Date:	Thursday 4 August 1955
Time:	day
Type:	Westland WS-51 Dragonfly HR.3
Owner/operator:	RAE Thurleigh
Registration:	WG666
MSN:	WA/H/036
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Strawberry Hill Farm, Riseley, 2.5 miles NW of Thurleigh, Bedfordshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Test
Departure airport:	RAE Thurleigh, Bedfordshire
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Westland WS-51 Dragonfly HR.3 WG666, RAE Thurleigh: Written off (destroyed) 4/8/55 when crashed at Strawberry Hill Farm, Riseley, two and a half miles north west of Thurleigh, Bedfordshire on a test flight from RAE Thurleigh. Purpose of test flight was an investigation of lateral control at altitude and maximum all-up weight. Aircraft seen descending rapidly; in flight break-up began at 2,000ft. Flight Test Officer catapulted out just before impact. Cause of crash attributed to structural failure of main rotor. Both crew killed.

Crew of Dragonfly WG666:
Lieutenant Graeme Perks RN, National Aeronautical Establishment Test Pilot aged 29 (on assignment from HMS President)
Mr M.F. Burle, Civilian Flight Test Officer aged 28

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.172 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Royal Air Force Aircraft WA100-WZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1983 p 45)
3. Category Five; A Catalogue of RAF Aircraft Losses 1954 to 2009 by Colin Cummings p.148
4. National Archives (PRO Kew) File BT233/291: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C424412
5. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AVIA 5/34/S2772: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6578552
6. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=WG
7. https://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/memorial/entry.php?id=243
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riseley,_Bedfordshire
8. https://www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1955.htm

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
16-Jan-2020 02:17	Dr. John Smith	Added
16-Jan-2020 02:22	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location, Narrative]
25-May-2020 17:02	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
25-May-2020 17:09	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]