Vampire FB.5 WA400 on Shrines Moor, Bradfield, Peak District.

On 25th July 1951 the pilot of this 102 Flying Refresher School aircraft took off from North Luffenham airfield at around 10.00hrs to undertake a mixed training flight that was to include climbing to 30,000 feet, undertaking high speed flying, aerobatics and to then undertake a controlled descent through clouds. During the flight the aircraft's compass failed possibly while he was flying at a significant height. While the pilot then descended and made contact with controllers on the ground he flew too far north and became lost in cloud. Ninety minutes after taking off he made a forced landing, possibly with the fuel level running low, on Shrines Moor, in the Bradfield area of the Peak District. Unfortunately the aircraft caught fire on making the wheels up landing and could not be put out before the aircraft was destroyed. the crash occurred just inside the Yorkshire boundary. The pilot escaped serious injury and was able to walk to Sugworth Hall.

Pilot - F/O Lawrence Leslie Beckford RAF (205417). Injured.

The AM Form 1180 gives Finningley airfield as being where this aircraft and pilot were from on the first page. The aircraft was definitely with 102 F.R.S. but they were not based at Finningley, but 101 F.R.S. were. I believe this is an error made by the scribe of the form carried out at a date well after the incident had taken place. At the foot of the second page the Officer Commanding RAF Luffenham is referred to and is correct. Newspaper reports that mention this accident state the pilot was from North Luffenham.

Back to yearly selection.