Martinet HN862 near Muston, Filey.
Martinet HN862 (albeit a slightly warped photograph).
On 7th July 1943 the pilot of this aircraft was carrying out target towing off the Yorkshire Coast when his
fuel gauge showed the fuel was running low, he made landfall and crashed whilst attempting a forced landing
near Muston, to the west of Filey at 11.45hrs. The flight had lasted only forty five minutes. The investigation
found that a faulty fuel gauge caused the pilot to make the assumption that the aircraft had run
out of fuel. The aircraft as such was written off in the crash although it was possible to salvage the engine.
The incident was not down to a faulty engine as is quoted in at least one modern account.
Pilot - Sgt Walter "Wally" Nichol RAFVR (1576994), of Fulwell, Sunderland. Uninjured.
Martinet HN862 was built to contract ACFT/1690/C.23(c) by Phillips & Powys at Woodley and
delivered to MU store in August 1942 before being issued to RAE at Farnborough later that year.
On an unspecified date in 1943 it was transferred to A&AEE at Boscombe Down. After a further
period of MU storage it was issued to Hutton Cranswick Station Flight. In mid-1943 it was
quickly transferred to 1634 AAC Flt at Hutton Cranswick on 17th June 1943. It sustained
Cat.E2/FA damage in the incident on 7th July 1943 and was written off.
Walter Nichol received his commission on 20th October 1943 (160635) to P/O on probation (emergency), rising to F/O (war subs)
on 20th April 1944. He had been posted to 567 Squadron around this time and sadly died
on 14th May 1944 he died. He was twenty three years old and his buried in Mere Knolls
cemetery, Sunderland. Prior to enlisting he was an instructor of the City and Guilds
of London in Woodwork and Handicraft. 567 Squadron were an anti-aircraft co-operation unit,
he was probably target towing on the day he died but research is ongoing.
It is believed that Sgt Nichol survived the War.