HP42 "Hadrian" AS982 at Doncaster airfield.

On the 6th of December 1940 a gale damaged a number of aircraft which were parked at Doncaster airfield. This large bi-plane aircraft was blown into a nearby field and before it could be recovered or made safe a further gust carried it onto a neighbouring railway line and then again across the far side of the line. The photograph above shows the wrecked aircraft after it had been moved clear of the railway line.

Pilot - None.

The aircraft had previously been on the civilian register as G-AAUE and named "Hadrian", HP42/2 "Hadrian" G-AAUE first flew on 24th June 1931 having being built under Imperial Airways specification by Handley Page. It was used as a passenger aircraft for worldwide flights and was one of only four ever built. It was impressed into RAF service and flown to 271 Squadron.