Avro Tutor K3320 near Thornaby aerodrome.

On 12th November 1936 this 608 Squadron aircraft took off from Thornaby aerodrome to undertake a flight to Usworth but the engine failed soon after leaving the ground. The pilot attempted to return to Thornaby aerodrome but narrowly missed a building site where new houses were being constructed. It clipped a hedge just prior to force landing that then saw the undercarriage collapse. The two in the aeroplane escaped injury but the aircraft was badly damaged.

Tutor K3320 was a "hack" aircraft of Thornaby airfield, it was built to contract 195190/32 by A.V. Roe and was delivered to Kenley on 27th November 1933. It was then transferred to P.D.(?) on 24th July 1934. It was issued to 2 FTS at Digby on 4th October 1934 and then transferred to University of London Air Squadron on 24th July 1936. It was then transferred to 608 Squadron sometime in late 1936. It sustained Cat.W/FA damage as a result of this incident at Thornaby and was struck off charge on 8th December 1936 with total flying time being a massive 546 hours.

Pilot - S/Ldr Edward Morton Drummond RAF.

Pilot - F/Sgt (Name unknown).

Edward Morton Drummond was born in 1898 and served in WW1 with the Black Watch. He later became attached to the RAF rising to the rank of G/Cpt. He died in 1993.

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