Hurricane P3048 near East Heslerton, Scarborough.

On the 14th of June 1941 this aircraft was being flown to Usworth to begin its service with 55 OTU. On flying north the weather conditions became bad and with a lack of radio commication the pilot became lost. With fuel running low be force landed the aircraft on the former Scarborough Aero Club aerodrome at East Heslerton. However, with a number of these civilian air strips across the country, many were blocked with old cars to prevent an enemy invasion or landing there. The site at East Heslerton was no different to this, the aircraft landed there but sustained some damage with the under-carriage retracted. The pilot escaped injury.

What is not known is why he selected this field to land on, given all surrounding fields were probably free of old cars.

Hurricane P3048 was built to contract 962371/38/C23a by the Gloster Aircraft Company Ltd, at Brockworth, Gloucestershire. It was delivered to RAF MU storage in February 1940 and then issued to 308 Squadron at Baginton when the unit equipped in October 1940. It then transferred, on an unspecified date, to 79 Squadron at Pembrey in early 1941 before being transferred to 55 OTU at Usworth. It suffered Cat. R/FA damage in the incident at East Heslerton in June 1941 and was repaired in works. Upon completion of the repair it went into MU store. It later passed to The Admiralty at St. Merryn on 14th September 1942. It returned to Hawker for modifications on 24th October 1942 and was then issued to 759 Squadron at Yeovilton on 24th November 1942. It suffered Cat. Y on 8th September 1943 when it made a heavy landing at Stretton which resulted in the undercarriage collapsing. The pilot in this case, Lt. D.H. Grime was uninjured. It was again repaired in works and on completion was sent to RN MU store. It was later issued to 769 Squadron at Easthaven in April 1944 and nothing further is recorded after June 1944.

Pilot - Sgt Francis H Baron RAFVR (1167725), of Battersea, London. Uninjured.