Vampire VT863 in the centre of the photograph (photo via Jim Rutland).

On 9th September 1951 the pilot of this aircraft took off from Thornaby at 15.35hrs to practice for the Battle of Britain air display due to be held at Thornaby on 15th September 1951. Whilst flying at a high speed the aircraft was seen to turn steeply before flicking to one side and diving into the ground from between 1,000 and 1,500 feet at 15.42hrs killing the pilot near Hutton Rudby. The crash investigation found that the probable cause was probably down to the inexperienced Auxilliary pilot in flying fast and making tight turns at high speed. A stall occured which the pilot was inable to recover from, possibly because he passed out because of the G-force in the turn. Since creating this initial webpage I have received a number of emails stating the aircraft crashed about a mile west of the village of Hutton Rudby near to "Meggison House".

Pilot - Sgt Harry Darragh Mincher RAF (2686168), aged 28, of Bothwell, Lanarkshire. Buried Darlington West Cemetery, Durham (V6Z376).

Harry Mincher was born on 16th October 1922 and had 44 hours flying time on the Vampire at the time of his death. The pilot flew Beaufighters during the War.

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Vampire VT863 was built to contract 6/ACFT/936 by E.E.C. at Salmesbury and was believed delivered to the RAF in February 1948. It was issued to 54 Squadron at Odiham in April 1948 and on an unknown date moved to the Station Flight at Odiham. It was transferred to 601 Squadron at North Weald in November 1949 and then to 608 Squadron on an as yet unknown date. Cat.E2/FA(burnt) damage was recorded as a result of the accident detailed above.