ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 229978
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| Date: | Thursday 26 September 1918 |
| Time: | night |
| Type: |  Sopwith Camel (modified). |
| Owner/operator: | 151 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Location: | Vignacourt, Hauts-de-France -
 France
|
| Phase: | Taxi |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Vignacourt |
| Vignacourt | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
151 Squadron was formed at RAF Station Hainault Farm in England on the 12th of June,1918, as a specialised night fighter unit. To operate in this role the Camel F.1 design had been changed from the day fighting layout by moving the cockpit aft to improve the pilot's view, the fuel tank moved forward to compensate, and the 'cut-out' in the upper mainplane (wings) had been enlarged. The standard armament of two Vickers Machine Guns mounted on the top of the fuselage was replaced by two Lewis Guns on a Foster-type mounting on the top centre of the upper mainplane. This latter change to the original design was to prevent the pilot's night vision from being affected by the muzzle flash of his guns.
Between the 21st and 26th of June the squadron crossed to Northern France in Flights. "C" Flight first, followed by "A" and "B" Flights.
On the night of the 26th of September, 1918, the Flight Commander of "C" Flight was quickly taxiing in from a landing at Vignacourt aerodrome after an uneventful night patrol. It appears that the pilot failed to see (or had forgotten) the shallow ditch that ran between the take off and landing area and the apron in front of the hangars. The ditch could be negotiated safely at slow speed, but this time, when Camel's wheels fell into it, the plane bounced and nosed over, finishing upside down.
The aircraft was seriously damaged with harm to the upper mainplane, propeller, engine cowling etc.
A short while after the incident a rigger reached into the cockpit intending to check that the ignition and guns were safe.
When he did so a single .303 inch (7.7 mm) round was accidentally fired from one of the Lewis guns. The bullet ricocheted and struck the pilot who was kneeling in front of the engine examining it with the aid of a torch. He was hit in the chest and died instantly.
Captain William Harold Haynes (23) DSO, RAF is buried at Abbeville Communal Cemetery.
R.I.P.
.
Sources:
RAF Web.Org.
'Sagittarius Rising' by Cecil Lewis, pub. by Frontline Books.
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 15-Oct-2019 20:39 | angels one five | Added |
| 15-Oct-2019 22:01 | angels one five | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 16-Oct-2019 01:33 | angels one five | Updated [Narrative] |
| 17-Oct-2019 23:49 | angels one five | Updated [Narrative] |
| 28-Oct-2019 08:34 | Anon. | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
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