Tag: Staffordshire

The pilot had attempted to land the aircraft in a long field running uphill, though possibly touched down late, the aircraft had not slowed much by the time it came … Continue reading “1933-11-30|Desoutter|G-AAPZ|National Flying Services|Meerbrook, Leek”

The 24 year old owner, and pilot, of the aircraft was flying from Southampton to Barton Aerodrome near Manchester when he encountered thick fog. While flying in these low visibility … Continue reading “1934-11-23|DH80A Puss Moth|G-AAZN|Civil|Bradnop, Leek”

The aircraft dived into the ground shortly after being abandoned by its pilot who had become lost in cloud. He had been part of a formation of Bulldog aircraft from … Continue reading “1934-11-26|Bulldog T.M.|K3939|No.3 FTS, RAF|Onecote, Leek”

The pilot of the aircraft was on a solo training flight from RAF Grantham when the aircraft’s Jupiter engine failed. LAC Maurice-Gwillyn attempted to force land in a field on … Continue reading “1936-01-04|Bulldog T.M.|K3936|No.3 FTS, RAF|Butterton, Leek”

On the 4th September LAC Coogan, a member of the RAFVR who was from Hobart in Tasmania, was to carry out solo aerobatics from Meir near Stoke-on-Trent, his flight was … Continue reading “1940-09-04|Magister Mk.I|L8258|No.5 EFTS, RAF|Cheddleton, Leek”

The aircraft was being ferried from No.12 MU at RAF Kirkbride near Carlisle, an aircraft storage depot at the time, to RAF West Malling in Kent by an RAF pilot … Continue reading “1940-11-17|Spitfire Mk.IIA|P7593|No.4 FPP, ATA|Upper Hulme, Leek”

Thomas Brocklebank was only a few hours into his elementary flying training and was on an early solo flight in the local area around Meir when he became lost in … Continue reading “1940-11-26|Magister Mk.I|P2427|No.5 EFTS, RAF|Nr Leek, Staffordshire”

While on a navigation training flight from Cranage near Holmes Chapel the pilot encountered cloud, he attempted to fly out of the cloud but the weather conditions were rapidly decreasing, … Continue reading “1941-02-17|Anson Mk.I|K6283|No.2 SoAN, RAF|Bradnop, Leek”

The aircraft, from KG 76, was one of a number of aircraft tasked with bombing Liverpool on the night of the 7th / 8th May 1941. The aircraft was being flown by … Continue reading “1941-05-07|Ju88A-5|6213 / F1+AD|3/KG76, Luftwaffe|Roach End, Leek”

The pilot was carrying out dual instruction from RAF Meir on the edge of Stoke on Trent with an un-named pupil when they encountered poor weather and decided to force … Continue reading “1941-05-24|Magister Mk.I|L6909|No.5 EFTS, RAF|Calton, Ashbourne”

The pilot had become disorientated in poor weather and had probably descended to determine his position when the aircraft crashed and was destroyed by fire.

The crew where on a night cross country flight from Feltwell when according the accident card they had flown into un-forecast bad weather and while trying to descend through the … Continue reading “1942-05-22|Wellington Mk.III|Z1566|No.75 Sqn, RNZAF|Grindon, Leek”

It while on a cross country navigation flight from RAF Oakington in Cambridgeshire that the aircraft flew into high ground at Merrytown Low to the east of Leek a short … Continue reading “1942-07-13|Stirling Mk.I|N6075|No.101 Sqn Con. Flt, RAF|Merryton Low, Leek”

At about 16:50 on the 20th November 1942 Wellington Mk.III Z1744 flew into the ground above Upper Hulme.  It is reported that prior to this the aircraft had be the … Continue reading “1942-11-20|Wellington Mk.III|Z1744|No.27 OTU, RAF|Upper Hulme, Leek”

This aircraft had taken off at 19:00 on the 29th January Wymeswold airfield near Loughborough, five other aircraft took off regular intervals around the same time, and a sixth aircraft … Continue reading “1943-01-30|Wellington Mk.IC|R1538|No.28 OTU, RAF|Dilhorne, Staffordshire”

The aircraft had taken off for a short air test from Ashbourne.  Along with the pilot, Flying Officer Archibald Forsyth of the RNZAF, were two passengers, both of whom were … Continue reading “1943-05-21|Oxford Mk.I|R6271|No.42 OTU, RAF|Waterhouses, Staffordshire”

The pilot had taken off on a training flight from RAF Calveley near Nantwich when he became disorientated in the summer haze and could not find land marks that he … Continue reading “1943-07-01|Master Mk.II|DK912|No.17 (P)AFU, RAF|Thorncliffe, Leek”

On the 22nd December 1943 2nd Lt Senesac of the 310th Ferry Squadron, 27th Air Transport Group, was tasked to fly a Lockheed P-38J from Warton near Preston to King’s … Continue reading “1943-12-22|P-38J|42-67670|27th ATG, USAAF|Strines Moor, Leek”

