Hampden bomber X3154 on Rushup Edge.
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Hampden X3154
Fragmentary remains of Hampden bomber X3154 which crashed on Rushup Edge in the Peak District, on 21 December 1940. This Hampden had been on a night navigation exercise. From the evidence gathered, it appears the Hampden flew straight into the hillside in clear conditions. The subsequent inquiry found the pilot and navigator entirely responsible, though there were probably other factors involved beyond the crew merely not looking where they were going. Hampden X3154 was 50 miles off track at the time. All crew were killed in the crash;
Pilot Officer Michael Hubbard, Pilot, aged 20
Sergeant Kenneth Walsingham Boyd Perkins, Pilot acting as Navigator, aged 24
Segeant Derrick Joseph Davey, Wireless Op / Air Gunner, aged 18
Seageant David William Smith, Air Gunner, aged 19
Peakland Air Crashes – the North, 2006, Pat Cunningham.
Site visit June 2020
Gosh! all so young.
My thoughts exactly.. they were all so young
……………….shit man!!!
Love your theme Ian.
Thanks for all your comments…………have a nice weekend man!!!
That wreckage looks like it got a bit hot ?
So sad – they were all so young.
so young — still gets me every time I read these.
Makes you wonder what factors caused them to be 50 miles off track.
That looks like a high heat fragment (as andyholmfirth mentioned) – other things I noitce are the lack of burned ground and the slope perhaps suggesting that this fragment is some way from the original impact? What a iew beyond too! Great catch again Ian
Maybe fatigue, that was always a factor, all the stress and the hours they had to fly, whatever it was it still is tragic after all these years
Thanks people. It always gets me, their ages. Then you think, it’s only kids would have the bottle to fly these things. I’d be kicked out for Lack of Moral Fibre.
I’m not sure about the actual impact site, but it’s on a steep slope and not much remains where it hit. But the metal fragments are molten, the Hampden exploded upon impact.
Wow as always Ian, I am impressed by your dedication to this.