Our project page. Some of the Aircraft we hope to find.
These are some of the projects we hope to do over the next couple of years:
Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter A5990 Ships Flt. 4/7/1918.
The Sopwith 1½ Strutter was a British one or two-seat biplane multi-role aircraft of the WW1 It is significant as the first British-designed two seater tractor fighter, and the first British aircraft to enter service with a synchronised machine gun and around 4,000 were built.
The RNAS used most of their 1½ Strutters as bombers (in the Aegean and Macedonia as well as in France) and as shipboard aircraft. In this service it was known as the Ship's Strutter and flew from aircraft carriers and other warships of the Royal Navy where on the latter it took off from a ramp on the ships gun turret.
The RNAS and the RFC (and after April 1918 the RAF used the type as a trainer after its operational days were over. Like the Sopwith Pup, it proved a popular personal aircraft for senior officers.
On 4th July 1918 a Strutter of the Royal Navy A5990 was serving with `HMS Glorious` anchored in Scapa Flow when a tragic accident occurred, the aircraft was flying from the port turret with RN pilot Lt William H.Adam acting under command of the Royal Air Force, when it suddenly capsized, and tumbled down on to the deck and fell into the sea, the pilot was killed.
The body of Lt Adam was recovered and he was given a full military funeral at Lytham (St.Cuthbert) Cemetery. The aircraft was salvaged the following day and taken to Scapa where it lay for some time before eventually being struck off charge on 31 Oct 1918.
Supermarine Sea Otter JM761 771 Sq. 26/4/44 Hoy Sound.
Bearing a stiking resemblance to other amphibious aircraft such as the Supermarine Walrus the Sea Otter still operating in the Air Sea Rescue and Reconnaisance role differed in that it was a slightly larger aircraft powered by a Bristol Mercury 30. 885 hp puller prop rather than its counterpart the Walrus which had a Bristol Pegasus 680 hp pusher engine, though less of the type were built.
While flying from Abbotsinch (Glasgow) to the airfield at Twatt (HMS Tern) with two crew and a gunnery officer as passenger, the Sea Otter was nearing Hoy when she suffered an engine failure, the pilot decided to make a forced landing in Hoy Sound which he did successfully,however the hull must have been damaged and the Sea Otter began to sink.
Aware of the situation a high speed launch raced to the scene and all 3 airmen were picked up, the Sea Otter though sank to the bottom of Hoy Sound.
Crew:
Lt J.U.Reid. RN.
Sub/Lt W.N.Brown.
Passenger - Station Gunnery Officer, name unknown.
F-14 of VF-32 Sq USN USS John F.Kennedy. 14/09/1976. N of Orkney.
Affectionately known as the `Tomcat` the F-14 was the pride and joy of the US Navy during the 70s,80s and 90s, and it became something of a legend after the type appeared in the box office smash `Top Gun`.
Commissioned on 7th Sept 1968 the USS John F Kennedy (CV-67) was the World`s largest conventionally powered aircraft carrier, with a displacement of 82,655 tons fully loaded, and a compliment of approx 3,300 Officers and men, not counting aircrew, she was practically a floating city. She also had a capacity for 80 F-14 `Tomcat` and S-3 `Viking` aircraft.
It was whilst on a routine exercise on 14th September 1976 North of Orkney, that the JFK as to lose one of its F-14s in a freak take-off accident. Bu 159588 with 2 experienced Naval Aviators Pilot Lt John L `Lew` Kosich and NFO Lt (jg) Louis E. `Les` Seymour, had taxied out and were positioned for take off when a fault with the throttle computer sent it hurtling towards other aircraft on the carrier deck, lightning action by the pilot averted a major disaster when he managed to steer the aircraft clear of the deck, before calling for ejection, on that command the two airmen shot into the air just seconds before their aircraft went over the port side, armed with a Phoenix missile, and sank in around 2,000ft of water, both men fortunately landed on the carrier deck, but Les Seymour suffered a fractured knee and was sent to Edinburgh Hospital where his leg was put in plaster for nigh on two weeks.
Above: The German Salvage vessel `Taurus` pulls the stricken F-14 from the watery depths. Photos: US Archives.
The multi million dollar jet, eagerly watched by a Russian trawler, still had the missile which at that time was a revolutionary weapon still on the secret list, so it had to be recovered at all cost.
It an epic operation costing $1.5 the German salvage ship `Taurus` towed the F-14 to shallow water between Egilsay and Shapinsay and both the aircraft and the missile over a period of nearly two months were recovered, though the F-14 which was more or less undamaged when it reached the seabed, had been battered to pieces and was a total wreck.
