Curtiss Tomahawk Mk.I AH744 of No.1472 Flight crashed on Red Gill Moss in the North Pennines on the 10th February 1943

Curtiss P-40 Tomahawk

 

Harry Emmerson Wright Flying Officer Pilot Killed

 

The pilot was carrying out local flying practice from RAF Catterick in North Yorkshire, having taken off at 12:55. The aircraft was seen by a Royal Observer Corps post at Barnard Castle flying North West at about 5000 feet at 13:30. Nothing further was seen or heard of the aircraft for the rest of the day. When the aircraft was declared overdue the CO of 1472 Flt and another pilot took off in the unit’s Miles Master to begin a search but had to return to Catterick because of low cloud over the high ground.

The search was continued by 1472 Flt when the weather allowed until the crash site was located on the 13th February by F/Lt Gore and P/O Irwin flying in the Master. It was assumed that the pilot had descended too low and flew into Red Gill Moss just into County Durham between Brough and Baldersdale while in cloud.

The impact scar at the site today suggests that the aircraft was heading in an Easterly direction, possibly in a turn fairly steep turn to port when it hit causing the aircraft to break up over a wide area.

Crash site of Curtiss Tomahawk AH744 on Red Gill Moss, Barnard Castle, County Durham
There are three collections of wreckage spread across Red Gill Moss, this one is quite elongate and was probably the initial impact point of the aircraft, as all the wreckage in the area is from one of the wings and one of its ammunition bays the aircraft appears to have been in a turn and struck the ground with one wing first. This photo is looking along the scar towards the main collection of wreckage about 100 yards across the moor from this point.
Crash site of Curtiss Tomahawk AH744 on Red Gill Moss, Barnard Castle, County Durham
Close by the impact scar is this collection of parts, possibly from the tail structure.
Crash site of Curtiss Tomahawk AH744 on Red Gill Moss, Barnard Castle, County Durham
The largest collection of wreckage is located where the aircraft came to rest, this is mainly parts from the aircraft wings, the fairly complete wing starboard was recovered from here in 1979 by the North East Aircraft Museum at Sunderland. The largest remaining piece is part of the upper skinning from the trailing edge of the starboard wing, obviously having been left by NEAM.
The photos shown above were taken on the 65th anniversary of the crash on the 10th Feb 2008.