Harvard FT442, Shining Tor, Peak District

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Harvard FT442, Shining Tor

Czech pupil pilot Sergeant Julius Sofranko was killed when his Harvard trainer crashed on Shining Tor in low cloud on 30 November 1944. Beginning a descent to base at RAF Ternhill in Shropshire based on his calculations, Sgt Sofranko nosed down through the zero visibility of the cloud. However a head wind had slowed him down and he was still over the last of the Pennine hills, and not just past Stoke, as he might have thought.

Details from Peakland Air Crashes – The Central Area (2006) Pat Cunningham.

A few hundred metres to the south of this crash site, is that of Noorduyn Norseman 43-35439. I accidentally deleted all my photos of that site. But it looks a lot like the one above.

No immediately visible wreckage at this site, but we did find this. A bit of oil was seeping from it.

Photo of a Harvard taken by kingsdude’s dad near Calgary, 1943. Click the photo for more and to view the Set.
Harvard

Crash site visit September 2018. It was very difficult to find, even with this wooden cross being placed there, as heather had completely overgrown the site.

13 comments on “Harvard FT442, Shining Tor, Peak District
  1. rob of rochdale says:

    Love the roll of the hill.

  2. GaryJS â„¢ says:

    Nice to see what’s going on with Paul 🙂 A great landscape too!

  3. Tech Owl says:

    Rich colours here Ian – lovely scenery. interesting that there is virtually no wreckage, and no impact crater either?

  4. andyholmfirth says:

    You can see for miles !

  5. McAlister says:

    Look at those clouds! They’re amazing.

  6. het broertje van.. says:

    Such a lovely view here here………………lovely composition Ian!!!

    Janwillem

  7. Anonymous says:

    the clouds are amazing

  8. Anonymous says:

    the clouds are amazing

  9. redrocker_9 says:

    Shame about the lost photos Ian.

  10. Kingsdude/Dave says:

    Great shots Ian – and thanks for the link 🙂

  11. Mark McKie says:

    Good shot Ian.And paul

  12. Pleasureprinciple2012 says:

    This is a great looking landscape in its own right, gorgeous.
    I’m sure that you are well aware that it was a Harvard T2 that Mr Webb used to fly in his aerobatic flying display days.

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