Brawdy Hunter crash - 1960s.
Thread Starter
Brawdy Hunter crash - 1960s.
Hello,
I have just received a query through my FRADU Hunters web-site concerning a Hunter crash at RNAS Brawdy in the mid-1960s.
The aircraft, a T.8 or perhaps a T.7, had just taken off from Brawdy, but the pilot and student had to eject immediately. The machine crashed into a field and sadly hit a flock of sheep grazing.
There was apparently a circle of dead sheep all around the wreckage.
The tail of the aircraft ended up upside down, about 30m from the burning fuselage. Both crew survived.
Can anyone assist with an aircraft identification or a definitive date for this accident?
It is likely to have happened circa 1965/6. Also does anyone know the names of the two aircrewmen involved?
I suspect it would have involved a 759 NAS machine, but can find no information on any accidents happening at Brawdy around that time.
Any help you can give would be appreciated.
Thanks for your time.
Mark
I have just received a query through my FRADU Hunters web-site concerning a Hunter crash at RNAS Brawdy in the mid-1960s.
The aircraft, a T.8 or perhaps a T.7, had just taken off from Brawdy, but the pilot and student had to eject immediately. The machine crashed into a field and sadly hit a flock of sheep grazing.
There was apparently a circle of dead sheep all around the wreckage.
The tail of the aircraft ended up upside down, about 30m from the burning fuselage. Both crew survived.
Can anyone assist with an aircraft identification or a definitive date for this accident?
It is likely to have happened circa 1965/6. Also does anyone know the names of the two aircrewmen involved?
I suspect it would have involved a 759 NAS machine, but can find no information on any accidents happening at Brawdy around that time.
Any help you can give would be appreciated.
Thanks for your time.
Mark
I had a look in Francis Mason's book "Hawker Hunter - Biography of a thoroughbred" (PSL 1981) and one possibility may be the following:
"XF983 Built as Hunter F.4; Returned to HSA 1963 and converted to T.8C; No 759 Sqn. Crashed at Brawdy 29-9-1966. Instructor Lt David Starling RN ejected too low and was killed; student pilot, Sub-Lt Peter Lewis RN injured after ejecting; aircraft SOC."
I realise that this might not be the case you are asking about, because of the fatality involved, but otherwise it sounds like a possibility.
"XF983 Built as Hunter F.4; Returned to HSA 1963 and converted to T.8C; No 759 Sqn. Crashed at Brawdy 29-9-1966. Instructor Lt David Starling RN ejected too low and was killed; student pilot, Sub-Lt Peter Lewis RN injured after ejecting; aircraft SOC."
I realise that this might not be the case you are asking about, because of the fatality involved, but otherwise it sounds like a possibility.