Note: A movie clip of this incident can be seen on our Video Page.
Defiant DR937 771 SQ. 5/31943 in Sea Wide Firth.
This Defiant of 771 Sqn crashed shortly after take off from Hatston having landed due to an overheating engine problem.During an exercise over Scapa Flow the pilot had noticed that the was engine was overheating so the aircraft landed at Kirkwall to sort the problem out. No immediate cause was found so after a short while the engine had cooled and DR937 took off again on route to Twatt airfield but after a couple of minutes the engine started to fail and bellowed out clouds of black smoke. The pilot S/L J.C. Patterson attempted to return to Hatston but did not make it, ditching the aircraft in Wide Firth
S/L J.C. Patterson was knocked unconsious in the crash and despite TAG L/A Stark's best efforts to save him he sank with the aircraft. L/A Stark was quite badly injured but managed to hold onto some floating wreckage until he was picked up by a nearby Torpedo recovery vessel the ''Phylis Mary'' and taken to Kirkwall. A search by the Air/Sea rescue launch from Shapinsay soon located a large quantity of floating wreckage including a wheel and fuel tank but failed to find any trace of S/L J.C. Patterson and his body was never recovered.
S/Lt Jack Patterson. RNZNVR L/Air Dickie Stark. RNVR
Spitfire BL253 899 SQ. 20/1/1943. Off Kirkwall.
This Spitfire Vb had taken off from Hatston (HMS Sparrowhawk) but soon after crashed into Kirkwall anchorage on 20/01/1943. The pilot S/L D.F.L Barber RNVR was killed and his body was found floating and recovered by the Drifter ''Plough'' within minutes then landed at Kirkwall Pier. Sub/Lt (A) Douglas Leonard Francis Barber aged 20 hailed from Brighton,Sussex was buried in St Olaf's Kirkwall.
S/L Barber St Olaf's Kirkwall
Spitfire BL253 ?
Divers report seeing an aircraft engine and some other wreckage in Kirkwall Bay near to the Scargun Shaol. Two possible losses are listed that may account for this engine. It is planed to visit the site and establish which aircraft this is.
Mosquito HR133. 333 (Norwegian) SQ. 11/6/1944. Off Stronsay.
Motto(For King, country and the honour of the flag)
This aircraft was shot down by accident by two spitfires on 11th June 1944. The aircraft crashed to the south of the island of Stronsay. The pilot Lt Hans Engebrightsen survived and was picked up by the Shapinsay Air Sea rescue launch but unfortunatly his navigator Lt Odd Gjestrum Jonassen had been killed.
Lt Jonassen's body washed ashore at Huip a week later and was buried in St Olaf's. After the war his body was taken back to Norway.
Contact with a local man Mr Cooper who remembers seeing the aircraft crash has proved very interesting and has pointed us to an area to search for the crash site. As the aircraft was made of wood, only engines, undercarrage and other small metal items may still remain.
Above: Looking out over Bay of Housby on Stronsay towards Auskerry and Copinsay,where HR133 ditched in June 1944. Photo: Dave Earl.
Above: Members of ARGOS locate part number on Wildcat rudder trim tab linkage. Photo: Dave Ramsey.
The pilot Lieutenant Noel Julian Cornes aged 29 hailed from Buntingford in Hertfordshire, but he had married a girl called Amelia from Half-Tree Way in Kingston,Jamaica. His Telegraphist Air Gunner was Leading Airman Alexander George Jones aged 19 from Ely,Cardiff. Attempts have been made to try and find family for more background on these two airmen,but so far we have not succeeded in doing so.
Above & Below: Two more photos of L2883.
Wreckage of the Skua in Scapa Flow has yet to be located by the group.
Graves of the two Skua crew in St.Olaf`s Cemetery,Kirkwall. Photos: Dave Earl.
Fairey Barracuda II DP983 - Scapa Flow. 20/04/1944
The Barracuda DP983 coded `L` from 830 Sqn took from Hatston in 80 mph gale 20/04/1944 to embark HMS Furious but hit balloon cable while in circuit and waiting for permission to land. Ditched in Scapa Flow from a height of 400 ft . The 3 Crew, Pilot Sub/lt R.D.Williams,his Observer and a Telegraphist Air Gunner all escaped and were picked up by a 40 ft pinnace from HMS Rodney.
Aircraft sank abd was deemed Cat.Z. Write off.
Above & Below : The Royal Navy Carrier HMS Furious.
