Meteor T.7 WF774 at Linton on Ouse airfield.

During the morning of Friday, 12th December 1952 this 66 Squadron aircraft was due to be flown on a training exercise that included instrument flying. The take off from Linton on Ouse airfield was also due to be undertaken using instruments and the pilot flying in it was seated in the rear seat with blacked out windows. At 10.40hrs the aircraft attempted to take off from Linton on Ouse airfield but as it picked up speed it swung to starboard. The pilot corrected this and left the ground but as it became airborne the starboard engine failed. The engine failure saw the port wing drop and the aircraft rolled to port which continued so that the aircraft became inverted. It then struck the ground inverted and broke up across the airfield. Both pilots flying in the aircraft were killed. An examination of the wreckage found that the starboard engine had failed during the critical stage of taking off because of a fault with the fuel pump.

Pilot - Sgt David Arthur White RAF (2433680), aged 21. Buried Witchampton Churchyard, Dorset.

Pilot - P/O Richard Bowman Tomlinson RAF (2494712), aged 23. Buried Skelton and Brotton Cemetery, Yorkshire.

Richard Tomlinson's family lived at Brotton House, Brotton, Cleveland. He attended Ashville College, Harrogate and was prior to doing National Service he worked for Dorman, Long and Co. Ltd. He had completed his National Service but continued his service in the RAF.

Back to yearly selection.