Fg Off Russell F. Graham, 226 OCU, killed in Jaguar crash in Northumberland, 1977.

[Manicday]

Hi All,

I'm trying to find out some information about my uncle, Flying Officer Russel Ferguson Graham, attached to 226 OCU out of RAF Lossiemouth. He was killed in a Jaguar T2 training crash at Whittingham, Northumberland alongside Flight Lieutenant John Stephen (Taff) Hinchcliffe on 29th July, 1977. He died before I was born so I don't really know much about him at all, other than some old photographs.

I was hoping to perhaps get in touch with friends, some of those who knew him duing training or who joined up around the same time. Basically I'm looking to find out what he was like and if there are any fond memories to pass on.

I'd also like to understand the circumstances of the crash if at all possible. I've managed to find a few posts here, as well as official listings relating to that day, but any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your time.

All the best,
Stuart

[Wensleydale]

From Cummings "Category Five".

[NutLoose]

More on the crash. I wish you well with your search.

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/55388

[Manicday]

Thanks for replying, Gents.

I'd found the Aviation Safety summary, but the Cummings entry is new to me and has a little more detail.

I'm not sure how much more info there is to find about the crash, so every source helps piece it together

[Cannylad]

Hi Stuart, I was at RAF Valley, RAF Brawdy and Lossiemouth with Russ. He was good fun, a talented pilot and well liked by students and staff during training. At Brawdy he was having problems with air to ground gunnery. He wasn’t getting close enough to the target before firing — not unusual as flying a Hunter at nearly 500 mph in a dive towards the ground was fraught with danger. He continued having problems and he was given one last chance to sort it out. That morning he turned up on the Squadron wearing a white bandana with a rising sun motif on the front around his forehead as per Kamikaze pilots. ‘Going to get in close today’ was his comment and he did.
He was on the course ahead of me at Lossiemouth and my wife and I were staying in the Officer’s Mess whilst we looked for accommodation. We came out of the dining room as Russ came down the stairs and we chatted for 10 minutes or so. He was killed soon after and my wife still dreams of that last conversation with him. We liked him a lot. Kind regards Chris Underhill

[NutLoose]

The like was for helping him out

[Manicday]

Hey Chris,

Thanks for sharing your memory of him. That's exactly what I was hoping for, so thank you for taking the time to write it out. I'm glad he left a good impression

As you were training at the same time as him, would you happen to know roughly when he got his wings? I understand it's after training at RAF Shawbury, but I'm unsure of the date as my request for his record of service is still in progress. Also, I'd like to find out what watch he wore/ was issued with so that I could try and pick one up as a memento. I'm lost in a sea of options, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again for your response,
Stuart

[Cannylad]

Hi Stuart, when wings were awarded moved around over the years and Russ would have done his Basic Flying Training at RAF Linton on Ouse or possibly RAF Church Fenton. BFTS was split into basic and advanced training and wings were awarded at the end of the basic phase so that is when Russ would get his wings. We then all arrived at AFTS (advanced flying training school) at RAF Valley as qualified pilots. You had do do 6 months on an operational squadron to keep your wings but that was not widely known. I will trawl through the memory banks for other information. Regards Chris

[Manicday]

Thanks for that information Chris. Its a bit more complicated than I expected, but hopefully his service record should shed some light on it. I'm not sure if the date he got his wings will be, but I might be able to narrow it down by where he was stationed.

[sycamore]

Stuart,depending who of your family ,ie Russell`s parents,they can get his Service records from the RAF.Application details are in UK GOV.COM..

[sharpend]

I was instructing on 226 OCU at the time of the crash. I knew both pilots well and was good friends with Taff. In fact I was Taff's Effects Officer and attended his funeral at Craigallachie. Sad day; it rained as well as we carried the coffin up the hillside.