Grumman Wildcat JV526. 882 SQ. North of Hatston. 17/5/1944.
This aircraft of 882 Sqn was in circuit waiting to land at Hatston on 17/05/1944 when it went into cloud only to appear in a near vertical dive. The pilot tried to pull out of the dive only to hit the water half a mile to the north of Hatston. The aircraft burst into flames then sank.The pilot,Lt S.W. Edney RNZN was killed and his body never recovered. The ORB for the Shapinsay rescue launch reports aircraft was already on fire before it crashed. A search of the area just after the crash reports wreckage found which included Lt Edney's logbook.
ARGOS member Diver Dan Wise has seen wreckage near to the Scargun Shoal which included a landing wheel which looks very much like its from a Wildcat & another diver reports seeing a radial engine nearby. The wreckage is spread over a wide area and a further survey is needed.
Lt S.W. Edney RNZN.
Spitfire K9857 8 OTU . - Eday. 11/11/1942
P/O John Hugh Dixon RAAF of 8 OTU Fraserburgh was on an arial photographic training flight on 11/11/1942 when his aircraft caught fire and was abandoned at 2000ft over the sea near the Orkney islands and crashed at 14:35 hrs into Fersness Bay, Isle of Eday. P/O Dixon parachuted into the sea between Eday and the Isle of Faray. He was rescued by small boat owned by Mr Leslie of Holland Farm, Faray, after being in the water for 30 mins. The pilot was taken to Faray. At 15.32 RAF HSL173 arrived in the area and started to search when a man rowed out in a small boat from Eday and informed them that the pilot had been saved. P/O Dixon was then transferred to 173 for transportation to Kirkwall. The fire was thought to have been caused by a Glycol leak. Mr Leslie was paid £1 for Saving the Pilot.
HSL173
Photo: Orkney Library (Archive)
Deep water and Offshore sites
USN F4F-4 Wildcats 11955 & 12106 VF-4 Sq. Off Orkney 9/10/1943.
The United States Navy carrier `USS Ranger` arrived to join to home fleet in Scapa Flow on 6 October 1943, she was the last ship in at 09.10 hours and was greeted by cheers from other ships as she passed by and as she docked Admiral Frazer the Commander in Chief came aboard to congratulate the crew on a safe passage and Capt Rowe read out messages and the Chaplins prayers. All the ships aircraft were transferred to the Royal Naval Station at Hatston and whilst in the Flow training flights would continue from there.
Above: An F4F-4 Wildcat taking off from USS Ranger. Photo: US Nat Archives # 80-G-30244.
On 9 October 1943 two of the ships aircraft F4F-4s belonging to VF-4 (Top Hatters) Squadron took off from Hatston on a tactical fighter exercise, believed to have been off the west coast of Orkney? ( Report does not give a location) Bu12106 flown by Lt (jg) Robert C.Cronin and Bu11955 with Ens Ivan O. Johnson had left Hatston early that morning with the Flight Leader Lt Earl F.Gray and two other F4F-4s.
The plan was that the RN would provide a target towing plane for gunnery practice at 6,000ft, though while waiting for this to arrive they would perform a number of tactical manouevers, Lt Craig led the flight and the first two aircraft went into a loop, closely followed by the next two, however, during recovery of the first loop, the pilot in No2 position (Ens Johnson) fell behind, meanwhile the No3 pilot and leader of the second pair (Lt Cronin) had flown ahead and was going into a loop when he met up with Johnson and a collision occured, Johnsons emphanage was severed and both aircraft fell into the sea killing both pilots outright.
Above: A great shot of a USN Pilot Lt F.D.Sears in his F4F-4 aboard USS Ranger in Scapa Flow which looks to be just prior to leaving the ship for Hatston, Photo courtesy of the Airgroup 4 website at : http://www.airgroup4.com/crochet.htm
A widespread search was conducted by RN Walrus seaplane, but the report states that all that was found was a USN type seat raft,and part of a USN parachute harness, however at some point Lt Cronin`s body must have been found or washed ashore as he is now buried in at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego, California.
(photo: Kevin Heath/Mark Pidcoe)
ARGOS members Kevin Heath and Dan Wise were over in San Diego in May and visited Lt Cronin`s grave. The body of Ens Johnson was never found and he is commemorated on the tablet of the missing at Cambridge American Cemetery,England.
Above & Below: Two photos of Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery,San Diego,California where Lt Cronin was buried alongside many other fallen comrades. Photos: Dan Wise.
Beaufighter Mk X. LZ415. 144 sq. - Sanday Sound. 22/11/1943.
