Audax K3092 damaged in air, landed safely at Catterick airfield.
On 29th April 1935 this 26 (Army Co-Operation) Squadron aircraft was flying closely in formation with Audax K3093 of the same unit in the Catterick area when the two aircraft collided. Unfortunately the passenger in Audax K3093 appears not to have been strapped in. Sadly he was thrown from the aircraft in the air and died when he hit he ground. The both aircraft landed safely.
Pilot - F/O John Lindsay Barker RAF (34137). Unhurt.
This photograph shows Audax K3092 in a reasonably serious crashed but repairable state, clearly in the Summer months and having suffered an undercarriage collape. It was taken by Henry "Doc" Watson who served at Catterick between 1933 and 1935 and is almost certainly at Catterick. I thank his son in law Mr.C.Thornton for kindly supplying the photograph for use on this website.
The published Air Britain history of K3092 makes no reference to any damage that could resemble a crash of this nature. It states that Audax K3092 was built to contract 190684/32 by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. at Kingston and was delivered to 26 Squadron at Catterick on 11th July 1933. It sustained Cat.M/FA damage following the mid-air collision wth Audax K3093 on 29th April 1935. It was repaired on site and returned to 26 Squadron use. It was transferred to 4 A.S.U. at Ternhill in September 1937 and then transferred to Rollason's at Croydon for repair work on an unknown date before being passed to 5 MU at Kemble for storage. On 6th June 1939 it was taken on charge by 23 ERFTS at Rochester and on 3rd September 1939 it was transferred to 10 FTS at Ternhill. On 5th December 1939 it was transferred to 11 SFTS at Shawbury but then was flown back to Rollason's on 25th June 1940 at Croydon for servicing. On 18th March 1941 it was flown to 10 MU at Hullavington where it was then struck off charge was SOC.
John Barker rose to the upper ranks of the RAF retiring as Air Vice Marshal. He was born in November 1910 in Hull, Yorkshire. He was granted a commission in the RAFO to the rank of P/O on probation on 6th July 1931 and rose to F/O on 6th January 1933. Relinquishing his commission in the RAFO in February 1934 he was appointed to a short service commission in the RAF. he was posted to 26 Squadron on 26th November 1934. He was awarded an MiD in September 1943, the DFC on 26th October 1945 and a CBE in 1946. Post-War he remained in the RAF rising through the ranks. He retired in February 1963 as AVM and died in May 2004.
