Hawker Hunter Plane Crash . HOOK Hants
Hawker Hunter Plane Crash . HOOK Hants
I am hopeing some member may be able to help /advise me of how to obtain information about a Hawker Hunter Jet crashed into my late in-laws fields in 1951 , The storys were always about how the wheels from the jet crashed onto the roof of a barn ,the pilots watch was found , the field were the crash happened ,was cratered ,for a great many years afterwards , The reason for this plea ,was after a Village Historian ,who I told about this crash could find No evidence in archives , I know Ive strayed of course Again !! Sorry , but I know what my In-laws said about it happening ,and the fact of a family member being close by at the time of the crash who witnessed it from his seat of his tractor , Can anybody cast any light on it ? Ive also checked archive records but with out any luck ? Please Help Or Advise me please how to get to the bottom of this strange but true story . Riskey
Re: Hawker Hunter Plane Crash . HOOK Hants
Google shows that the Hawker Hunter prototye crashed into a field at a 1951 Hillsboro airshow killing it's pilot.
It seems very strange that the prototype would heve been in the USA at that time. You may well find sufficient threads there to give you further leads.
There were variants of the Hawker P1052, many of which would have been flying in the Farnborough area a around that time.
Dennis
It seems very strange that the prototype would heve been in the USA at that time. You may well find sufficient threads there to give you further leads.
There were variants of the Hawker P1052, many of which would have been flying in the Farnborough area a around that time.
Dennis
Re: Hawker Hunter Plane Crash . HOOK Hants
Hi Dennis , Thank-you . I just find it hard to believe that this crash in Hook has not been documented in any way ?? my wifes elder sister "Peggy " could remember it like yesturday ,the pilot tryed to crash land the Hunter onto the fields ,but clipped the trees along the line bank and it flipped over , Peggy was 11 years old . Why is there Not any information on it ?? It just seems so strange . Its not something ive ever looked into ,but after "matter of factly " telling the village historian its made me wonder why it was never recorded ? Riskey
Re: Hawker Hunter Plane Crash . HOOK Hants
I hope the moderators will allow this piece { above } to stay ? I know its not B/C but I feel the forum members would be great in helping solve this mystery crash ,where archives seem blank / RISKEY
Re: Hawker Hunter Plane Crash . HOOK Hants
Hi Riskey, The only UK Hawker loss in 1951 appears to be a Hawker p1081, forerunner of the Hunter. The prefix P denoting prototype. This a/c. crashed in the Souh of England 03/04/51. killing Hawkers Chief Test Pilot, S/ldr. Wimpey" Wade.
The records show that he a/c was believed to be in an out of control dive, the ejector seat failed to operate. At the time the a/c. would probably have been on the secret list, hence the absence of information.
Dennis
The records show that he a/c was believed to be in an out of control dive, the ejector seat failed to operate. At the time the a/c. would probably have been on the secret list, hence the absence of information.
Dennis
Re: Hawker Hunter Plane Crash . HOOK Hants
Hi Dennis , Could that be the one ?? plot thickens Thanks Dennis
Re: Hawker Hunter Plane Crash . HOOK Hants
I think that it is the one, if you key into Goog;le "squadron leader wimpey wade ther is a lt of ingormation on him & the crash.
Dennis
Dennis
Re: Hawker Hunter Plane Crash . HOOK Hants
Hi,
Just picked up your post. The aircraft you mention I don't think is a Hunter as I beleive it was not on service in 1951, only the prototype P1067. I think it may have been another aircraft that perhaps came down at Hook.
I am sure you are refering to the Hawker P1081 that was flown by Sqn.Ldr TS "Wimpey" Wade, chief test pilot with Hawker and he was killed when P1081 crashed on 3 April 1951 at Ringmer near Lewes in Sussex. He ejected but the seat failed. (the other correspondent was correct in saying that in 1942ish, Wimpey Wade then a PO was shot down and crashed on Lewes race course only 4-5 miles from where he died in 1951)
These details are fresh in my mind as I witnessed the P1081 crash. I was a 14 year old staying with my Grandparents for a few days at their farm 1.5 miles from the crash site. Lumps of the shattered canopy fell into the hedge along side the farm house. I went to the crash site and can confirm that the aircrash was totalled with the cockpit lying in the middle of a field and the rest burned out against the side of a ditch some 150 yards away. The police were looking for items belonging to Sqn Ldr Wade and I later found his helmet and goggles not far from our farm which I handed in. (a leather helmet by the way - before bonedomes). I in fact still have the newspaper cutting reporting this sad incident.
It would seem that the cause of this crash may have been a failure with a fault with trim tabs that resulted in wing flutter. Out of interest, this was the first flight Wimpey Wade had with P1081 since return the previous day from a lecture tour in the USA. Neville Duke had been testing the aircraft in his absense.
Do hope this helps and throws somw useful light on your enquiries.
Regards
les
Just picked up your post. The aircraft you mention I don't think is a Hunter as I beleive it was not on service in 1951, only the prototype P1067. I think it may have been another aircraft that perhaps came down at Hook.
I am sure you are refering to the Hawker P1081 that was flown by Sqn.Ldr TS "Wimpey" Wade, chief test pilot with Hawker and he was killed when P1081 crashed on 3 April 1951 at Ringmer near Lewes in Sussex. He ejected but the seat failed. (the other correspondent was correct in saying that in 1942ish, Wimpey Wade then a PO was shot down and crashed on Lewes race course only 4-5 miles from where he died in 1951)
These details are fresh in my mind as I witnessed the P1081 crash. I was a 14 year old staying with my Grandparents for a few days at their farm 1.5 miles from the crash site. Lumps of the shattered canopy fell into the hedge along side the farm house. I went to the crash site and can confirm that the aircrash was totalled with the cockpit lying in the middle of a field and the rest burned out against the side of a ditch some 150 yards away. The police were looking for items belonging to Sqn Ldr Wade and I later found his helmet and goggles not far from our farm which I handed in. (a leather helmet by the way - before bonedomes). I in fact still have the newspaper cutting reporting this sad incident.
It would seem that the cause of this crash may have been a failure with a fault with trim tabs that resulted in wing flutter. Out of interest, this was the first flight Wimpey Wade had with P1081 since return the previous day from a lecture tour in the USA. Neville Duke had been testing the aircraft in his absense.
Do hope this helps and throws somw useful light on your enquiries.
Regards
les
Re: Hawker Hunter Plane Crash . HOOK Hants
Ive kept an eye on this page for a while now ,and no-one seems to know Why this was never recorded . The crash-site today is built on ,those who might know Hook Village the site is VERY Close to what is now the "under-pass ". Its a very strange story ,when my father in-laws brother was alive he was in the next field Ploughing , then over the years that particular field -crash-site was just left to grow wild . The only conclusion to this as as already explained it must have been an Proto-type Fighter ??? -Strange But True . Thanks for your thoughts Riskey