ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 22163
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| Date: | Wednesday 30 October 1940 |
| Time: | 04:00 LT |
| Type: |  Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk V |
| Owner/operator: | 51 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | P4972 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 5 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | RAF Dishforth, North Yorkshire -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Dishforth, North Yorkshire |
| RAF Dishforth, North Yorkshire |
Armstrong Whitworth Whitley B.Mk.V P4972 (MH-E) 51 Squadron, RAF: Written off (damaged beyond repair) in a landing accident upon return from a combat operation at RAF Dishforth, North Yorkshire. According to the official Air Ministry file into the incident (File AIR 81/4012): "Sergeant J R Brown: died of wounds; Pilot Officer N E Sharp: injured; Sergeant D H Crocker, Sergeant A Brittain: uninjured; aircraft accident, Whitley P4972, 51 Squadron, 30 October 1940"
In the early hours of 30th October 1940 the crew of this 51 Squadron aircraft were returning from Ops having bombed Meresburg. The aircraft undershot on landing at Dishforth airfield at 04.00 hrs in a cross wind and crashed. Sadly the second pilot died of his injuries in Harrogate Hospital and the remaining crew also sustained injuries.
Whitley P4972 was built to contract 75147/38 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd, at Baginton and was awaiting collection on 3rd May 1940. It was delivered new to 51 Squadron at Dishforth a few days later. The aircraft had an event free existence unit 30th October 1940 when it crashed at Dishforth and Cat.W/FB damage was recorded. The airframe was so badly damaged it was struck off charge on the same day. Whitley P4972 was a replacement at 51 Squadron for Whitley K8980, a Mk.IV. 51 Squadron ceased operating MkIV's in May 1940 in favour of MkV's.
Crew of Whitley P4972:
Pilot - Pilot Officer Norman Edward Sharp RAF 43046, of Johannesburg, Transvaal, South Africa. Injured.
Second Pilot - Sgt John Raymond Brown RAFVR 745568, aged 20, of Blackpool. Died of injuries sustained. Buried Blackburn Cemetery, Blackburn, Lancashire.
Observer - Sgt Douglas Henry Crocker RAFVR 755895. Injured.
Wireless Operator - Sgt Albutt Britain RAF 634328. Uninjured.
Air Gunner - Pilot Officer Stephen Storey RAF 78693. Uninjured.
Sources:
1. Royal Air Force Aircraft P1000-P9999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1978)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/4012: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C16688110
3. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2697510/brown,-john-raymond/
4. http://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/yorkshire/york40/p4972.html
5. https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-armstrong-whitworth-aw38-whitley-v-raf-dishforth-1-killed
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 04-Aug-2008 23:22 | Anon. | Added |
| 04-Feb-2012 08:40 | Nepa | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport] |
| 04-Oct-2019 21:32 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Operator, Total fatalities, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 08-Oct-2019 11:06 | juza7 | Updated [Operator] |
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