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Flycatcher incident 1934/35
Flycatcher incident 1934/35Author: Jim Corbett (Guest)
Time Stamp:
08:56:34 Thursday, August 5, 2004
Post:
I am in possession of a photograph depicting a Fairey Flycatcher which made a forced landing in a field at Yarrow, Falstone, Northumberland in 1934/35.
Unfortunately due to the position of the aircraft I am unable to identify a serial no, thus the identity of the aircraft.
As the Flycatcher became obsolete in April 1935 it must be one of the last flying examples to serve in the Air Force, as such I believe it may have been an aircraft from the RAF Training Base at Leuchars as they were the last unit to operate the type.
Brief details I have on the incident are as follows:
"One of a flight of three aircraft the machine was forced down in a field due to engine trouble. A successful landing was made in a field at Yarrow, Falstone, Northumberland, the pilot was uninjured. One of the other aircraft also landed and took off again. The aircraft was dismantled and recovered by road."
The only evidence of unit markings which I have been able to identify are a dark and white band at the top of bottom on the interplane struts and a dark and light band along the nose just forward of the cockpit and above the machine gun.
The photo can be viewed at:
http://www.acia.co.uk/images/flycatcher_yarrow.jpg
I hope someone can help in at least identifying which unit this machine came from, or, ideally, the aircraft and pilot.
Kind Regards,
Jim
RE: Flycatcher incident 1934/35
Author: Jim Corbett (Guest)
Time Stamp:
07:57:46 Tuesday, October 5, 2004
Post:
Would you believe it just after posting this I received a phone call regarding the incident from an old chap who has photos showing the machine.
I have now positvely identified this aircraft as Flycatcher N9679 of 404 Flight HMS Courageous, coded '13'.
I still however do not have a precise date for the incident. The other machine which landed with N9679 has been identified as Flycatcher N9917. N9917 was only with 404 Flight between July 1929 and November 1929 which suggests that the accident took place between these two dates and not 1934/35 as I have been previously told.
Jim