HMS Eagle aircraft loss September 1927

[Boris Ciglic]

Hi all,

Anybody with knowledge about the loss (or at least to point where to search for some details) of an aircraft from HMS Eagle. So far I know, the crash happened in September 1927 (or in August at earliest), probably in Adriatic, the crew was rescued and the plane was salvaged from the water.

Cheers,
Boris

[Stig Jarlevik]

Hi Boris

In Aug - Sep 1927 HMS Eagle operated three units
402 Flight - Fairey Flycatcher
421B Flight - Avro Bison
423 Flight - Avro Bison
If the accident happened at/near the Yugoslavian coastline, we basically have a good timeframe between 15-29 Sep 1927 when the vessel was reported at Brioni. After a couple of days in Venice the carrier was back to Split on the 28th.

Checking quickly the Bisons listed by Air Britain there are at least three suspects onboard the vessel who are known to have been onboard slightly before you date, but where we have no positive knowledge of the ultimate end of the aircraft in question.

I would say we will most likely find a similar number of Flycatchers having the same "predicament".

If it is any good for you I can scan the relevant pages in the book and send them over to you. Just confirm your interest to my regular e-mail. OK?

Cheers
Stig

[Alex Smart]

Details from naval-history.net
HMS Eagle
18th January 1927
423 Flt. Burton, Chafe and Owens-Jones all killed.
1st February 1927
402 Flt. Lt.Mills killed.
9th June 1927
402 Flt. Lt/Cdr Forbes killed.
No other aircraft event is noted.

[Stig Jarlevik]

Alex

There was no 432Flt. Brewer, Chafe and Burton were all with 423Flt and were killed in Bison N9972 (into rocks at Ghar Hasan)

Mills was killed in Flycatcher S1069 (collision with a Fairey IIID over Marsa Scirocco Bay)

Forbes was killed in Flycatcher N9887 (off Hal Far)

None has seemingly anything to do with Yugoslavia.

B Rgds
Stig

[Col Bruggy]

Originally Posted by Alex Smart

Details from naval-history.net
HMS Eagle
18th January 1927
432 Flt. Burton, Chafe and Owens-Jones all killed.
1st February 1927
402 Flt. Lt.Mills killed.
9th June 1927
402 Flt. Lt/Cdr Forbes killed.
No other aircraft event is noted.

1/.
18th January 1927
Avro Bison II N9972
423 Flt 'Hermes' in Mediterranean ('26') 6.from 6.26 - 9.26:
421B Flt 'Eagle' ('34') (no date);
423 Flt Hal Far, EF shortly after TO, caught by downdraught, crashed over cliffs on to rocks, Ghar Hasan, Cat W 18.1.27. (Lt GO Owen-Jones RN, F/L CF Brewer DSC RAF,Lt E Chafe RN & Tel GW Burton all killed. (p.121).

2/.
1st February 1927
Fairey Flycatcher S1069
402 Flt 'Eagle' ('2'') by 1 Mock attacks, got to close and collided at 1,200ft with IIID seaplane N9576 of 481 Flt over entrance to Marsa Scirocco Bay, probably sun in pilot's eyes, Cat W 1.2.27 (Lt [F/O RAF] JY Mills RN killed, body not recovered. (p.175).

3/.
9th June 1927
Fairey Flycatcher N9887
402 Flt 'Eagle' by 5.27, crashed in sea Marsa Scirocco on low bombing exercise from Hal Far, Cat W 9.6.27 (L/C [F/O RAF] HMS Forbes DSC RN killed. (p.172).

See:
Fleet Air Arm Aircraft, Units And Ships 1920 To 1939
Sturtivant,Ray & Dick Cronin.
Tunbridge Wells:Air-Britain (Historians),1998.
pp.121, 175 & 172.

Col.

[Stig Jarlevik]

Yep Colin

We have the same book

Cheers
Stig

[Boris Ciglic]

Hi fellows!

Thanks a lot for your answers! The crew of the plane survived, it was salvaged from the water and was aboard the lower deck when the carrier anchored in Split on 28 September. The plane was equipped with "bags filled with air for case of water landing" and that's how it remained afloat, I have no idea what this might be or whether Flycatcher or Bison (or both) had something like that.

Stig, yes please send it to me!

Best regards,
Boris

[Stig Jarlevik]

Roger that Boris

I have been out almost all day, and just got home, so I will fix it tomorrow

Cheers
Stig

[Leendert]

Is the Short Crusader, a 1927 Schneider Trophy participant and flown off HMS Eagle by F/O Harry Schofield, a candidate? This one crashed on 11 Sep 1927, sank, but was salvaged a week later. Schofield was injured (serious bruises, no broken bones).

HMS Eagle had taken more British Schneider Trophy a/c on board.

Regards,
Leendert

[Stig Jarlevik]

Sounds like an excellent contender to me.

Good thinking, outside the box....

Cheers
Stig