Wellington RP555 near Topcliffe Airfield.
On the 13th of January 1948 this aircraft took off from Topcliffe in the mid-afternoon so the pilot could train on instrument flying.
Also on board was a second pilot who was acting as an instructor, a radio operator and a passenger. The purpose of the latter was so that he could carry
out radar tests during the flight. The aircraft took off in the gusty conditions with the pilot having to use both hands to maintain lateral
control, the aircraft climbed normally to 400 feet but after which the nose rose sharply. The pilot pushed the control column forward to try and make the
aircraft return to level but this had no effect, full power was applied but the aircraft continued to climb at this rate until it was at
about 1000 feet. The speed of it had now dropped to 80 knots so the pilot ordered the crew to bale out before it stalled. Only the second pilot
was able to get out before the nose sank and the aircraft entered a dive from which it could not be recovered from. The survivor sustained slight injuries after being
dragged by his parachute when on the ground after it caught in the strong wind. The other three had no chance to get out before it crashed and were
sadly killed in the crash at 15.00hrs. The resulting investigation found that the aircraft had been stored outside in a strong wind without any control locks been installed.
the strong wind had, over time, effected the elavator control cable and it was thought that it had become disconnected. Whilst it appeared to operate normally
when the control column was moved it had no effect on the elevators.
Pilot - P2 (Warr Off) William (Bill) F Barber RAF (1614255), aged 25. Of Market Harborough. Buried Market Harborough Cemetery.
Instructor Pilot - P2 F O Bosomworth RAF, slightly injured.
Signaller - Sig2b (Warr Off) Kenneth (Ken) J Feary RAF (1813068), aged 23, of London. Buried Highgate Cemetery, London.
Passenger - AC1 Peter A Lindus RAF (3088756), aged 19. Of St Lukes, Surrey. Cremated Croyden.
Bill Barber.
Ken Feary (far right).
The location of the crash is still visable and is shown by the bare patch in this photograph.
The two photographs above show a peice unique to the Wellington/Warwick and is a geodetic joining plate, the inspection stamp "VABL"
shows the aircraft to have been made in the Blackpool factory thus confirming that this was a Wellington crash site amongst the many Halifax's
which came down in within a few fields. The photograph below shows another part found and is currently unidentified though is clearly some form of
ball joint. I visited the crash site in September 2008 with fellow researchers Ken Reast, Albert Pritchard and Dick Barton. I would like to thank Ken
for arranging this visit and to the landowner for his help.
Mr F O Bosomworth later became President of the RAFA, Harrogate Branch.
I would like to thank Mr John Campbell for contacting me regarding this incident, he was stationed at Topcliffe at the time and witnessed
the crash from the top of the Sgt's Mess, having heard the engines screaming just prior to the crash occuring. Thanks also to him for the photograph of Ken Feary.