ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 138900
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| Date: | Saturday 12 September 1942 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: | Martin-Baker MB.3 |
| Owner/operator: | Martin-Baker Aircraft Company Ltd. |
| Registration: | R2492 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | field near RAF Wing, Buckinghamshire, England -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Test |
| Departure airport: | RAF Wing, Buckinghamshire |
The Martin-Baker MB3 fighter prototype listed as "Experimental Aeroplane No.120" and with the serial number R2492 was temporarily stationed at 26 OTU (Operational Training Unit) at RAF Wing for trials.
First flew on 31/08/1942.The tests were supervised by Group Captain Snaith and observed by, amongst others, Air Vice Marshals Francis John Linnell (Controller of Research and Development at the Ministry of Aircraft Production) and Burton. Following its successful first flight, undertaken by Capt. Baker, the next series of test flights revealed the MB 3 to be highly manoeuvrable and easy to fly, but on 12/09/1942, the engine failed soon after take-off and Capt. Baker, trying to save the aircraft by executing a difficult forced landing, crashed in a field and was killed.
The Unit Report states:
"Capt. Baker had just got airborne, when he had immediate loss of power. In trying to save the aircraft, he made a forced landing in a field, but hit a tree stump and was killed."
The subsequent Court of Inquiry found the cause to be "...engine failure due to a broken sleeve drive crank in the engine." Rumours suggested that the Napier Sabre engine used had been overheating on the ground. Ground-crew George Bignall recalled "Although nobody was allowed into the aircraft hangar, we were able to see it during its testing time. It was very fast, with Capt. Baker flying very close to us at times, shooting up the runway very low." Of the day of the accident he said, "I was doing a modification on dispersals, when Capt. Baker took off towards Stewkley. I watched him climb, then, suddenly, the engine cut out and he crashed, trying to land."
Civilian John Thornton also witnessed the accident:
Two fields from where Morris and I were harvesting, there was a stack of newly-threshed straw. The MB.3 hit this and burst into flame. 'Bunny' Winter, the bailiff of Cold Harbour Farm, beat us to the crash, but we were too late to rescue Capt. Baker in the fierce fire.
The Unit Report states:
Mr Winter actually managed to remove Capt. Baker's body from the aircraft.
Crew:
Capt. Valentine Henry BAKER MC AFC (test pilot) Martin-Baker Aircraft: killed in the accident.
Sources:
1.Le Fana de l'Aviation n°503 - September 2011
2.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine_Baker_%28pilot%29
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 02-Oct-2011 11:07 | ThW | Added |
| 02-Oct-2011 23:38 | angels one five | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 02-Oct-2011 23:40 | angels one five | Updated [Location, Source] |
| 14-Jul-2016 16:10 | TB | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 20-May-2023 09:49 | Nepa | Updated [[Source, Narrative]] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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