Date:	Wednesday 20 April 1955
Time:	09:45
Type:	Boeing B-29A-70-BN Washington B.1
Owner/operator:	Vickers Armstrong Aircraft Ltd
Registration:	WW349
MSN:	11432
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Wisley airfield, Ockham, near Ripley, Surrey, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Standing
Nature:	Test
Departure airport:	Wisley airfield, Surrey (EGTW)
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Ex-USAF 44-61968 to RAF as Washington B.1 WW349; delivered July 26, 1951. No operational RAF service; served with Scottish Aviation and Vickers Armstrong Aircraft as weapons trials aircraft

Hit while parked at Wisley airfield, near Ripley, Surrey by taxying Vickers Valiant WP216 on April 20, 1955. Washington B.1 WW349 was Struck Off Charge the same day. The Valiant was repaired

WW349 was at Wisley for fitments of test equipment prior to being sent to Australia (RAAF serial A76-3 provisionally allocated) Two Washingtons, WW353 and WW354 were transferred to Australia in 1953, respectively, A76-1 and A76-2.

The third Washington, WW349 (which had been provisionally allocated the serial A76-3) had been engaged on various manufacturers trials including the Blue Boar program and was due to be transferred to Australia in 1955. It was awaiting its test equipment fit out; however, on the morning of Wednesday 20th of April 1955, Valiant WP216 struck and damaged Washington WW349 and Valiant WP203 which were both parked at Wisley.

WW349 sustained major damage to the nose area and as a result was struck off charge the same day. No further replacement Washington was allocated for the RAAF

1. RAF Aircraft WA100-WZ999, J J Halley, Air Britain 1985
2. Howlett, Chris, "Capital Bomber", FlyPast, Stamford, Lincs., UK, Number 335, June 2009, pages 66, 73
3. The 'Secret' World of Vickers Guided Weapons By John Forbat
4. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=WW
5. http://www.strijdbewijs.nl/birds/b-29/b-293.htm
6. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a76.htm
7. http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1944_4.html
8. http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/gallery/album06/Washington_WW349_when_it_was_B_29_44_61968_Photo_via_Jeff_Brown_cropped
9. http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/gallery/album06
10. Accident Report: http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/gallery/album06/WW349_Accident_report
11. https://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=19308.0
12. Photo of accident report https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_B-29_Superfortress_operators#Australia (confirms accident was on 20-4-1955)
13. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/military/Crashes_in_the_South_East.pdf
14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisley_Airfield

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
14-Apr-2013 21:48	Dr. John Smith	Added
17-Mar-2021 22:34	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Date, Time, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
17-Mar-2021 22:40	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
18-Mar-2021 12:30	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Date, Source, Narrative]
23-Jul-2021 22:52	Anon.	Updated [Time, Location, Departure airport, Operator]