Site last updated 1st February 2012

Peak District Air Accident Research

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 No.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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