Tiger Moth N6743 at Faxfleet, Brough.
On 3rd January 1941 the student pilot flying this aircraft was undertaking a basic aerobatic training flight and in the course of the flight was attempting to loop the aircraft. During the loop the aircraft entered into what is technically called a tailslide, effectively the aircraft did not have enough forward speed to make it climb to the height of the loop, having lost control the aircraft went into a spin so the pilot baled out. The aircraft crashed near Faxfleet not far from the airfield at Brough.
Tiger Moth N6743 was built to contract 778402/38 by De Havilland Aircraft Co. Ltd. at Hatfield and was awaiting collection in March 1939. After a period
of MU storage it was taken on charge by 12 E&RFTS at Prestwick in mid-1939 but the exact date is not known. On 3rd September 1939 this unit was re-designated
12 EFTS. In 1940 it had a major service and was then transferred to 4 EFTS at Brough. On 3rd January 1941 it sustained Cat.E2/FA damage as a result of the
incident recorded above.
Pilot - LAC Arthur Hedley Patrick RAFVR (1180174)
Walter Hazelden's grave in Hornsea Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Arthur Patrick was granted a commission on 1st May 1941. Unfortunately after being posted to 69 Squadron he was to be killed on 15th June 1942 when Baltimore AG715 was lost to the sea while on a sea patrol. Aged just twenty he is commemorated on the Malta Memorial.
There is an incorrect suggestion elsewhere on the internet that F/Sgt Walter Hazelden RAF (514999) was the pilot of this aircraft; as he died the following day and is buried at Hornsea Cemetery, Yorkshire he is linked to N6743 however this is now proved not to be correct. Research done by the late Mr Eddie Fell discovered that he died as the result of suicide in the armoury at Catfoss airfield and could not therefore be linked to Tiger Moth N6743. F/Sgt Hazelden was aged twenty eight and from of Fetcham, Surrey. I am not keen on publically recording suicides on this website for fear of upsetting any of his family who are not aware of this but his death is included to clarify the incident to Tiger Moth N6743.
