North American Harvard Mk.IIB FT442 of No.5 (P)AFU crashed on Shining Tor 30th November 1944

North American Harvard Mk.2B

 

Julius Sofranko Sergeant (Czech) Pilot Killed

 

On the 30th November 1944, Sergeant Julius Sofranko, a Czechoslovakian who had joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve, took off from RAF Ternhill piloting Harvard FT442 on a solo cross country training flight. After being in the air for over two hours, Sgt Sofranko was flying West back towards the base through dense cloud when at approximately 4.00pm he flew into the Eastern slope of Shining Tor and was killed. It appears that while flying in the cloud Sgt Sofranko had flown off course and then descended before he was clear of high ground.

Grave of Sergeant Julius Sofranko at Botley Cemetery, Oxford
Sgt Sofranko was buried at Oxford (Botley) Cemetery.
Crash site of North American Harvard Mk.IIB FT442 on Shining Tor, Buxton, Derbyshire
Above is the crash site of FT442 on the eastern side of Shining Tor.