The R.33 airship.
On 20th March 1920 the airship R.33 set out from Pulham and flew to Howden Air Station, East Yorkshire, the crew were to carry out an experiment in which they were to release a pilotless aircraft (initially believed by this researcher to have been a Sopwith Camel) from beneath the airship and it be allowed to crash to test a new self-sealing rubber lined fuel tank. The Camel's engine was started and left running below the airship and the flight begun. Over what was said to be a more "remote area" of the North York Moors the aircraft was released from the airship's keel corridor. The Camel is recorded as making a powerful descent and it crashed onto the Moors below (currently at an unknown location) after release at 1,500 feet and no fire developed as a result of the accident.
No Pilot.
Air historian Mr Jim Rutland informs me that some time before this recorded incident in the Summer 1918, dummy drops took place prior to some
live-piloted drops of aircraft from the R23 airship. His information states that "two aircraft were involved in the live drops, N6814 (in the
photo above) and N6622. The pilots involved with the live drops were Major I C Little and Captain Crook. R33 was later involved in the same tests
but according to the article D.H.53 Humming Birds J7325 and J7326 were involved at first and later a pair of Gloster Grebes J7400 and J7385
were used." If this is the case then the aircraft which was dropped on the Moors could have been one of these latter ones and actually not a
Sopwith Camel. The photograph above shows one of these aircraft slung below the R33.
Although I have no information regarding where the aircraft crashed, a small crater could remain at the site with tiny fragments perhaps remaining. John Skinn and I have come across a few small pieces of aircraft metal on Wheeldale Moor and far enough away from the Dornier and the Green Goddess fire engine as not to be linked to these incidents. These parts could be from this dropped aircraft.
Brian Turpin and Jim Rutland are to be credited for much of the information on this page and the website "www.aht.ndirect.co.uk" also has some information.