ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 232907
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| Date: | Friday 20 June 1947 |
| Time: | 10:00 LT |
| Type: |  Hawker Sea Fury TF Mk 10 |
| Owner/operator: | 778 Sqn FAA RN |
| Registration: | TF906 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | North Wood, Nore Hill, Slindon, West Sussex -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RNAS Ford, (HMS Peregrine) Yapton, West Sussex |
Hawker Sea Fury TF.Mk.10 TF906, 778 Squadron FAA RN: Said to be one of the first three Hawker Sea Furies delivered to the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm in February 1947 (TF905, TF906 and TF907). Written off (destroyed) 20th June,1947 about 10 A.M. Flying into Weather deteriorating with low cloud, and crashed about 25 metres into woodland on rising ground on the southern side of Nore Hill, part of the Slindon Estate in West Sussex. Pilot killed. According to a contemporary newspaper report ("Bognor Regis Observer" - Saturday 28 June 1947)
"R.N. PILOT KILLED AT SLINDON
INQUEST AT FORD
Although an aircraft passed over the Naval Air Station at Ford four minutes after a "recall" radio message had been sent out, as bad weather had developed, on Friday morning, no attempt was made to land, probably because of poor visibility. Later an aircraft was reported to have crashed at Slindon whilst ¾ mile from it the body of Lieut. George Frankman (sic), R.N. (22), the pilot of the aircraft (a "Sea-Fury") was found dead with multiple injuries. His parachute was out of its cover but unopened.
These facts were revealed at an inquest held at the air station on Monday, by Mr. H. S. Falconer, deputy coroner, who sat with a jury. Mr. C. B. Tompkins represented the Admiralty.
After evidence of deceased's injuries had been given by Surg. Lieut. Cleave-Sheen, R.N., Lieut. Cmdr. Tom E. Gray stated that Lieut. Frankman had been attached to the station for two months, and was an expert pilot.
On Friday at 8.8 a.m., he took off alone in a "Sea Fury" in what was then suitable weather. Half an hour later, however, the weather got worse and all aircraft were recalled by wireless. The deceased received the message as he answered, as required, and asked why he was recalled. No message was received from him after this, though continuous radio efforts to contact him were made.
Witness thought that an aircraft which passed over four minutes later was, by the sound, the aircraft piloted by Lieut. Frankman. He could not see it as it was in cloud. At 10.30 a.m. he received a message that an aircraft had crashed at Slindon.
In reply to the coroner, witness stated that the weather was very bad from a flying point of view, particularly visibility, which varied from 1,000 to 2,000 yards maximum. Landing instructions would be issued after the recall. In this case, instructions would have been given to land at another ground, but radio contact could not be made.
Police Sergt. Bristowe gave evidence of the body being located by the observer of a helicopter. He (witness) went to North Wood, Slindon, and there found the body of the pilot, approximately ¾ mile from the crashed aircraft. Lieut. Frankman was wearing a life-saving jacket and parachute harness with parachute attached. The latter was out of its pack but was not itself open.
A verdict of "accidental death" was returned, the cause of death being the multiple injuries received in the crash."
Crew of Sea Fury TF906:
Lieut. George Frakman, RN (pilot, aged 22) - buried at Clymping St. Mary Churchyard, Clymping, Sussex
Note that 778 Squadron was attached to the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious when at sea, but shore based at RNAS Ford (HMS Peregrine) when ashore. Despite some incorrect reports that TF906 was "lost at sea on a sortie from HMS Illustrious", (e.g. see link #5, and the CWGC link #8) it was definitely lost on land near Slindon, West Sussex on a shore-based sortie from RNAS Ford. On the other hand, the belief that the Sea Fury had crashed at sea was so strong, that two lifeboats were sent out on a fruitless search for a plane crash and downed pilot that wasn't there! According to the following contemporary newspaper report ("Chichester Observer" - Saturday 28 June 1947):
"FATAL PARACHUTE JUMP
Selsey and Shoreham lifeboats were out searching the Channel for three hours, on June 20, when it was thought that the pilot of a single-seater fighter, which crashed on Nore Hill, near Eartham, had bailed out in the sea. The fighter took off from Ford Aerodrome, and the body of Flt. Lieut. G. Frakman (22), was found about a mile from the scene of the crash, at North Wood, by a helicopter. A partly opened parachute led to the discovery of the pilot, and after the helicopter had landed and left its co-pilot, it returned to Ford Aerodrome for the Station Medical Officer. Flt. Lt. Frakman was killed."
Sources:
1. Hawker Sea Fury p 18 By Kev Darling
2. Chichester Observer - Saturday 28 June 1947
3. Bognor Regis Observer - Saturday 28 June 1947
4. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=13226.0
5. https://www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1947-01JAN.htm
6. https://www.agefotostock.com/age/en/Stock-Images/Rights-Managed/MEV-10838285
7. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=13138.0
8. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2723066/frakman,-george/
9. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/63485497/george-frakman
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nore_Hill_Pinnacle
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 11-Feb-2020 23:54 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 12-Feb-2020 09:02 | stehlik49 | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Operator] |
| 17-Feb-2020 23:50 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
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