Date:	Monday 7 August 1933
Time:	day
Type:	Hawker Horsley Mk II
Owner/operator:	504 (County of Nottingham) Sqn RAF
Registration:	J8025
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Hawkinge, 2.2 miles north of Folkestone, Kent -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Hawkinge, Folkestone, Kent
Destination airport:	RAF Hawkinge, Folkestone, Kent
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
A Hawker Horsley crashed into the No.4 hangar at RAF Hawkinge, 2.2 miles north of Folkestone Kent, where there were several Blackburn Dart airplanes were stored. Six of the Blackburn Darts were destroyed by fire. The Pilot of the Horsley was Flight Lt Frederick William Hartridge, A.F.C. of Special Reserve and the Gunner was Norman Owen Connett (604152) who was a Carpenter Rigger. Hartridge was Service Number 45579 and won his AFC in 1919.

Apparently there were 9 Horsleys doing formation flying. Three came into land and were caught by a gust of wind over the hangers. Two just missed the hanger but the third (J8025) hit it with its starboard wing. J8025 Landed out of wind and overshot: the accident was attributed to pilot error, in that the pilot delayed his decision to go round again too long and crashed onto the hangar. Pilot very experienced, with 258 Hours on Type. No reported fatalities. Within weeks the remnants of the hangar (No.4 Hangar) were demolished and cleared away. It was never rebuilt

According to a contemporary newspaper report (Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald - Saturday 12 August 1933):

"BOMBER CRASHES AT HAWKINGE
LARGE HANGAR FIRED
SEVEN AEROPLANES BURNT OUT
AIRMEN'S REMARKABLE ESCAPE
The Royal Air Force Aerodrome at Hawkinge on August Bank Holiday Monday was the scene of an amazing air accident, in which two airmen had remarkable escapes from death and seven aeroplanes and one of the large hangars were destroyed by a disastrous fire. The accident occurred when a Hawker Horsley bomber, piloted by Flight Lieutenant Frederick W. Hartridge, accompanied by Aircraftsman 2 Norman O. Connett, both members of the 504th (Nottingham) Squadron, R.A.F., coming in to land, collided with two buildings and then burst into flames.

A hangar containing seven aeroplanes burned like tinder when fire broke out, and although one machine was saved the other six and the bomber were completely destroyed. Both airmen were injured, and after treatment at the sick quarters at the air station they were removed to the Shorncliffe Military Hospital.

25th SQUADRON AWAY ON MANOEUVRES
The accident occurred at a time when the 25th Fighter Squadron, R.A.F., which is stationed at Hawkinge, was away from the station on manoeuvres at Sutton Bridge. The 504th Squadron, which is one of the R.A.F. cadre squadrons, came into camp at Hawkinge Saturday, July 30th, and the camp breaks to-day (Saturday).

Flight Lt. Hartridge's machine was one of a flight of three Horsleys which were coming in to land from a southerly direction. Flight Lt. Hartridge was the formation leader. As they were about to land he apparently decided there was a danger of overshooting the aerodrome, and accordingly he attempted to take off again over the hangars.
Unfortunately he had lost a considerable amount of flying speed and was unable to rise sufficiently to clear the hangar roofs.

Part of his machine struck the gun butts diverting its upward flight, and it then went on to collide with the upper portion of the larger building (No. 4 hangar), which contained seven aeroplanes. The engine broke through the roof and the machine hung suspended on top of the wall, half in and half out of the hangar. Both occupants experienced considerable difficulty in extricating themselves from the wreckage.

FALL THROUGH ROOF
Flight Lt. Hartridge succeeded in clambering on to the roof, but the portion on which he stood collapsed, flinging him into the locked building. He had another lucky escape, however, for his fall was broken by the main plane of a machine housed in the hangar. Aircraftsman Connett fell outside when he was able to release himself; Those waiting to catch him with canvas sheet were unable to wholly break his fall, and he suffered concussion. In the meantime rescuers broke into the building and carried Flight Lt. Hartridge into safety just as the petrol from the burst tank ignited.

