Date:	Thursday 11 October 1928
Time:	day
Type:	Fairey Fox 1
Owner/operator:	12 Sqn RAF
Registration:	J7946
MSN:	F,852
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Hendon, Middlesex -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:	Demo/Airshow/Display
Departure airport:	RAF Hendon, Middlesex
Destination airport:	RAF Hendon, Middlesex
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Fairey Fox I J7946, 12 Squadron, RAF Andover: Written off (destroyed) 11/10/1928 when tail broke off in dive, RAF Hendon, Middlesex during an exhibition for the H.H. the Sultan of Muscat. Aircraft nose-dived and crashed, and both crew killed:

Flt Lt William Edmund Somervell AFC (aged 35) killed
Corporal Christopher John Loud (Service number 43592, aged 26) killed

Fairey Fox Mk.I J7946 (F.852): First Flight 28.6.26. Taken on Charge No.12 Squadron 30.6.26. For the 1928 Hendon Air Display a new and effective demonstration was given by "diving past" the crowd in formation, the high pitched noise of the airscrew and Curtis engine at 220 m.p.h. sounding most impressive. In the following months the Squadron was much in demand for demonstrations to students at the Staff College, and to visiting V.I.P's. It was for the Sultan of Oman that the fastest and most impressive demonstration was given, but it seems it was overdone - because the tail fell off Flt. Lt. Somervell's aircraft, and he was killed, with his observer Corporal Loud.

NOTE: Some sources (see link #7) dispute that Fox J7946 was the aircraft involved, claiming that J7946 was still flying well into September 1929. A Letter from Group Captain Albert Edward Dark in Aeroplane November 1994, suggests that the serial J7946 is incorrect, and that he said he had a photo of J7946 in flight, with two Fox IA in close proximity. The other two Fox 1A are J9028 and J7943, which were not received by squadron until 14/2/1929 and 1/3/1929 respectively. He also states that he flew J7946 on two separate dates: September 24 and 25, 1929.

Instead, the aircraft involved was, it is claimed, Fox J8423 (c/n F.875); First Flown 23.6.27; Taken On Charge by 12 Squadron in July 1927. It is the only one of the 5 that were '18 Months Old' in October 1928 with no definite Fate. Also it was used as a Display Aircraft

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft J1-J9999 and WW1 Survivors. Thompson, Dennis & Ray Sturtivant (Comps.) Air-Britain),1987 p.64
2. Leads The Field The History of No.12 Squadron Royal Air Force. Mason,T F/O 1960. p.23
3. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1929.htm
4. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?17344-RAF-fatalities-1928
5. https://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?32999-Fairey-Fox
6. http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C12498782
7. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?17344-RAF-fatalities-1928/page2

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
20-Jun-2018 14:51	Dr. John Smith	Added
20-Jun-2018 14:55	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Aircraft type, Narrative]
18-Oct-2018 19:05	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Operator]