Hawker Hurricane Mk.I V6565 and V7742 of No.55 Operational Training Unit, flew into Slight Side on Sca Fell on the 12th August 1941

 

Zygmund Hohne Pilot Officer PAF Pilot (V6565) Killed
Stanislaw Karubin Sergeant PAF Pilot (V7742) Killed

 

The two aircraft had taken off from Usworth, near Sunderland, for a two ship formation flying exercise over the north of England, with Sgt Karubin as the flight leader.  At some point in the flight the two entered cloud, while still flying in cloud the two aircraft flew into Slight Side, an out lying ridge of Sca Fell above the small village of Boot, killing both airmen.

Wreckage remains at both sites which are separated by only a short distance, the crash site of V6565 has a memorial to both men, this can be distinguished from that of V7742 by stamps on parts being from Gloster rather than Hawker as V6565 was built under contract.

Crash site of V7742

Alf with a piece of wreckage from Hawker Hurricane V7742 on Slight Side, Sca Fell
Alan’s dad Alf with the first piece we found from V7742 in the rocks below the crash site.
Crankshaft from the Rolls Royce Merlin engine of Hawker Hurricane V7742 on Slight Side, Sca Fell
Above is the crankshaft from V7742’s Rolls Royce Merlin, buckled by the impact with the Fell.
Wreckage at the crash site of Hawker Hurricane Mk.I V7742 on Slight Side, Sca Fell
One of the most prominent pieces is the section of wing structure shown above.
Remains of the engine radiator from Hawker Hurricane V7742 on Slight Side, Sca Fell
Towards the base of the crash site are the remains of the aircraft’s radiator.
The crash site of Hawker Hurricane Mk.I V7742 on Slight Side near Boot
Looking back up into the scree that the remains from Sgt Karubin’s aircraft lie.

 

Crash site of V6565

Section of wing spar at the crash site of Hawker Hurricane V6565 on Slight Side, Sca Fell
Similar wreckage lies at the crash site of V6565, a section of wing spar is shown above with the remains of the engine and memorial behind.
Alan with the remains of the Roll Royce Merlin engine from Hawker Hurricane V6565 piloted by Pilot Officer Hohne on Slight Side, Sca Fell
Alan with the remains of the engine from Pilot Officer Hohne’s aircraft.
Plaque at the crash site of Hawker Hurricane V6565 on Slight Side commemorating Pilot Officer Zygmund Hohne and Sergeant Stanislaw Karubin
Above is the plaque commemorating the two Polish airmen.
General view of the crash site of Hawker Hurricane V6565 on Slight Side
Looking back down the main site from the memorial.