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Date: | Tuesday 16 July 1957 |
Time: | day |
Type: | Bristol 171 Sycamore HR Mk 14 |
Owner/operator: | 275 Sqn RAF |
Registration: | XG545 |
MSN: | 13385 |
Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
Location: | North Sea, 1/2 mile off Happisburgh, Norfolk -
United Kingdom
|
Phase: | En route |
Nature: | Military |
Departure airport: | RAF North Coates, Lincolnshire |
Destination airport: | |
Confidence Rating: | Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Narrative:Bristol 171 Sycamore HR.14 XG545, 275 Squadron RAF: Written off 16/07/1957 - Lost power after the engine overheated during winching practice at 25-30 feet. XG545 ditched into the North Sea half a mile off Happisburgh, Norfolk. The three crew were rescued by a rowing boat, but the aircraft was written off as "beyond economic repair", probably due to extended immersion in salt water.
Note: Sycamore OE-XSY (c/no. 13475, ex-Luftwaffe 78+17, AS+324, CA+328, German Civil registry as D-HALD, UK "Class B" makings as G-18-148, and Swiss Registry as HB-RXB) has been restored to flying condition - the only airworthy Bristol Sycamore in the world still flying - and carries RAF markings as "XG545". It is, of course, a completely different airframe to the above. It has NEVER seen RAF service, and is painted in the markings of 32 Squadron, RAF - the "real" XG545 never saw service with 32 Squadron (delivered 9 October 1956 to 275 Squadron, written off 16 July 1957 as per the above).
Sources:
1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.191 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Royal Air Force Aircraft XA100-XZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 2001 p 38)
3. Weston-Super-Mare and the Aeroplane By Roger Dudley, Ted Johnson
4. National Archives (PRO Kew) File BT233/389:
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C424510 5. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AVIA 5/37/S2884:
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6578664 6.
http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=XG 7.
http://www.ukserials.com/losses-1957.htm 8.
https://www.helis.com/database/cn/42083/ Revision history:
Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
21-Apr-2013 17:11 |
Dr. John Smith |
Added |
23-Jan-2020 19:38 |
Dr. John Smith |
Updated [Time, Operator, Source, Narrative] |
23-Jan-2020 22:44 |
stehlik49 |
Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Operator] |