Hi All
Thanks again for all the comments:
Trim stab - My photo shows that the flaps on one wing had not been extended, however I don't have a photo of the other wing so theres a possibility.
AD: Yes Cranwell! I didn't mention Bar Hill, that was another poster. As you note the crash was at Dry Drayton which lies on a rising finger of land which sort of 'points' at the runway (the only one at the time). I haven't mentioned a 3 degree approach either, that was another poster, I don't know iif a 3 degree approach was what they did at that time - this is the sort of information that I am trying to find out. It's very interesting that you have flown the airfield - have you flown it at night? What would you do if it were 3am in the morning and the runway lights had failed?
henry crun: Thanks I shall be stalking those gentlemen soon!
rvusa: 'standard 1000 Agl circuit'? Can you point me to a more detailled explanation or is this general knowledge that I can easily find on the web? I have an AP (number I can't remember) which details a large amount about night landings and some procedures, etc. This is great but of course I am looking at a particular airfield and I know that people 'do their own things'. This document details approach to the field at 2000ft, circle at 1000ft but no clues as to hieght, or shape of the 'circle', etc. Its also states that only the identification lights should be used to request permission to land but I know that they used the radio. Another source of info then that needs a little back-up. I did mention earlier that I am trying to find a three mile stretch of countryside so I can see how far the light from a gooseneck would reach (I'm really short of a pilot, a plane, and 6 goosenecks - so I have to improvise!) Were you landing in darkness? How far do you estimate you could see the goosenecks from?
He could have started his decent on visual cue or I suppose he could have timed his flight from the field and the turn and worked out a rate of decent based on that - but I don't know.
Albert Driver: I'm an engineer but not a pilot. I'm looking into this as the aircraft crashed 30 yards from where my mother (to be) was sleeping. I am very interested to know how I wasn't 'killed' but once you start looking the thing grows into hundreds of interesting threads! Do you think that 3 miles out sounds about right? Was the 'standard' circuit in use in May 1941? What was it? (Actually I think that I am confusing 'circuit' with 'circling') I can see how you could fly along a runway, fly at a fixed speed for a fixed time, turn at a fixed rate and fly back along the opposite route (allowing for your turn), but hieght and descent are the things that I can't get the procedure for. I've done a number of 3D simulations for an amateur documentary I am doing but I really have no idea of the lighting - one is here:
Thanks for all your replies so far - I have learned more
James