Tiger Moth N5446 near Harewood.
On 10th April 1941 the crew of this 20 E.F.T.S. aircraft were undertaking a training flight the instructor was instructing how to make gliding turns, this was done with the engine throttled back. When the glide was complete power was re-applied but the engine did not respond correctly. The instructor took control of the aircraft and selected a field to force land in but it struck wires between two poles and overturned in a ploughed field. The location given in the accident records and the 20 E.F.T.S. record book state that this mishap occurred at Harewood Bank, Harewood. This incident was the first mishap to happen to the unit since they began training aircrew on 7th April 1941.
Trainee Pilot - LAC Colin Hubert Curtis RAFVR (1311049). Minor injuries.
Instructor - Sgt John Edwin Midgley RAFVR (745696). Minor injuries.
At the end of 1951 the aircraft was sold and on 1st January 1952 it was registered as G-AMNO to Airtrade Ltd. at Croydon. This registration was cancelled
on 15th January 1952 but six days later the registration passed to The College of Aeronautics at Cranfield. It was again cancelled on 29th October 1953 but
on 10th November 1953 it was registered to J.B. Martin at Ringway. Again the registration was cancelled on 28th August 1955 but on 28th October 1955 it was
registered to Edinburgh Flying Club at Turnhouse. The aircraft crashed at Turnhouse on 24th March 1957 with Cat.E2/FA damage recorded. The registration was
finally cancelled on 3rd May 1957.
The pilot would later complete his training. He received a commission on 5th August 1941 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency). He was posted
to 101 Squadron and was killed on 20th January 1942 flying in Wellington Z1110. He was never found and is commemorated on the Runnymede memorial. He was
the son of the Rev. Harold Curtis, of Wyberton, Lincolnshire and had his birth registered in Holbeach in 1919.
Sgt Midgley received a commission on 5th October 1942 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) rising to F/O on probation (war subs) on 5th April
1943 and F/Lt (war subs) on 5th October 1944. He survived the War but possibly having become a PoW. He resigned his commission on 29th October 1946.
Tiger Moth N5446 was built to contract 778402/38 by The De Havilland Aircraft Co. Ltd. at Hatfield and was awaiting collection in September 1938. On an unknown
date it was taken on charge by 12 E&RFTS at Prestwick and the aircraft remained with the unit when it was re-designated as 12 EFTS on 3rd September 1939. On 1st
March 1941 it was transferred to the newly formed 20 EFTS at Yeadon to suffer the mishap recorded above on 10th April 1941, Cat.B/FA damage was recorded though
damage was only minor but aircraft had to be dismantled for removal and repair away from the site. In June 1941 it was transferred to The Admiralty and on
1st July 1941 it was taken on charge by 780 Squadron FAA at Lee on Solent. On 15th October 1942 it passed to Lundy & West Coast Airlines at Barnstaple for
major service and repairs before returning, on 8th November 1942, to 780 Squadron FAA at Lee on Solent. There it remained until 12th February 1944 when it
again was sent to Lundy & West Coast Airlines for major service and repair and returned to 780 Squadron FAA on 9th March 1944 FAA but they had moved to
Charlton Horethorne in the weeks it was away. In August 1944 it was placed into long term storage.