Date:	Tuesday 17 June 1952
Time:	day
Type:	North American AT-16 Harvard T.2B
Owner/operator:	HMS Siskin /RNAS Gosport SF FAA RN
Registration:	EZ316
MSN:	88-16241
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	near HMS Siskin /RNAS Gosport, Hampshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	HMS Siskin, RNAS Gosport, Hampshire
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Ex-USAAF 42-84460 (MSN 88-16241) to RAF as Harvard III EZ316. No recorded RAF service. Transferred to Fleet Air Arm; to AAU Martin Hearn, Hooton Park, Ellesmere Port, Wirral Peninsula, Cheshire, on 10 May 1944. To HMS Daedaulus, RNAS Lee-on-Solent November 1945. To RNAS Rattray (HMS Merganser) Crimond, Aberdeenshire, Scotland 5 February 1946. To HMS Jackdaw, RNAS Crail, Anstruther, Fife by the end of February 1946. Moved at an unknown date in 1946-47 to HMS Fieldfare, RNAS Evanton, Ross & Cromarty, Scotland

To 1831 RNVR Squadron, HMS Blackcap, RNAS Stretton, Appleton Thorn, Warrington, Cheshire 20 August 1947, coded "203/JA". later "201/JA". According to some sources (see link #5) the aircraft was in green-brown (dark earth) upper surfaces, yellow undersides, with the name "HATTER'S CASTLE" in white lettering next to the starboard cockpit door. (However, this is disputed, and there appears to be no photographic evidence to support this). To RNARY Donibristle for overhaul on 5 September 1949.

After overhaul to storage at HMS Nuthatch, RNAS Anthorn, Cumberland, 26 October 1950. Issued to 799 Squadron, HMS Heron, RNAS Yeovilton, Somerset 28 February 1951. To Station Flight, HMS Siskin, RNAS Gosport, Hampshire, 18 June 1951, with name "MIGHTY MOUSE" and Mighty Mouse cartoon character on nose (see links #7, #9 & #10)

Written off (damaged beyond repair)(?) 17 June 1952: forward cockpit caught fire in flight near RNAS Gosport. Pilot - Lieutenant Commander G C J Knight - survived with minor injuries (mostly smoke inhalation). Aircraft made a safe emergency landing at Gosport. Not clear if repaired: next movement noted on aircraft record card is on 30 September 1955, when Harvard EZ316 was Struck Off Charge as Cat.5(s). According to some (unoffical) sources, Harvard EZ316 was broken up for spares and scrap at Gosport in 1959.

1. Fleet Air Arm Fixed Wing Aircraft Since 1946 (Ray Sturtivant, Lee Howard & Mick Burrow, Air Britain, 2004 p.484)
2. The Harvard File (John F Hamlin, Air Britain, 1988 p.72)
3. Ray Sturtivant & T. Ballance (1994). The Squadrons of The Fleet Air Arm. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-223-8.
4. http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1942_4.html
5. Harvard EZ316/"GJ" at Gosport in 1951-52: https://www.airphotographicinternational.com/products/ez316-gj-north-american-na81-harvard-2royal-navy-jersey
6. https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235086792-172-north-american-at-6snb-harvard-iib-iv-by-special-hobby-academy-plastic-released-new-avalon-decals/page/5/
7. https://library.avsim.net/sendfile.php?Location=AVSIM&Proto=file&ImageID=422980
8. https://library.avsim.net/sendfile.php?Location=AVSIM&Proto=file&ImageID=422981
9. https://library.avsim.net/sendfile.php?Location=AVSIM&Proto=file&ImageID=422982
10. https://library.avsim.net/sendfile.php?Location=AVSIM&Proto=file&ImageID=422983

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
28-May-2021 23:08	Dr. John Smith	Added
28-May-2021 23:13	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
28-May-2021 23:13	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source]
17-Jun-2021 21:07	Anon.	Updated [Operator, Location, Operator]