Stirling Mk.III LJ628 of No.1654 Heavy Conversion Unit RAF crashed on Upper Commons 21st June 1944 while flying from Wigsley in cloud the aircraft flew into rising ground.

 

Crew / Passengers

Rank - if applicable

Position e.g. Pilot

Status

Leonard Thomas Gardiner

Flying Officer

Pilot

OK

John O’Leary

Flying Officer

Pilot (Instructor)

OK

Jim Coulson

Sergeant

Bomb Aimer / Air Gunner

Injured

John Gittings

Sergeant

Flight Engineer (instructor)

OK

McDonald

Sergeant

Navigator

OK

T Burroughs

Sergeant

Wireless Operator

Injured

Ludlow

Sergeant

Flight Engineer

OK

Austin

Sergeant

Air Gunner

OK

Lennox ‘Swig’ Van Nierkirk

Sergeant

Air Gunner

Injured

Hadland

Squadron Leader

?

OK

 

On the 24th January 2005 the aircraft was recovered for the Stirling Project by Chinook. The aircraft involved was Chinook H.C. Mk.2A ZH893 of 27 Sqn. Below are some images taken the day prior to the lift while final preparations were being made by members of the Stirling Project and the Joint Helicopter Support Unit, along with a little help from ourselves.

 

The main wheel oleo after being removed from the hole it had been in probably since 1944.

 

Parts being collected in one of a number of the lifting nets used during the recovery.

 

Compare this last image with the one taken 4 years earlier below.

 

The Images below show the site as it was in summer 2001.

 

looking down hill along the gully that most of the wreckage was dumped in.

 

 

The exhaust manifold from one of the four Bristol Hercules engines seen in 2001.

 

 

The remains of a control surface which was recovered.

 

 

Slightly to the north of the gully was this main under carriage oleo, this item was among the parts recovered in 2005

   

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