Handley Page HP.33 Clive G-ABYX at Middleton Park, Leeds.
Alan Cobham's National Air Display "Flying Circus" pageant took place at Middleton Park, Leeds on 11th and 12th June 1933. On the 11th June 1933 this large aircraft was being used to take paying passengers up for pleasure flights and on one such flight twenty one passengers were flying. In the process of landing at Middleton Park after this flight in windy conditions, it hit a down draught and the aircraft's undercarriage or tail skid struck and killed two boys who were stood on the edge of the flying area. The area was within an area set aside for the public to view the aircraft and outside of for landing aircraft. These boys were two of a number who had cycled to the area to get a view of the aircraft. A number of other people in the same area had to dive to avoid the aircraft and two other boys were slightly injured when the aircraft clipped them. The aircraft received no damage and landed with the pilot unaware of what had happened.
Pilot - Mr Hugh Coleman Johnson. Uninjured.
21 Passengers - Names unknown. Uninjured.
Bystander - Master Leslie Taylor, aged 8, of Westbury St, Belle Isle, Leeds. Buried Hunslet Cemetery, Leeds (EXT1-4,1291).
Bystander - Master Fred Smith, aged 12, Cameron St, Burmantofts, Leeds. Buried Beckett Street Cemetery, Leeds (25961).
Bystander - Master James Fred Moran Cooper, aged 13. Slightly injured.
Bystander - F Firth. Slightly injured.
This specific aircraft had an interesting history, it was one of the Handley Page Hinaidi Mk.I prototypes and was initially an RAF aircraft. It was built to contract 786340/27 by Handley Page Ltd. at Cricklewood as a Clive Mk.I and was given the RAF serial J9126. It was first test flown on 18th February 1928. In May 1928 it was taken on charge by the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment at Martlesham Heath and on 30th June 1928 took part in the Hendon Air Display. In February 1929 it was placed into storage but during September 1929 it was flown back to Handley Page Ltd. at Cricklewood for the fitting of a front gun cockpit and new brakes. On 1st October 1929 it was test flown at Cricklewood. On 29th October 1929 it was returned to the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment at Martlesham Heath. On an unknown date it was flown back to Handley Page Ltd. at Cricklewood for conversion to a Clive Mk.III. There is also a suggestion it was during the time as a military aircraft it was given a different fuselage which saw it become a passenger aircraft. The aircraft was then sold to the civilian market, on 13th August 1932 it was registered to National Aviation Air Displays Ltd. on the UK civilian register as G-ABYX. This was Sir Alan Cobham's company. It carried the name "Youth of Australia". In 1933 it is recorded as having carried 120,000 passengers. It was first flown as a civilian aeroplane on 5th September 1932 and four days later it was granted a Certificate of Airworthiness. In April 1933 it was sold to Air Alan Cobham and operated by National Air Displays Ltd. but only appears regustered on 27th November 1933 to National Air Days Ltd. who were based at Ford. The aircraft was later used by Sir Alan Cobham for an air to air refuelling trial aircraft with his new company Flight Refuelling Ltd, having been renamed "Astra". During November 1935 the registration was cancelled and it was scrapped.
Hugh Johnson was one of Sir Alan Cobham's pilots. He was later heavily involved in Cobham's air to air re-fuelling trials. Just before WW2 he appears to have been serving in the RAF but based in Canada still working in the air to air refuelling aircraft. He was recalled to the RAF when war was declared. In the 1960s he was working for the same company which was then known as Cobham PLC. It's probably fair to say he was one of the world's most important people within the field of air to air refuelling.