This aircraft of 144 Sqn was returning from an anti-shipping strike off Norway on 22/11/1943 and after an attack on a small ship off Svino was flying home on one engine, it is reported as having dived into the sea 8 miles NE of Stronsay, which puts it in Sanday Sound a mile or so off the Isle of Sanday depending on which point of Stronsay was used as a location to put it 8 miles NE.
Crew:
Pilot: F/Sgt P.G. Fletcher. RAFVR (Missing)
Nav: F/Sgt H.I. Shepard. RAFVR (Saved)
F/SGT Shepherd was rescued by the Shapinsay Rescue Launch
The ships attacked on this mission were:
Arcturus 1651 tons, Damaged then sunk by Norwegian Submarine ''Ula''
Gol 985 tons, badly damaged
Kari Louise 800 tons, badly damaged
SS Arcturus
Blackburn Skua L2951. 771 sq - 6 Miles W of Stromness. 26/04/1944
Heading home from Norway
Skua L2951 from 771 Sqn (Twatt) crash landed in the sea 6 miles west of Stromness on 26/04/44 killing both the crew. The body of the pilot Sub/Lt Louis .F.Weatherall RNZNVR was recovered from the sea and is now buried at St Olaf's Kirkwall, but the body of 19 year old L/A TAG Derrick Read sank before it could be picked up.
Sub/Lt Weatherall RNZNVR TAG L/A Derrick Read
Ex-FAA 771 Sq Telegraphist Air Gunner (TAG) Bernie Hazelton recalled this event to Dave Earl and an account also appeared in a book of TAG stories edited by R.G. Fletcher entitled `Touch And Go`.
"It was April 1944 and I was flying in one of 3 Skuas on an exercise with battleship HMS Rodney. With the task finished the three aircraft had reformed for a flight back to base, I was in the leading aircraft with a Skua on either side, suddenly I notcied the aircraft to my port side break formation and slip away towards the sea, I was surprised by this manoeuvere and called up the TAG on my R/T for an explanation but got no answer and we watched as the aircraft vanished in the haze, our two remaining aircraft then dived towards the sea to conduct a search but we found no trace of the missing Skua. Subsequent searches located two bodies but that of the TAG Derrick Read went down with the aircraft before he could be recovered".
Grumman Tarpon/Avenger TBF 1 FN787 - Off Hoy, 09/10/1943
During a fighter evaision exercise on 09/10/1943 Tarpon FN787 of 845 Sqn was in a collision with a Seafire from 801 Sqn 4500 feet over the sea off the Old Man of Hoy. The Tarpon crashed killing all three crew onboard. Non of the bodies were recovered and all are remembered on the Lee on Solent Memorial.
CREW:
Pilot Sub.Lt Peter C.A. Heath RNVR
Ob Sub.Lt Kenneth W Richter
TAG P/O Gavin Rough
Lee on Solent Memorial
Ju 88 A6+LH 1.(F)120 Off Westray. 04/03/1941.
Aircraft was lost on a reconnaissance to Scapa Flow on 04/03/1941 and spotted by 3 Hurricanes of 253 Squadron from Skeabrae flown by F/O Allan Henry Corkett, P/O Crowther and P/O Derek Sidney Yapp who attacked and shot it down in sea reported as either 1m east of Westray Island or 1m east of the Westray Firth, Orkney with the loss of 4 crew who are listed as missing. Time: 14.35 hrs.
Pilot. Fw. (Sgt) Johannes Mischke.
Obs. Fw. (Sgt) Helmut Schmidt.
Radio. Uffz. (Cpl) Christian Ingwersen.
Gunner. Gefr. (Pvt) Richard Priebsch.
Swordfish W5889 833 Sq. - In Sea North Sound. 01/04/1942.
The swordfish had been on an aerial light torpedo exercise (ALT ) in North Sound with HMS Atmah when during a low level manoevere it bounced of the sea,climbed to 600 feet then dived vertically and crashed with the total loss of both crew. The pilot Sub/Lt (A) Iveson is given on the CWGC site as being HMS Jackdaw which is Crail in Fife, this airfield had been used for Swordfish ALT exercises for some time so Iveson having a photographer on board was probably up in Orkney to assess the training of other aircraft from HMS Sparrowhawk (Hatston). The aircraft sank quickly and sadly none of the crew were ever found and are commemorated on the Lee On Solent Memorial for the missing.
Pilot : Sub/Lt (A) Edward Millar Iveson.
Photographer : L/Photo: Sydney Victor Horne.
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