Lockheed Neptune M.R. Mk.1 WX545 of No.36 Squadron, RAF, crashed on the north western edge of Beinn na Lice on the 10th October 1956

Lockheed Neptune

 

Geoffrey Finding Flight Lieutenant Pilot Killed
James Alexander Campbell Flying Officer Co-pilot Killed
Gilbert Rishton Flying Officer Navigator Killed
Cyril Armstrong Sergeant Flight Engineer Killed
Raymond Fox Flight Sergeant Radio Operator Killed
Ronald Mark Noble Flight Sergeant Air Signaller Killed
Eric Honey Sergeant Air Signaller Killed
Bernard Edward Lynn Sergeant Air Signaller Killed
Roy Vincent Smith Sergeant Air Signaller Killed

 

The crew were on an anti submarine exercise from Ballykelly, the aircraft’s home airfield was Topcliffe in Yorkshire but it had been detached to Ballykelly for the exercise, during the early hours of the 10th October, the aircraft was flying south along the Kintyre coast in thick fog when it struck the ground and broke up over a large area killing all of the crew.  15 Years earlier Whitley Mk.V P5041 crashed less than 200 yards from where WX545 impacted.

Memorial overlooking the crash site of Lockheed Neptune WX545 on Beinn na Lice, Mull of Kintyre
The crew of the aircraft are commemorated on this memorial overlooking the site, it was erected in July 1998.
Tail fin at the crash site of Lockheed Neptune WX545 on Beinn na Lice, Mull of Kintyre
The tail fin off the aircraft lies just to the north of where the aircraft first impacted, next to this is the tail-plane assembly.
Tail fin and tail-plane at the crash site of Lockheed Neptune WX545 on Beinn na Lice, Mull of Kintyre
This photo from near where the aircraft impacted shows the fin and tail plane.
Crash site of Lockheed Neptune WX545 on Beinn na Lice, Mull of Kintyre
Further to the south is where part of the fuselage burned out, leaving this scar.
Wright Cyclone engine at the crash site of Lockheed Neptune WX545 on Beinn na Lice, Mull of Kintyre
Nearby is one of the aircraft’s two Wright Cyclone engines partially buried in the soft ground.
Port outer wing at the crash site of Lockheed Neptune WX545 on Beinn na Lice, Mull of Kintyre
One of the closest parts to the memorial is this section of the port outer wing.