Washington bomber crash in North Wales.

[Al R]

I'm trying to find out some details of a crash which took place sometime during the 50s, near or at Ruthin and killing 11 people. It is believed to have been a Washington, although it could have been a B29 (proper). Does anyone know if a record of the incident or the report can be read online?

I have googled but given the forgotten nature of the bomber's service, unsurprisingly - there's not a great deal of info.

Cheers.

[forget]

Here's a starter - 08 JAN 1953. Boeing Washington. Wales. UK 10/10 WF502

http://home.att.net/~sallyann6/b29/wash-times2-3.htm

Drop this guy a line. e-mail chris_howlett AT tinyworld.co.uk

[S'land]

Here is the montain rescue log book for the period..

http://www.rafmountainrescue.com/new_site/RAFMRA/team_diaries/valley/1951_53/diary_complete/VMRT%20Complete%20Log%20Book%2051-53.pdf

Pages 6 and 60.

[Al R]

Cheers. :ok:

She looks almost graceful in some of those shots.

[forget]

Put 'llanarmon yn ial' in Google Earth and it'll take you to the village mentioned in the Mountain Rescue log.

[Climebear]

I think that it is mentioned in Frankl Card's book:

Whensoever: 50 Years of the RAF Mountain Rescue Service 1943-1993

ISBN: 0948153237

However, my copy is in Scotland and I am in a warm sandy place so I can't verify that.

[Pops556]

Small world! I did this digital painting of a Washington as a Christmas present for the father of a colleague of mine. (Apologies for the JPEG but the original file runs to 180Mb and prints at 3ft by 2)He flew ELINT missions as one of the National Service sneaky-beaky types (in the back) for a few years. Nearly fell off his chair when he realised the Washington Times website existed! Convinced as he was about OSA etc.;)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v639/daveulke/RB-29ANoBordern.jpg

[forget]

Cracker Pops :ok: Any chance of you posting a close up segment?

[Pops556]

You flatter me, Sah! I'll see what i can doooooo...

[Al R]

Thanks all, for some great steers. Lots to follow up on.

And as for that fot.. wow. She looks stunning.:D

[animo et fide]

From the book fallen eagles by Edward Doylerush:


08 Jan 53 Boeing Washington B29 WF502 of 90 Sqn. Aircraft dived from 19,000ft, breaking up north-west of Llandegla. Cause obscure, Crew of 10 killed.

[Pops556]

I've called the painting "Dare To Discover" after the Sqn Motto...
Here's a close-up.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v639/daveulke/Image1.jpg

[ORAC]

Aircraft Crash Site Web Sites (http://web.ukonline.co.uk/lait/site/Links%20page%20.htm)

B-29 No 44-61894, assigned SAC 98g Smoky Hill, Forth Worth, Spokane, Cleveland. Transferred to RAF as Washington WF502, delivered to 90 Sqn, RAF Marham (coded WP-O), 15 Jan 1951. Crashed in North Wales, 8 Jan 1953. All ten crew killed.

Ejection History: (http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/BASES_RAF/Marham/raf_marham.htm) Crashed inverted into ground in Denbighshire Wales during radar bombing attacks.

[Gainesy]

Excuse my ignorance Pops, but what is digital painting? Or did you mean a painting that has been digitally photographed? Either way, smashing pic.:ok:

[Pops556]

By digital painting I mean the process by which the finished article is produced. In this case I have used painting software (COREL's 'Painter X') to get the desired results as opposed to digging out paint, linseed oil and canvas. essentially it's an electronic paint, linseed oil and canvas. it also means I don't have to wait hours for the proverbial paint to dry and any cock-ups can be rectified instantly through use of the 'revert' function as the painting process is saved to the hard disc is progressive steps. The purists out there often baulk at the process and will refer to it as nothing more than an expensive paint-by-numbers kit. My usual reply to that is "B*ll*CKs":}

[S'land]

Sounds like a fair reply POPS.

Great painting.

[roon]

There is a crash site on Aranig Fawr near Bala. There is a memorial on the summit to the air crew and on the northern slopes you can still find debris. Also a spitifire crash site on an adjacent mountain, Aran fawddwy.

[forget]

The Aranig Fawr memorial is to a B-17 crew.

http://www.pbase.com/caeclyd/arening_fawr_crash_site

[Warmtoast]

Details of the crew appeared in a contemporary press cutting as below

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/WashingtonCrash-8Jan1953_431x768.jpg

[ROSS DUFFIELD]

It was a Washington bomber WF 502 and it crashed on 8 January 1953 near a village called Llanarmon Yn Ial about 6 miles from Ruthin. The aircraft belonged to 90 Squadron at Marham and was on a night bombing exercise. It appears to have dived from about 13000 feet over the Wirral , levelled out and then lost its tail fin and rear turret. The aircraft inverted and dropped into a wood. All ten on board were killed. Cause of the crash was not established by the Board of Inquiry. Quite a bit of work going on at present to errect a memorial near the crash site, involving friends and family of some of the crew, six of whom are buried at Hawarden near Chester.

[Al R]

Update:

BBC NEWS | Wales | North East Wales | 1953 fatal bomber crash memorial (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_east/7528535.stm)