Date:	Sunday 29 June 1952
Time:	afternoon
Type:	Gloster GA.5 Javelin (Prototype)
Owner/operator:	Gloster Aircraft Co.
Registration:	WD804
MSN:	GA5/01
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Boscombe Down, Wiltshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Test
Departure airport:	Moreton Valence Airfield (closed)
Destination airport:	Moreton Valence Airfield (closed)
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
WD804 was lost in 1952 on its 99th flight while carrying out further development work for Glosters. The elevators developed a serious flutter and broke away, making the aircraft very difficult to control. The pilot, Sqn Ldr Waterton, succeeded in getting the aircraft back on the ground by using the tailplane trimmer for pitch control. However because of this he was forced to land at a much higher speed than normal which caused the undercarriage to collapse on touchdown. The aircraft caught fire and was destroyed but the pilot escaped unhurt and managed to save the flight data for which he received the George Medal.

Pilot:
Squadron Leader William A." Bill" Waterton - survived OK.

Bill Waterton's George Medal Citation reads as follows:

"Chief Test Pilot Waterton was making a test flight in a prototype jet all-purpose fighter and, whilst travelling at high speed at the height of about 3,000 feet, elevator flutter developed and both elevators became detached from the aircraft. This left the pilot with practically no control of his aircraft in pitch. Waterton climbed the aircraft to 10,000 feet and experimented with what was left of the control, the paramount factor in effecting a safe landing. He found that it was possible to retain some control down to a speed roughly half as fast again as the normal landing speed. Knowing that a crash would put back seriously the development and production he decided to land the aircraft despite having at his command an ejector seat and parachute. He landed the machine heavily owing to the lack of control and the undercarriage gave way. After the crashed aircraft came to rest, fire broke out and Waterton found great difficulty in freeing himself owing to a jammed "hood. Eventually he did get out of the wreck. By then the flames had reached the area of the cockpit but despite this, he climbed back into the fuselage and salvaged the automatic records relating to the original aerodynamic and structural failures. The behaviour of Chief Test Pilot Waterton was exemplary and beyond the call of duty and his courage was outstanding."

Despite this, Waterton found that he was continually at odds with management and even though he continued test flying, gave his superiors an ultimatum to address deficiencies in the Javelin fighter, that ended with his discharge in 1954.

1. Halley, James J (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.131 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Last Take-off: A Record of RAF Aircraft Losses 1950 to 1953 p 263
3. https://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/javelin/history.php
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Waterton#Gloster_Aircraft_Company
5. National Archives (PRO Kew) File BT233/101: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C424222
6. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AVIA 5/32/S2583: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6578429
7. National Archives (PRO Kew) File PA1716/4/2/33: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/366ab205-3b4e-4c7e-85f9-ef6bcc5853aa (Bill Waterton's criticisms of the GA-5/Javelin)
8. From All Quarters: George Medal for Bill Waterton. Flight, 1 August 1952: https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1952/1952%20-%202076.html

TODAY 1951- #GlosterJavelin prototype WD804 first flew, All weather interceptor @RoyalAirForceUK #Aviation_Hub pic.twitter.com/OjZBN4zNd1

— Aviation Hub HQ (@Aviation_Hub) 26 November 2014

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
03-Jun-2008 15:34	JINX	Added
24-Jun-2009 22:29	Paul Binet-Barbé	Updated
24-Dec-2019 00:44	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Aircraft type, Cn, Source, Embed code, Narrative]
24-Dec-2019 00:45	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Embed code, Narrative]
24-Dec-2019 00:46	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source]