The wrecked machine blazed up immediately, the engine breaking away from the fuselage and falling into the interior where it set light to the other aeroplanes. The whole building was ablaze within a very short time. Flames spread with amazing rapidity and the roof collapsed within ten minutes of the outbreak. Airmen attempted to save some of the contents of the hangar, but only succeeded in wheeling one machine to safety. A second caught fire as it was being removed and had to be abandoned. The air station's fire tender and picquet were quickly on the scene of the outbreak, but the fire gained such a complete hold that their efforts were unavailing.

FOLKESTONE BRIGADE CALLED
The Folkestone Fire Brigade was called at 12.35 p.m., and left the station in Dover Road at 12.38 p.m., arriving at Hawkinge with great despatch. The party of seven men were under the direction of Chief Officer Wood, and they brought the Dennis motor pump and escape, whilst four others stood by at the station. The firemen now concentrated their efforts on keeping the fire to the one building, which was a mass of flame from end to end. There was a light breeze, too, and this fanned the flames and carried pieces of the blazing roof a considerable distance. The heat was so intense that the great iron doors of the hangar buckled and twisted like tin-foil, and within a short time the whole of the roof fell in.

FIRE UNDER CONTROL
A pall of smoke, going up to a great height, was seen for miles around, and drew crowds of curious sightseers to the aerodrome from Folkestone and other parts of the countryside. After about an hour the firemen were masters of the situation and by 2 o'clock the hangar was just a smouldering wreck with the fire fighters cooling down the debris with water. The Folkestone motor pump, after being in service for two hours, returned to its station just after 3 o'clock.

Describing the escape of Aircraftsman Connett, an eye-witness stated that he appeared to be only semi-conscious while he tried to unfasten his safety strap and extricate his foot from the wreckage. Airmen on the ground took the canvas cover from an adjacent hose-reel and held it out in an endeavour to save him from further injury when he fell. Unfortunately the cover was not large enough for the purpose and only served to partially break his fall. He sustained a fracture of the base of the skull, facial injuries and multiple abrasions. His home is at Nottingham where he lives with his mother at 91, Pierrepont Road, West Bridgford.

Flight Lt. Hartridge suffered concussion, fractured ribs, fractured wrist and multiple abrasions. He and his observer were taken to the aerodrome sick quarters, where they received medical attention, and were later removed to Shorncliffe Military Hospital. Flight Lt. Hartridge lives at "Heathfield," London Road, Leicester, and is an experienced pilot.

TWO OTHER MACHINES ESCAPE
The two machines which formed the remainder of the formation both had narrow escapes from being involved in the disaster, each missing the building by only a few feet. They landed safely shortly afterwards.

A remarkable discovery was made on Tuesday when the burnt out hangar was being examined. In one corner a tank containing 300 gallons of petrol was found. The chassis on which the tank had been mounted was completely burned out, but the tank and its contents were intact. It was not known at the time of the fire that there was such a great amount of petrol stored in the burning hangar. It is believed that the petrol was prevented from exploding owning to the tank being very full.

The machines which were destroyed in the hangar were bombers, although not of the same type as those in service with the 504th Squadron. A Court of Enquiry has since been held at the aerodrome. Its findings are not published. The total damage has not been officially disclosed, but it is estimated at between £20,000 and £30,000."

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft J1-J9999 (Dennis Thompson, Air Britain, 1987 p 66)
2. Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald - Saturday 12 August 1933
3. The Times newspaper (London) 8th August 1933
4. Illustrated London News - Saturday 12 August 1933
5. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 10/1564 ("Report on Flying Accidents during July-Dec 1933"): https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C3304039
6. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?20448-Hawker-Horsley-J8025-Crash-Hawkinge-August-7th-1933-Other-Losses
7. http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=2288
8. https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=533821930106319&id=126834467471736
9. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=13319.0

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
29-Aug-2010 11:17	harro	Added
04-May-2013 14:11	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Location, Phase]
26-May-2013 17:42	Nepa	Updated [Operator]
09-Feb-2017 16:49	Dr.John Smith	Updated [Registration, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
09-Feb-2017 17:04	Dr.John Smith	Updated [Location, Source, Narrative]
18-Feb-2020 00:53	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
18-Feb-2020 00:54	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source]
18-Feb-2020 00:54	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Aircraft type]
18-Feb-2020 00:58	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source]
04-Jun-2020 12:09	Christopher	Updated [Narrative]