Valiant crash, Wittering, August 1960
On the 12th August 1960 a Valiant (XD864 according to UK Serials.com) of 7 Squadron crashed after take off from Wittering. All the crew were lost.
The aircraft's pilot was Brian Wickham and my father, Harry Bullen, was, I believe, navigator.
What I know of this incident comes from my mother.
The squadron was based at Honington but was shortly to go to Wittering. In August they were operating from Wittering whilst the families were still in Suffolk.
On the 12th August, XD864 took off but was having difficulties with its undercarraige. It seems a range of procedures to solve the problem was attempted, including 'waggling' the plane, then the aircraft came down (in a potato field).
Art Field in the 'did you fly the Valiant' thread of 2007 mentions that there were peculiarities with the undercarraige, and I wondered if this could have been a factor.
I haven't been to PRO Kew yet though. I have worked at Kew before but don't know exactly where Air Crash Reports might be. I presume they would be accessable under the thirty year rule?
Any comments anyone might have on this subject would be much appreciated.