Date:	Saturday 15 September 1951
Time:	day
Type:	North American AT-16 Harvard T.2B
Owner/operator:	CFS RAF
Registration:	KF937
MSN:	18-039
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF St. Athan, Glamorgan, South Wales -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:	Demo/Airshow/Display
Departure airport:	RAF St. Athan, Glamorgan, Wales
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
North American AT-16 Harvard T.2B KF937: No former USAAF Serial. First noted in RAF service in January 1949 with 6 FTS, RAF Little Rissington as "FBJ-K". To CFS (Central Flying School) RAF Little Rissington in December 1949 as "N-M".

Written off (destroyed) On 15th September 1951 Harvard T2B KF937 of CFS crashed at RAF St.Athan, Glamorgan, South Wales, during the Battle of Britain Display. The aircraft began a spin at 2500 feet and stopped at about 800 feet from where it went into a steep dive to 300 feet, when recovery action was started. However insufficient height remained to effect a successful recovery and the aircraft mushed into the ground. The pilot was killed - one of three killed on this day in Battle of Britain Air Displays. (See also Harvard FX428 and Meteor WE869)
Crew:
F/Lt (153368) John Martin MAYNARD (pilot) RAF - killed

The pilot is commemorated with a memorial plaque on the south wall of St. Michaels Church, Colyford, Devon

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.119 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Last Take-off: A Record of RAF Aircraft Losses 1950 to 1953 Colin Cummings p 176
3. The Harvard File (John F Hamlin, Air Britain, 1988 p 120)
4. RAF Little Rissington: The Central Flying School, 1946–76 By Roy Bagshaw, Alan Pollock, Malcolm Thomas, Ray Deacon
5. "Three Killed at Air Displays". The Times (52108). London. September 15, 1051. p. 4.
6. http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1943_2.html
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_air_show_accidents_and_incidents_in_the_20th_century#1951
8. http://ciapoldiescorner.blogspot.com/2009/09/events-for-15th-september.html
9. https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/25247
10. https://www.facebook.com/203615389655325/photos/a.881651908518333/3581348148548682/?type=3

Fl Lt J M Maynard © Mark Newton 19.05.2015 (WMR-25247)

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
09-Feb-2021 18:52	Dr. John Smith	Added
09-Feb-2021 18:53	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
09-Feb-2021 18:54	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
09-Feb-2021 19:34	harro	Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Narrative, Operator]