de Havilland Dragon Rapide G-ALBC on Kinder Scout, Peak District.
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de Havilland Dragon Rapide G-ALBC on Kinder Scout
Both crew members Captain Dennis Holmes and Co-Pilot John McWhirter survived the crash, December 30th 1963.
This was a civilian flight, a company called Solair Flying Services from Birmingham.
The Rapide had been used for a photographic survey, and was returning to the midlands from Teesside.
With concerns for their fuel level, Captain Holmes decided to divert to Manchester, and headed straight across the Pennines. Flying close to the ground, the Rapide was hit by a downdraught and struck the moor. Fortunately there was no fire as both men were injured and could only wait for help to arrive.
This photo shows a cylinder block.
Details from PEAKLAND AIR CRASHES – THE NORTH (2006) by Pat Cunningham.
10 comments on “de Havilland Dragon Rapide G-ALBC on Kinder Scout, Peak District.”
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[…] of here there is another crash site which you can visit (De Havilland Dragon Rapide, link and link) but would require more bearing work and leap frogging so to save I didn’t go there on this […]
I know you can’t pose these, but this looks it’s well set, with the slab behind the main engine(?) casing
thanks Bryan. I wondered about even taking this, into the sun and all, but tweaking the shadow makes it looks a bit better than the squared on shot of the block.
Another top shot Ian, you thought about producing a book of your aviation shots?
It’s very nice of you to say that Gary, but I don’t know if they’re good enough for anything like that. I am still unsure why I feel compelled to find, photograph and upload them on Flickr. But your appreciation is appreciated tho! There’s more to come I’m afraid…. I visited 7 crash sites on Sunday.
Great work as ever Ian – from the photo and your description of the crash I suspect the crew were very lucky to walk away from this at all.
Hi Dave, great to see you. I was looking at photos on your flickr page only this morning! How are you, all good?
Hi Ian, good to hear from you and that you are still checking out Flickr ! I`m fine thanks – just back from a week in the Lakes ! Stayed at White Cross Bay and have only just discovered on our return that in the 40`s the site was an RAF airfield where Short Bros built almost 40 Sunderlands after their factory at Rochester became a target for German bombers ! Have attached a link :- http://www.abct.org.uk/airfields/windermere-ii-white-cross-bay
Hope you are well and still keeping up the good work on the wreck hunting ? When the weather gets too grim on the moors/mountains we`ll have to get together for a pint !
Cheers Dave, sorry for the late reply. Yeah would be good to meet up again!
I keep getting junk from the flickr account and get very few referrals from there so am on the verge of deleting that account altogether but this website will remain of course. It was why I was on there the other day, was having a look around afterwards and saw your Bluebird and Honister photos. So I may lose the flickr account at some point (I don’t comment these days) but will still keep an eye on what people are up to.
I am also now the proud owner of a narrowboat, it is moored near Stafford. I’ve noticed on the map a number of airfields from WW2 and have had a mooch about one of them (RAF Lichfield) already. It is also quite near the Arboretum memorial.
Hope you are well,
Ian
Hi Ian,
Good ploy a narrow boat – always plenty of pubs near canals and no driving either !
If you`re in Stafford it might be having a mooch around the industrial estate at former RAF Hixon which is currently being used as an aircraft graveyard. I passed there not long ago and there were some Hercules and Phantoms being dismantled. Not sure how close you can get as I just photographed the site from an adjacent road near the railway line, the pics are on Flickr. You probably use this site already but if not here`s a link:- http://www.abct.org.uk/
I must visit the Arboretum sometime – I keep seeing it on the news and although I work around that area quite often I never have the time to go !
Cheers,
Dave
Yeah Hixon is a short walk away. I shall certainly take a look!
Interesting and useful link that, cheers Dave.