Look at the links. Look at W4834 I had never heard of this! Image Type Squadron Serial No. X1D Operation Lancaster 57 ED306 DX- Ground accident Lancaster 57 ED594 DX-? Ground Accident Lancaster 50 W4196 VN-? Ground accident Lancaster 50 W4112 VN-L Ground accident Lancaster 57 W4834 DX-? Ground accident Lancaster 50 W4823 VN-? Ground accident
"Biggest accident" in terms of WHAT ? Aircraft destroyed on the ground ? No argument there. However, on 15 July 1944, five B-24 Liberators of the 491 BG USAAF were damaged beyond repair and classified Cat E-1 (Salvage) at Metfield, Suffolk, following the bomb-dump explosion (5 killed) there. BC
Yes, but that was in 1944, BC, not 1943 as Spidge has alluded to. Lost Bombers - World War II Lost Bombers
One book says six Lancasters were destroyed in April 43. An operation was cancelled and the aircraft were already bombed up, the next day however while trying to unload the bombs a photo flash fell from one Lanc. No one was was really hurt but the damage was extensive. The damage would have been more but it happened on the Western Edge of the airfield. From 'Lincolnshire Airfields of the Second World War' by Patrick Otter
On March 15th 1943 a bomb accidently released from a 57 sqd Lancaster detonated and destroyed this and four visiting 50 sqd aircraft parked nearby. From ATBs 'Bases of Bomber Command' by Roger A Freeman I really don't know which is true, Geoff. I hope I haven't mudded the waters too much. P.S. It would be nice to find out which was the worst airfield accident of the war.
It would be nice to find out which was the worst airfield accident of the war.[/QUOTE] This one would take some beating. 09 AUG 44 PB4Y-1 LOCATION: (Eniwetok) Reconnaissance flight. Pilot aborted take-off due to darkness, load and rolling runway and cut throttles. Pilot thought he was still on the runway mat, but was actually airborne. With a thirty degree cross-wind plane drifted to left and crashed into parked carrier planes adjacent to the runway. Plane hit first row of parked airplanes, caring away wing tips of the folded wings, and canopies and crashing into parking area fifty-yards past end of runway. The plane burned, with fire spreading to other parked aircraft, low order detonation of 9 x 500lbs bombs was instrumental in extending sphere of damage to include the loss or damage of 106 aircraft.
This one would take some beating. 09 AUG 44 PB4Y-1 LOCATION: (Eniwetok) Reconnaissance flight. Pilot aborted take-off due to darkness, load and rolling runway and cut throttles. Pilot thought he was still on the runway mat, but was actually airborne. With a thirty degree cross-wind plane drifted to left and crashed into parked carrier planes adjacent to the runway. Plane hit first row of parked airplanes, caring away wing tips of the folded wings, and canopies and crashing into parking area fifty-yards past end of runway. The plane burned, with fire spreading to other parked aircraft, low order detonation of 9 x 500lbs bombs was instrumental in extending sphere of damage to include the loss or damage of 106 aircraft.[/QUOTE] Thanks David, I think that probably wins.
LOVE the recent aerial photo. Would be a very cool place to fly in to. Amusing to see what's regarded as desolate by certain services. Remote yes, but that pic of the building with the trucks is pretty impressive. Found this intriguing - EDIT: um, wow: Stickell Pathfinders before the US entry into the war? Pre-December 1941?
