Fairey Firefly F.R. Mk.I DT977 / 4A of No.1770 Sqn, Royal Navy, crashed on Blaeloch Hill on the 26th October 1944
James Henry Fairclough | Sub-Lieutenant | Pilot | Killed |
Anthony John King | Sub-Lieutenant | Observer | Killed |
During the morning of the 26th October 1944 the Sub Lts Fairclough and King were on a radio navigation training exercise from RNAS Ayr (HMS Wagtail) before embarking on HMS Indefatigable when their aircraft struck the eastern side of 1,300ft high Blaeloch Hill, which is to the east of Fairlie in North Ayrshire, a short way below the summit and completely disintegrated.
The aircraft was presumed to have been lost in the Firth of Clyde due to their exercise area being around Ailsa Craig and it was not until nearly three weeks after the crash that the remains of the aircraft and its two crew were discovered on Blaeloch Hill.





The piece to the right is part of the mechanism from within the wings for lowering and raising the flaps.


In the background are some of the hills on the Isle of Arran.

