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View Full Version : Flt Lt Dermod Donatus O'Brien (Lt, RN) Killed 21 Mar 39 - CFS Wittering 1931



paulmcmillan
21st November 2012, 10:02
I have the following refernce to a pre-war RAF Bale-out

"Aircraftsman D O'Brien of the Royal Air Force, was flying on 2nd June, 1931, in the front seat of an Avro Lynx. When his pilot performed a slow roll O'Brien fell out as the machine reached the inverted position. He pulled his rip cord, however, and made a safe and comfortable landing." - Location Wittering, Cambridgeshire

I would like to know if it was possible for flying RN personell to be trained at the CFS in Wittering in 1931. A Sub-Lt Dermod Donatus O'Brien was attached to R.A.F. Base, Leuchars in May 1932.

as wondering if it could be possible that this is the same person and Aircraftsman D O'Brien is actually probably Flght Cadet Dermod Donatus O'Brien. I Couldn't find any AC1. D. O'Brien in Air 78

Finally, O'Brien was killed on 21 March 1939 when he crashed at Gosport Royal Air Force Aerodrome and was instantly killed. His passenger, Sub-Lieutenant C. A. C. O'Rorke. escaped with minor injuries. The machine had taken off a few minutes before the accident and had reached a height about 300 feet when the engine cut out and it crashed out of control. It was a fleet spotter reconnaissance machine and was completely wrecked.

Can anyone ID the aircraft Involved?

Litcham_Lad
22nd November 2012, 10:38
Paul,

Re: Death of F/L DD O'Brien

see

{{{http://daveg4otu.tripod.com/hancrash.txt}}}

Osprey S1682

dg

paulmcmillan
22nd November 2012, 12:20
Litcham_Lad
thanks for that!

Paul

paulmcmillan
15th June 2019, 16:09
Came back to this today

Dermod Donatus O'Brien Born 1909 was a Lt in Royal Navy in May 1923 so very very unlikely to be an LAC in 1931

So looking for someone else


Paul

wwrsimon
15th June 2019, 16:30
Paul

There's a fairly detailed family tree on ancestry.co.uk, which records his d.o.b as August 15th 1909.

It has links to the following:

His Royal Aero Club Aviator's Certificate, taken at Shenley, Herts, on June 12th 1931.

The ADM 104 entry which shows his age as 30 at he time of his death, and his rank as Lt. R.N./Flt. Lieut. R.A.F.

Regards

Simon