On 1st July 1941 the pilot of this aircraft was undertaking a training flight with 55 O.T.U. when he force landed the aircraft at Battle Hill Farm, near Lartington, Bowes at 22.30hrs. The aircraft was extensively damaged but it was rebuilt and flew again. The pilot was not injured.
Pilot - P/O Frank Howie Sutton RCAF (J/5027). Uninjured.
Frank Howie Sutton was born on 15th July 1917 and lived in Monroe, North Carolina, USA. After attending school and college he begun work but soon joined the United States Air Corp in 1940. Before long he enlisted into the RCAF in August 1940 to see active service as the USA were not involved in the War by this date. He arrived in the UK in April 1941 and after training he is believed to have seen service in Northern Ireland though was posted to North Africa later in the year. He lost his life on 7th December 1941 flying a Hurricane with 274 Squadron. He is buried in Knightsbridge War Cemetery, Acroma. He was aged twenty four years old.
Hurricane V7422 was built to contract 62305/39 by The Hawker Aircraft Co. Ltd. at the Langley factory and was awaiting collection in September 1940. It was immediately taken on charge by 145 Squadron at Dyce and on 29th September 1940 it sustained Cat.M/FA damage following a taxying accident at base (Drem is quoted in the records as the location but 145 Squadron had moved from Drem to Dyce on 31st August 1940 so the location was probably at Dyce.) It was repaired on site and returned to the unit. On 9th October 1940 it moved with the unit to Tangmere, on 27th October 1940 it was damaged, Cat.W/FB being initially the assessment, when it was force-landed at Hollington, near St.Leonards on Sea at 12.20hrs having run out of fuel following combat with Bf109's. It must therefore have been reasonably badly damaged. In early November 1940 it was dismantled and transported to a Hawker Aircraft Co. Ltd. repair facility for further assessment where it was Re.Cat.R and repaired. It then passed through a number of units very swiftly; in March 1941 it was taken on charge by 1 Squadron RCAF at Digby but shortly after transferred to 56 OTU at Sutton Bridge. Almost immediately it wasa llocated to 247 Squadron at Roborough but this unit operated Mk.II's so was transferred to 55 OTU at Usworth. On 1st July 1941 it sustained this forced-landing near Bowes and Cat.R/FA damage was the assessment. From the field it was dismantled and transported by road to a Hawker Aircraft Co. Ltd. repair facility and on completion of the repair it was placed in long term MU storage until 15th June 1943 when it was taken on charge by the newly formed 527 Squadron at Castle Camps. Here it remained until June 1944 when it was placed into long term MU storage and it was finally struck off charge on 21st November 1944.