Mustang AG541 at Clifton Airfield, York.
On the 15th January 1943 the pilot of this Mustang was returning from a low flying training flight which also included aerobatics.
On his return the aircraft suffered engine failure and at 14.35hrs undershot his
approach to land at Clifton airfield, he touched down on land ajoining the airfield and then struck a lorry thought to be on the road next to Clifton airfield in
the region of the Bumper Castle public house. The aircraft then crashed onto the airfield perimeter track and the pilot escaped injury but sadly
the lorry driver was killed.
Mustang AG541 was built to purchase contract 15471 by North American at Inglewood/Dallas and shipped to the UK, arriving in March 1942.
After assembly and testing at MU it was issued to 4 Squadron at Clifton in June 1942. It suffered Cat.B/FA on 15th January 1943 and was taken away and repaired in
works. After repairs were completed it was issued to 2 Squadron at Fowlmere on an unspecified date in early 1943. It moved with unit to
Sawbridgeworth on 27th April 1943 and then to Gravesend with unit on 16th July 1943 and finally to Odiham with unit on 10th August 1943.
The aircraft was then transferred to training duties with 41 OTU at Hawarden in late 1943 and served with them until being struck
off charge on inspection on 27th September 1944.
Pilot - P/O George Hindmarsh RAF (126595), uninjured.
Lorry driver - Name as yet unknown, killed.
Ms Heygates research has found that he may have had a brother, one John Hindmarsh who was a fanous motor racing driver of his day and he later became an RAF pilot and later a
Hawker test pilot but was killed in 1938 while test flying a Hurricane.
George Hindmarsh recorded as interview in which he stated that he lost a brother in a flying accident
before his transfer to the RAF. There were no Wartime Hindmarsh fatalities prior to 1942
so the link seems credible.
Ms Sally-Anne Heygate's father served with 2 Squadron at the same time as P/O Hindmarsh later in the War, her research into his aircrew friends adds extra information on George Hindmarsh.
He had initially served with the Royal Artillery in the early part of the War but transferred to the RAF and trained at Cranwell with 2 FTS. He was awarded a commission in the RAF as
P/O (emergency) on 23rd July 1942. His first operational posting was to 4 Squadron but
he later acted as an instructor at 41 OTU at Hawarden in November 1943 and was later posted to 2 Squadron. He survived the War.
I thank Ms Heygate for contacting me and adding this extra informatio on the pilots career and family.