I've seen a few aircraft crash sites on the forum before, so hopefully another one is OK. These are the remains of a de Havilland Venom, an upgrade of the original twin boom Vampire jet fighter. Oddly enough, like the Vampire the fuselage of the Venom was made from plywood, keeping in the grand tradition of the Mosquito presumably.
This particular aircraft was on a training exercise from RAF Silloth (now derelict) in March 1957 when the pilot reported problems with his elevator controls. He was last heard from at ten thousand feet heading back to Silloth, and was reported overdue a couple of hours later. A search was carried out for three days before a helicopter from RNAS Anthorn (also now derelict) found the remains of the aircraft in the trackless depths of the Pennines. The helicopter recovered the body of the pilot, Flt Lt W F Marshall, and also certain parts of the airframe which were suspected of causing the accident. The rest of the airframe was gathered up as far as possible and thrown into a gully. Most of it is still there.
The remains are scattered across several hundred metres, with the lightest parts having been dumped in the gully and the heavier parts left where they fell. The most obvious of these are from the engine:
I did have a go at trying to haul this bit out, but it was wedged fast in a bog
Seen from the other end. The rusty thing to the left is an oxygen bottle
Another bit of engine
Presumably part of the fuel tank
Assorted bits of airframe
Wheel hub
In the gully, the only really recognisable bit was one of the wings. I found a piece of loose metal that fitted into one of the torn sections (where the lettering is) and refitted it thinking it was a fun bit of jigsaw puzzle. It immediately began flapping and rattling in the breeze, which was actually quite an eerie moment.
Lifting the wing up, I found the holy grail of aircraft wrecks, an intact roundel. Sorry this photo is a bit rubbish, but I was holding the wing up with one hand while snapping with the other and trying to keep the dog from going under it with my foot.
The wreckage was left where it was because the site is so inaccessable. Also, the Pennines being what they are the weather is hard core during the winter, and I've nearly come to grief up there on one occasion by being under dressed. If the pilot didn't die in the crash, I doubt he would have lasted very long up there in the open; it's nearly 2000 feet up and miles from the nearest road.
A lonely place to die
This particular aircraft was on a training exercise from RAF Silloth (now derelict) in March 1957 when the pilot reported problems with his elevator controls. He was last heard from at ten thousand feet heading back to Silloth, and was reported overdue a couple of hours later. A search was carried out for three days before a helicopter from RNAS Anthorn (also now derelict) found the remains of the aircraft in the trackless depths of the Pennines. The helicopter recovered the body of the pilot, Flt Lt W F Marshall, and also certain parts of the airframe which were suspected of causing the accident. The rest of the airframe was gathered up as far as possible and thrown into a gully. Most of it is still there.
The remains are scattered across several hundred metres, with the lightest parts having been dumped in the gully and the heavier parts left where they fell. The most obvious of these are from the engine:
I did have a go at trying to haul this bit out, but it was wedged fast in a bog
Seen from the other end. The rusty thing to the left is an oxygen bottle
Another bit of engine
Presumably part of the fuel tank
Assorted bits of airframe
Wheel hub
In the gully, the only really recognisable bit was one of the wings. I found a piece of loose metal that fitted into one of the torn sections (where the lettering is) and refitted it thinking it was a fun bit of jigsaw puzzle. It immediately began flapping and rattling in the breeze, which was actually quite an eerie moment.
Lifting the wing up, I found the holy grail of aircraft wrecks, an intact roundel. Sorry this photo is a bit rubbish, but I was holding the wing up with one hand while snapping with the other and trying to keep the dog from going under it with my foot.
The wreckage was left where it was because the site is so inaccessable. Also, the Pennines being what they are the weather is hard core during the winter, and I've nearly come to grief up there on one occasion by being under dressed. If the pilot didn't die in the crash, I doubt he would have lasted very long up there in the open; it's nearly 2000 feet up and miles from the nearest road.
A lonely place to die