Hurricane P5199 near Marske, Redcar.

On 10th April 1941 this 55 OTU aircraft was damaged in a wheels-up forced-landing near Marske after the pilot became lost on a training flight and was unable to work out his position in industrial haze, his wireless had also failed. The pilot was uninjured and was later to be given further dual instruction in naviagtion. At the time of this incident the pilot had a total of 96 flying hours, only seven of which were on the Hurricane type.

Pilot - P/O Graham Clinton Sylvester MacNamara RAFVR (62284).


Graham MacNamara received his commission on 12th February 1941 to the rank of P/O on probation. Exactly a year later he was made F/O and then again a year later to F/Lt. The events in the early part of 1944 are not known but on 8th August 1944 he transferred to the Admin and Special Duties branch of the RAF, possibly because he was not able to continue flying. This posting did not last for long as on 19th November 1944 he relinquished his commission on grounds of ill health, retaining his rank of F/Lt.
Hurricane P5199 was built to contract 964753/38 by the Canadian Car & Foundry Corporation and was shipped to the UK in July 1940. Canadian manufactured Hurricanes were designated Mk.X's though this first batch were officially referred to as Mk.I's. After assembly and acceptance at MU was issued to 1 Squadron at Wittering in September 1940. It remained with 1 Squadron and moved with them over the coming months; on 15th December 1940 with the unit to Northolt and on 5th January 1941 with the unit to Kenley. In February 1941 1 Squadron ceased operating Hurricane Mk.I's and their aircraft were transferred to other units. The following month it was taken on charge by 55 OTU at Usworth. It was initially assessed as being seriously damaged with Cat.E/FA damage being recorded after the incident near Marske but was taken away by road and re-assessed and deemed repairable so passed to Rolls Royce in April 1941 and converted to a Mk.IIA. It was given a new serial number, DG632, being converted to contract B116153/41 in May 1941, after which it was shipped to Egypt on an unspecified date and issued to 94 Squadron who were operating out of a variety of desert airfields initially based at Sid Rezegh in December 1941., then moved to Gazala No.2 on 18th Decemeber 1941, on 22nd December 1941 it moved with the unit to Mechili, two days later it moved to Msus and on 11th January 1942 it moved with the unit to Antelat. It was lost with Cat.E(m) damage recorded as a result of failing to return to base on 14th January 1942.

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