ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 17787
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| Date: | Sunday 4 July 1943 |
| Time: | 11:25 |
| Type: |  North American Mustang Mk I |
| Owner/operator: | 20 MU RAF |
| Registration: | AG489 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Nether Lyppiat, 2 miles N of Brimscombe, Gloucestershire -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Test |
| Departure airport: | RAF Aston Down, Gloucestershire |
Collided With Spitfire P7918.
Pilot:
F/O (107245) Václav CUKR (cs.pilot) RAFVR - seriously injured
1943 marked the definitive end of his aviation career. That day he took off from Aston Down on a test flight in Mustang Mk I AG489. Around half past eleven near Brimscombe, Gloucestershire, his machine collided with Spitfire Mk II P7918 from 52 OTU, and both planes crashed.
Although Cukr jumped from his aircraft, the Mustang has fallen to such a low altitude (80-100m) that he had no time to fully open his parachute. Hard impact with the ground was slowed by landing in the crown of a tree, but Cukr suffered very serious injuries. Total of 15 fractures, such as the spine, feet, ribs.
He was immediately taken to the hospital at RAF Wroughton, but doctors had already given up much chance of survival. Cukr eventually surprised all, and survived, although recovering from his injuries took until the end of the war. The hospital was released him in 1946 as "an invalid" but Cukr was already back flying.
After the war he served as Secretary of Air, but after 1948 had to go to into exile. Here he participated in organizing the intelligence services and managed a branch office in Zurich, and from 1955, in Hamburg. In 1957, however, he was removed from the Czechoslovak Intelligence Office. Cukr then emigrated to New Zealand, where he lived under the name Vic Eric Cooper. Here he Died on October 24 1989.
For his combat activity, Cukr was twice awarded the War Cross, Medal of Bravery, Medal of Merit, French Croix de Guerre with five palms and three gold stars, Medaille Militaire, Légion ďHonnueur order (in the degree of Chevalier) and British Defence Medal and War Medal.
Sources:
http://www.spitfires.ukf.net/p005.htm
https://www.valka.cz/clanek_11042.html
http://topsid.com/index.php?war=ceskoslovensko&unit=vaclavcukr
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 13-May-2008 22:45 | Nepa | Added |
| 05-Nov-2008 06:40 | angels one five | Updated |
| 24-Sep-2011 17:48 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 25-Sep-2011 15:28 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 18-Jan-2012 15:48 | Nepa | Updated [Time, Operator] |
| 08-Jun-2013 03:55 | angels one five | Updated [Aircraft type, Location, Narrative] |
| 11-May-2015 01:52 | angels one five | Updated [Time, Operator, Narrative] |
| 01-Jun-2015 21:00 | Z. Zeeland | Updated [Time, Operator, Departure airport, Narrative] |
| 02-Jun-2018 07:08 | angels one five | Updated [Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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