Lockheed Electra W9104 at Clifton airfield.
Electra W9104.
On 12th October 1941 this 24 Squadron aircraft landed at Clifton airfield but when the pilot applied the brakes the starboard brake began to
bind causing the aircraft to swung off the runway. It came to rest in the boundary ditch. Generally this would appear to cause many
aircraft to have their undercarriage collapse and this may have been the case here although no record of this has been found. Why
the aircraft was at Clifton is not yet known. The incident is mentioned in passing in Zdenek Hurt's book "Czechs in the RAF" who credits Sgt Rudolf Jelen as the pilot, he also states it was a fatal accident but the Clifton station record book states that no casualties resulted. The actual damage sustained may not have been that serious as it was initially assessed
locally and given a minor damage assessment but it appears that the aircraft was left in an un-repaired state for a time before being
sent for repair at Cunliffe-Owen who then assessed it but then wrote it off.
Pilot - (Possibly) Sgt Rudolf Jelen (probably then killed in Oxford PH404 in January 1945).
Lockheed 10A Electra G-AFEB of British Airways in background at Croydon (Photo via Mr Jim Rutland).
This Electra was built by Lockheed at Burbank, California, and was purchased as new to be first registered on the UK civilian register on
1st February 1938 as G-AFEB by British Airways Ltd at Gatwick. The aircraft was delivered to British Airways Ltd on 28th February 1938. The
purpose of the purchase was to use the aircraft on the new Poland/Hungary routes. On the outbreak of War British Airways Ltd merged with
Imperial Airways to form B.O.A.C. On 9th September 1939 the aircraft is listed as flying to Heston for Military Mission and as being on
charge with B.O.A.C. From 16th to 22nd October 1939 the aircraft is listed as being on charge with the Air Ministry's National Air
Communications office but it was not officially taken over by N.A.C. until 4th January 1940.
On 18th December 1939 the aircraft was delivered to Hendon, camouflage was painted on and it was given roundels but still carried
it's civil registration. On 19th December 1939 it flew the route Hendon, Le-Bourget and back to Hendon by S/Ldr Pilling in its new
colours. On 27th March 1940 it flew its last flight with them as G-AFEB, Hendon-Le-Bourget-Hendon by F/Lt Blennerhasset, and then
had a complete overhaul. On 12th April 1940 it was impressed into RAF service as W9104 and was first used by 24 Squadron on 8th
September 1940. On 12th November 1940 it flew the route Belfast-Sealand-Farnborough-Hendon by P/O Marsh and crew. It sustained the
damage at Clifton as detailed above on 12th October 1941 and was initially given Cat.B/FA damage, it later was sent to Cunliffe Owen
for repair but they it deemed not worth repairing and it was struck off charge as Cat.E1 on 9th July 1942.
