Date:	Tuesday 16 July 1957
Time:	day
Type:	Bristol 171 Sycamore HR Mk 14
Owner/operator:	275 Sqn RAF
Registration:	XG545
MSN:	13385
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	North Sea, 1/2 mile off Happisburgh, Norfolk -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF North Coates, Lincolnshire
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Bristol 171 Sycamore HR.14 XG545, 275 Squadron RAF: Written off 16/07/1957 - Lost power after the engine overheated during winching practice at 25-30 feet. XG545 ditched into the North Sea half a mile off Happisburgh, Norfolk. The three crew were rescued by a rowing boat, but the aircraft was written off as "beyond economic repair", probably due to extended immersion in salt water.

Note: Sycamore OE-XSY (c/no. 13475, ex-Luftwaffe 78+17, AS+324, CA+328, German Civil registry as D-HALD, UK "Class B" makings as G-18-148, and Swiss Registry as HB-RXB) has been restored to flying condition - the only airworthy Bristol Sycamore in the world still flying - and carries RAF markings as "XG545". It is, of course, a completely different airframe to the above. It has NEVER seen RAF service, and is painted in the markings of 32 Squadron, RAF - the "real" XG545 never saw service with 32 Squadron (delivered 9 October 1956 to 275 Squadron, written off 16 July 1957 as per the above).

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.191 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Royal Air Force Aircraft XA100-XZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 2001 p 38)
3. Weston-Super-Mare and the Aeroplane By Roger Dudley, Ted Johnson
4. National Archives (PRO Kew) File BT233/389: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C424510
5. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AVIA 5/37/S2884: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6578664
6. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=XG
7. http://www.ukserials.com/losses-1957.htm
8. https://www.helis.com/database/cn/42083/

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
21-Apr-2013 17:11	Dr. John Smith	Added
23-Jan-2020 19:38	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Operator, Source, Narrative]
23-Jan-2020 22:44	stehlik49	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Operator]