Slingsby T.5 Grunau Baby II BGA.309 and Abbott Baynes Scud II BGA.200 gliders near Sutton Bank.
During the week of 24th July 1938 to 1st August 1938 the Yorkshire Gliding Club ran their first advanced gliding course which attracted visitors from gliding clubs across the country, it was held at Sutton Bank but with attendees also being taken to Welburn aerodrome to be given aero-towing, winch launches and lectures. Over the Sutton Bank area on Sunday, 31st July 1938 what was believed to have been the first British collision of two gliders in the air occurred. Sharpe (in Grunau Baby) was flying at a lower height than Horsfield (in Scud II) but when both turned toward each other one lost and the other gained height so that the Scud II glider struck the tail of the Grunau Baby. The Scud II lost it's nose with the rudder controls attached and initially went out of control but it's pilot found that while the rudder control was missing he was able to regain some form of control using the elevator and ailerons. Rather than land normally and cause him significant leg injuries he opted to try and stall the aircraft over trees to cushion a landing. This was successful and the pilot climbed down from the trees with the help of a ladder. The Grunau Baby had it's tail section torn off and control was immediately lost, it crashed inverted into braken near the gliding club but the pilot was not seriously injured.
Pilot of Grunau Baby - Mr William C Sharpe, of Apperley Bridge, Bradford.
Pilot / owner of Scud II - Mr Walter Rex Horsfield, of Welwyn Garden City, London.
The Scud II in trees near Sutton Bank (photograph found in Sailplane and Glider magazine).
William "Billy" Sharpe returned to flying gliders at Sutton Bank after the Second World War, in 1948 he acted as a chief instructor. He died in 1968 aged 57.
Slingsby T.5 Grunau Baby II BGA.309 was damaged in a number of flying accidents at Sutton Bank. It sustained repairable damage on 20th November 1937, 31st July 1938 and 5th February 1939 before being damaged beyond repair on 22nd April 1939.