DC-3 17736 'Idiots Delight ' Bilford Road Worcester September 1942 RAF Worcester Major Clark Gable

Just by the perimeter of the old RAF Worcester built on the grounds of Perdiswell airport the worlds first municipal airport, is Bilford Road in late September 1942 the base was a relief landing ground and training site taking in some big aircraft and very well known guests .

DC-3 17736 'Idiots Delight ' took off from RAF Pershore to film part of a USAF training short on Gunnery but the plane developed mechanical issues and had to put down at RAF Worcester , landing too fast on the grass field the plane careered through the fence onto Bilford road and then into the town dumps fence luckily no one was lost but one passenger was injured ,

After the accident the co pilot a Major Clark Gable and the injured passenger colonel Carl Andrew Spaatz commander of the eight air force USAAF ,Europe who broke his ankle in the accident were helped to the base by RAF personnel for a small medicinal one
Colonel Spaatzs only comment on the incident was about not crossing the Atlantic to land in the town's trash tip.

Miles Master II W9029 NO 12 Ferry pool R.A.F. Cosford .,The Maze, St James Close, Littleworth, Worcestershire 22nd of May 1943

Sorry a long one but I think worth the read!
In a quiet back garden behind The Maze, St James Close, Littleworth, Worcestershire is a plaque attached to a building, this marks remembrance of the crash of Miles Master II W9029 and the sad loss of the young A.T.A pilot . On the 22nd of May 1943 W9029 took off from RAF Hullavington, Wiltshire on a delivery flight to R.A.F Tern hill, Shropshire. Heading north the plane came to be over Littleworth at about 5pm, the arrival was seen by locals who were alerted by the planes engine noise to be in trouble. Circling the village the plane suddenly dived after a separation of the prop, with no height or time the pilot attempted a forced landing. The plane impacted the ground, bounced, then skidded across the field hitting a small out building and sty bursting into flames. The Farmer whose land the plane crashed on Mr A.J.Gill ran to help but armed with little more then a wartime stirrup pump he was unable to put out the flames. Second Office Mary Nicholson was a very experienced pilot in the US, since 1928 her flight logs include passenger and barnstorming jobs. With the outbreak of war she volunteered for the A.T.A arriving in England in late 1942, after gaining her wings she flew many types on delivery until on the 22nd of May 1943 when she was posted to NO 12 Ferry pool R.A.F. Cosford .

  Finding the House I spoke to the current home owner John, who was very helpful and informed, he told me of a local in his 80's who found him after press details of the dedication were published. The man whose home over looked the site was 7 on the day of the accident, had been disturbed answering the call of nature in the outdoors facilities which faced the field. He saw the prop break off and fall some distance away, then watched the plane drop and turn glancing a tree, dropping into the field and crash into the buildings .

I have the address details and the home owner John is happy for visitors to pass by and take photographs but please knock first.

Mosquito T Mk111 HJ992 Number 1 ferry unit RAF Pershore 19/01/1945 Fladbury Station

On a trip out to Worcestershire I had the chance to find and picture a few crash sites no metal on this trip but plenty of history to find
First this is the remains of Fladbury station near Pershore where on the 19/01/1945 Mosquito T Mk111 HJ992 Number 1 ferry unit crashed during a delivery flight , HJ992 took off from RAF Pershore into poor weather shortly after take off the pilot dropped to very low level maybe to maintain contact with the ground ? just by Fladbury Station the Mosquito hit HT power lines rolling over the plane impacted behind the station with the sad loss of the young pilot .  

                              

Today little shows of the station just a small section of wall an estate was built behind and I believe this now covers the crash site
Crew =
W/O J.L.Williams