The aircraft, a C-53D Skytrooper (dedicated paratroop variant of the Dakota), was flying from Langar, near Nottingham, to Burtonwood, near Warrington, during the early afternoon of the 13th January 1944 … Continue reading “1944-01-13|C-53D|42-68728|435th TCG, USAAF|Ossoms Hill, Grindon”

Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk.V LA765 of No.81 OTU crashed at Dilhorne, Stoke-on-trent, 31st January 1944 while flying from Whitchurch Heath in Shropshire   Ian Leslie Wilkinson Sergeant Pilot Killed John Frederick Cusworth Flying Officer Navigator Killed George Victor Bourne Sergeant Bomb Aimer Killed Andrew Harkes Robertson Sergeant Wireless Operator Killed Thomas H. Weightman Flight Sergeant … Continue reading “1944-01-31|Whitley Mk.V|LA765|No.81 OTU, RAF|Dilhorne, Staffordshire”

The crew were on a night navigation exercise from RAF Lindholme near Doncaster, having taken off at 17:40.  A little under an hour into the flight the aircraft was seen … Continue reading “1944-02-07|Halifax Mk.II|BB320|No.1656 HCU, RAF|Cellerhead, Staffordshire”

The crew were on a night cross country exercise from RAF Wigsley, with one of the objectives being to take a night photogaph of the Menai Bridge between Bangor and … Continue reading “1944-05-27|Stirling Mk.III|LK502|No.1654 HCU, RAF|Cliffe Park, Leek”

The crash occurred while the aircraft was on a cross country exercise from Castle Donington, about 25 minutes after it took off it entered a thunderstorm, shortly afterwards the aircraft … Continue reading “1944-06-13|Wellington Mk.X|LP397|No.28 OTU, RAF|Mayfield, Staffordshire”

22 Year old 2nd Lieutenant Donald M. Pfaff, pictured above, of Homestead PA (to the SE of Pittsburgh) was flying in the No.3 position of a 4 ship battle formation … Continue reading “1944-07-14|P-47D|42-22491|495th FTG, USAAF|Upper Tean, Staffordshire”

The crew were carrying out a bombing exercise over Cannock Chase, having taken off from RAF Lichfield at 18:30. While at 9000 feet above Cannock Chase a severe vibration developed … Continue reading “1944-07-18|Wellington Mk.X|MF584|No.27 OTU, RAF|Marchington, Staffordshire”

Hawker Hurricane Mk.I V6793 of No.5 (P)AFU dived into the ground at Merryton near Leek, on the 27th July 1944 while flying from Tern Hill on an aerobatics and sector reconnaissance exercise   Roswell Howard Tourle Martin Flight Sergeant RNZAF Pilot Killed  

After take off from Warton the crew could not raise the aircraft’s undercarriage, while attempting to resolve this problem the aircraft stated to bank to the left and lose height, … Continue reading “1944-08-15|B-24H|42-52625|406th BS, USAAF|Brown Edge, Endon”

The photograph above shows Quentin J. Sella shortly after receiving his commission in February 1944, this appeared with his obituary in the Grand Rapids Press (one of the newspapers from … Continue reading “1944-10-03|P-47C|41-6628|495th FTG, USAAF|Thorncliffe, Leek”

The aircraft was being ferried by a pilot from the 310th Ferry Squadron, 27th Air Transport Group from Stanstead to Burtonwood. His route was meant to have been Stanstead – … Continue reading “1945-01-03|A-20G|43-9958|27th ATG, USAAF|Flash, Leek”

The crew of NF908 had not been at No.467 Sqn for long, being posted in from No.5 Lancaster Finishing School in at the beginning of December 1944. Though from available … Continue reading “1945-01-03|Lancaster Mk.I|NF908|No.467 Sqn, RAAF|The Roaches, Leek”

de Havilland Mosquito Mk.XX KB206 of the Pathfinder Navigation Training Unit, crashed near Cheddleton, Staffordshire, on the 2nd March 1945 The two crew were undergoing training to be posted to … Continue reading “1945-03-02|Mosquito Mk.XX|KB206|PFFNTU, RAF|Cheddleton, Leek”

The winter of 1946 / 1947 saw some of the heaviest snowfall recorded in England, it was particularly bad in the areas of high ground with many villages in the … Continue reading “1947-02-13|Halifax A. Mk.9|RT922|No.47 Sqn, RAF|Grindon Moor, Leek”

The crew were carrying out Local Continuation Training from RAF Scampton near Lincoln, this included approach training from high level. The approach training was a mixture of B.A.B.S (Beam Approach … Continue reading “1953-03-27|Canberra B. Mk.2|WH669|No.10 Sqn, RAF|Dilhorne, Staffordshire”