[NutLoose]

Stuart,
In the 70's I would think he was issued with one of these, it could be any one of the Fab 4 issued at the time.. They are not cheap these days and go for a bit of a premium, 6BB on the rear tells they were made for the RAF alone. see here

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/305297124...Bk9SR_itw_i0Yw

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/325982893...Bk9SR6Lw3fi0Yw

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/166018891...Bk9SR-j0jfm0Yw


https://wornandwound.com/time-spec-1...-chronographs/


You could of course go for a limited edition release of one of the watches with a quartz movement.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/315150665...Bk9SR-j0jfm0Yw

[Cannylad]

Nutloose, none of those. A pilot’s watch never had a stop watch facility. It was issued when you joined and replaced if damaged or inaccurate. I had 6/7 in my career and the best and most accurate was the one I handed back on retirement. Surely they give you some sort of timepiece when you retire not take it off you.🤪 Hamilton is a name I remember and one of my watches had a new face stuck on it to hide the date aperture. This cost more as a date function wasn’t in the specification so had to be modified— if you looked carefully by the number 3 you could see the indentation of the hole.
Stop watches were fitted to the aircraft not the pilot.

[Cannylad]

Stuart, Russ would have flown this aircraft at RAF Valley.

[NutLoose]

Originally Posted by Cannylad

Nutloose, none of those. A pilot’s watch never had a stop watch facility. It was issued when you joined and replaced if damaged or inaccurate. I had 6/7 in my career and the best and most accurate was the one I handed back on retirement. Surely they give you some sort of timepiece when you retire not take it off you.🤪 Hamilton is a name I remember and one of my watches had a new face stuck on it to hide the date aperture. This cost more as a date function wasn’t in the specification so had to be modified— if you looked carefully by the number 3 you could see the indentation of the hole.
Stop watches were fitted to the aircraft not the pilot.

The replacement Seikos issued to pilots were all stop watches and yes I know the aircraft had them too.

They are marked 6BB on the back of some denoting RAF. Did you have one of these then?.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/355076850...XT3QE3XPXCF3J8


Hamilton stopwatch with6BB stamping for RAF

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/266080018...Bk9SR5Kh-pW2Yw

[Cannylad]

My last watch was a Seiko but I never had a chronograph. Probably issued in late 80s. You would never be able to use the stopwatch element under flying gloves and needing both hands to fly the aircraft.

[Manicday]

Originally Posted by sycamore

Stuart,depending who of your family ,ie Russell`s parents,they can get his Service records from the RAF.Application details are in UK GOV.COM..

Hey sycamore,

Thanks for that. I applied for his records through the GOV.com portal 2 weeks ago, but they said that it could take upwards of 8 months! Since they waived the admin fee, in I think 2020, they have drastically lengthened their response time.

Is there a separate avenue for requests from family members? My Mum is the only surviving family now, other than my sister & I, but I just provided what was requested, being service number, full name, rank & D.O.B / D.O.D.

Hopefully that's all they need.

[Manicday]

Originally Posted by sharpend

I was instructing on 226 OCU at the time of the crash. I knew both pilots well and was good friends with Taff. In fact I was Taff's Effects Officer and attended his funeral at Craigallachie. Sad day; it rained as well as we carried the coffin up the hillside.

Hey sharpend,

Thanks for replying to the post.

I'm sorry for the loss of your friends. Although Russ was my uncle I feel removed from the whole situation as it all happened before I was born. It must have been horrible to go through, as well as being Taff's Effects Officer. My condolences.

I've been told that my uncles' funeral was on, or within a few days of, his wedding day. A tragic event all round.

I hope what you remember of them are the good times

All the best,
Stuart

[Manicday]

Originally Posted by NutLoose

Stuart,
In the 70's I would think he was issued with one of these, it could be any one of the Fab 4 issued at the time...

Yeah, not cheap!

I'd half hoped / half dreaded it would be one of the Fab 4 as they're beautiful watches but just so expensive these days. If it was one then it would be a case of saving up for it though

Hamilton do a really nice modern interpretation of theirs, which is what I thought it might have been given the dates Russ was in the RAF, but even it's up at around £2,000.

(Unable to post links, but comes up as Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pioneer Mechanical Chronograph)

I'm more than a little relieved that he was probably issued a regular 6bb Hamilton or similar!

[Manicday]

Originally Posted by Cannylad

Stuart, Russ would have flown this aircraft at RAF Valley.

That really puts things into perspective.

That cockpit looks pretty intimidating to a civvy, but I'm sure it's old hat to you Gents!

We have a picture of a Jet Provost on the wall, which must have been one of the first aircraft he trained in, but other than that and the Jaguar we don't know much else that he flew. Am I right in assuming that each RAF training base primarily specialises in one particular aircraft?

My Mum managed to find her invitation to my Uncles Wings presentation at RAF Linton-on-Ouse in March, 1975 (including his patches!), so that was a nice surprise and one question answered