Post by Jeff on Apr 19, 2020 9:57:04 GMT
Just spent a pleasurable couple of hours watching this film and getting a bit of onscreen spotting done at the same time 😊 I missed a couple of Ansons at the beginning but this is what was seen in order of appearance
VW228: Sea Fury, d/d 23/07/1948, s.o.c. 06/12/1956 at Anthorn, sold to Hawker Aircraft Co, scr
VW560: Sea Fury, d/d 16/07/1951, s.o.c. 06/12/1956 and sold to Hawker Aircraft Co, Blackpool, scr
G-AHRM: Tiger Moth, damaged beyond repair after a heavy landing at Fairoaks on 18.8.58. Struck a flagpole, and collided with the control tower. Pilot escaped.
WA485: Supermarine Attacker (WA485) crash, near Andover, February 1952
Portsmouth Evening News - Tuesday 05 February 1952
JET CRASHES INTO BOG.
A Naval Attacker jet aircraft vanished after nose-diving into a peat bog near the main Andover-Stockbridge road this afternoon. Patches of blood on the surface of the crater suggested that the pilot was still inside when the aircraft crashed. The Attacker is one of Britain's latest jet fighters.
John:
Portsmouth Evening News - Wednesday 06 February 1952
PILOT NAMED.
The pilot, of the naval Attacker jet aircraft which yesterday vanished completely after crashing in a peat bog near Andover was Lieut.-Cmdr. (E) Robert Malcolm Orr-Ewing, of Boscombe Down. He has been posted as "missing, presumed killed," the Admiralty announced to-day
Craggs:
The aircraft involved in this incident in 1952 was Supermarine Attacker serial No WA485 attached to the A+AEE at Boscombe Down ( Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment ).
The Supermarine Attacker was being flown by Lt Cmdr Robert Malcolm Orr-Ewing who was was attached to "C Squadron (Armament Testing Squadron)". This squadron was divided into three Flights - "A Flight", "B Flight" and "C Flight" . Lt Cmdr Orr-Ewing was flying as a Test Pilot with "C Flight (Special Duties Flight)" .
The exact purpose of the Test Flight has not been revealed. This type of Supermarine Attacker had been developed during the very end of WWII and seen it's first flight in 1946. It was deployed for the first time to The Fleet Air Arm in 1951 so it had been tested and developed for over 5 years. I can only assume that Lt Cmdr Orr-Ewing was testing some sort of aircraft-weapons configurement.
On 5th February 1952 Lt Cmdr Orr-Ewing took off from RAF Boscome Down and did low level tests - all carried out at about 1000 feet. Most of this was close to Andover which is about 13 miles from Boscome Down. Without warning the aircraft plunged nose first into a bog. The aircraft totally disappeared. The A+AEE knew where the aircraft had crashed but there was no trace of Lt Cmdr Orr-Ewing so initially he was posted as "Missing - presumed killed". The aircraft was recovered on 6th February 1952 and so was the body of Lt Cmdr Orr-Ewing. The aircraft was 'written off from service' on 7th february 1952.
WP232:
Vampire NF.10, Built at Hatfield, initially flown as G-5-9 and as such visited West Raynham 14.1-17.1.51 and 31.1-19.2.51 for evaluation, flown from Hatfield to West Raynham 22.2.51 for evaluation, Aw/Cn 30.3.51, d/d A&AEE 30.3.51 on 3 months free loan for cabin pressurisation functioning trials, cockpit assessment and engineering appraisal. To DH for contractors spinning trials on 5.6.51, free loan extended on 26.7.51 to 29.2.52, to A&AEE 26.7.51 for further spinning trials. To 48 MU 9.6.52 (arrived 10.6.52), to AGT Speke 27.10.54-9.7.55 for canopy/high speed nav Mods, to 10 MU 12.7.55, d/d to CNCS 5.3.56, transferred to 1 ANS 21.3.57 as 'B', re-coded 'Q' 7.58, returned to CNCS 17.4.59 as 'L', to 60 MU 27.8.59, declared NEA 10.9.59, sold to Enfield Rolling Mills 30.11.59
G-ALYR:
Comet, W/O Calcutta, Because taxi lights were too dim to use at night, the crew had to use the landing lights while taxiing. Both lights had to be alternated left and right to avoid a meltdown by using a switch behind the captains seat. In a left hand turn the captain took his left hand off the steering wheel to select another landing light. The steering centered, and then the aircraft right wheel bogies ran off the paved surface. Engine power was applied on the two right engines, causing the bogie struts to be forced up and into the wing structure causing much damage.
G-ALZK:
Comet, This was the second prototype and made its maiden flight in 1950. On 2 April 1951, this aircraft was delivered to the BOAC Comet Unit at Hurn under the registration G-ALZK and carried out 500 flying hours of crew training and route proving.
VV119:
The Type 517 was in essence the Type 510, modified to have a hinged rear fuselage to facilitate a powerful trim system. The second prototype (VV119) was first flown as the Type 528 on 27th March 1950, retaining the tailwheel undercarriage layout.