Re: Hector losses
 

Alex,

Cummings in his book 'Though Without Anger' does not, in most cases give a crew list but he does list casualties.

18 May 1941
Hector K9751
GTS
Place. Thame

The aircrafts engine cut on take-off and it swung before tipping on its nose. The pilot was alleged to have been careless but there is no evidence as to how he was so implicated.

22 May 1941
Hector K9775
CLE (GTS)
Place. Thame

The aircraft was engaged in a sortie to Hatfield and return. On landing at the conclusion of the sortie the brakes were uneven and it caused a violent swing, leading to the aircraft running into soft ground and tipping on its nose. The pilot of this aircraft was Malcolm Strathdee, who was destined to pilot a Horsa on the first operation with gliders; Operation Freshman in late 1942.


28 May 1941
Hector K9782
GTS
Place. Haddenham

The aircraft was landing but the pilot bounced the aircraft in a heavy touchdown. however, the aircrafts wheels went into a furrow in the surface of a rough landing area and the strain proved too much for the undercarriage, which collapsed.


3 July 1941
Hector K8119
GTS
Place. Sydenham

The pilot made a bad landing and damaged the undercarriage. The aircraft was climbed away and then successfully abandoned by its crew.


6 July 1941
Hector K9723
GTS
Place Sydenham

During take-off the aircrafts undercarriage suffered damage and the pilot elected to abandon the aircraft rather than attempt a forced landing.

I'll post the others during the day.

Regards
Peter

Re: Hector losses
 

22 September 1941
Hector K9762
GTS
Place. Thame

On take-off the Oleo leg tube failed and this caused one of the undercarriage legs to hang loose. A crash landing was made but with an obsolete aircraft type it was not repaired.

Re: Hector losses
 

Hi Peter,

Thanks for the additional info. I've been in touch with Colin Cummings and ordered a copy of the book.

Hopefully the accident cards, F1180 will have the crew details I'm looking for.

Alex

Re: Hector losses
 

Alex,
Just one more turned up in my files:
K9747 crashlanded at/near Kidlington, Oxfordshire. F/Sgt J. SIMPSON - 844669 killed; death registered at Kidlington.
Regards,
Henk.

Re: Hector losses
 

A few More.

26 April 1942
Hector K9765
1 GTS
Place. Thame

The aircraft made a normal landing but it then struck a ridge in the grass surface, causing the port wing to drop and the undercarriage to fracture under the strain.


19 May 1942
Hector K9747
102 GOTU
Place. Kidlington

The pilot came in low and misjudged his approach, striking a 2 foot high pile of gravel on the airfield boundary with the left wing and causing the aircraft to overturn.


14 June 1942
Hector K9743
102 GOTU
Place. Kidlington

The aircraft was being landed downwind but it swung at the end of the landing run and the pilot checked this with rudder and brake but a swing developed in the opposite direction and the aircraft tipped onto its nose.


22 June 1942
Hector K8093
101 GOTU
Place. Kidlington

The pilot made a heavy touchdown and the aircraft bounced, he attempted to correct this with use of throttle but the aircraft bounced again several times and the undercarriage collapsed before tipping onto it nose. After comming to rest, the aircraft was damaged further when it fell back onto its tail.


29 June 1942
Hector K9755
1 GTS
Place. Thame

During the take-off run with a Hotspur glider in tow the pilot felt a bump on the undercarriage but he continued the detail and climbed to 2000 feet before releasing the glider. On looking over the side the pilot noticed the port wheel was hanging loose and so made a circuit and crash landed as best he could but the aircraft cartwheeled onto it nose. The pilot Sgt. C M. Ward was praised for his handling of the situation.

Re: Hector losses
 

The last couple.

30 July 1942
Hector K 8151
4 GTS
Place. Hill House Farm, Somerton, Oxfordshire

The pilot allowed the main tank to run dry before attempting to switch over to the gravity tanks and the engine stopped. The pilot landed in a field of standing Wheat with caused the aircraft to flip onto its back.


16 August 1942
Hector K8145
4 GTS
Place. Kidlington

The pilot, who had little night flying experience was attempting a landing in the dark but held off too high and the aircraft stalled onto the ground, landed heavily and its undercarriage collapsed.

'Though Without Anger' - Cummings.


Nothing listed for K9785.



Regards
Peter

Re: Hector losses
 

Hi Henk, Peter

Many thanks for the additional info.The details on the actual accidents is very interesting and certainly more detailed than the basic info in the K File.

Alex

Re: Hector losses
 

I've found a list
22/05/41 Hector K9775 GTS crashed on landing Thame.
28/05/41 Hector K9782 GTS crashed on landing Thame.
06/06/41 Hector K9723 GTS crashed taking off Thame.
26/04/42 Hector K9765 GTS crashed on landing Thame.
29/06/42 Hector K9755 GTS wheel came off after take off, crash landed Thame.
13/10/42 Hector K8097 GTS crash landing Thame.
09/12/42 Hector K8142 GTS forced landing Thame.

Dave

Re: Hector losses
 

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the list. I'll have a look into these.

Alex