Wednesday, 26 March 2014

Vickers Valiant WZ363


Vickers Valiant WZ363
Traces of what is supposed to be the remnants of the impact crater today
On the 6th May 1964  at 23.50 ,WZ363 crashed into farmland near Market Rasen in Lincolnshire .
flying out of RAF Marham on exercises they had just finished doing a practise PAN rolling landing at RAF Binbrook  and  had been cleared to turn in a southerly direction to return to Marham .
  It is thought that the tailplane actuator malfunctioned in some way , this though as never been  proven . The crash was so violent as to make an absolute  reason for the crash impossible to work out .  However the pilot was in contact with  Radar Approach Control at Brinbrook only moments before the crash  and seemed relaxed , so it must have been a sudden and quickly developing event .
All 5 crewmen were killed instantly .
 They were :

F/Lt  F.C. WELLES        Captain
F/Lt  G.A. MILLS           Co-Pilot
F/Lt  J.R. STRINGER     Navigation Plotter
F/Lt  L.R. HAWKINS      Navigation Bomber
Sgt R. NOBLE                 Air Electronics Operator

I have never visited the site myself . These shots were supplied by my friend and  keen aviation fan and historian Al who has kindly given me permission to use his shots .

There is a webpage on the 207  Squadron website worthy of note which covers the crash in very great detail , so much so that it leaves nothing new to be said . I include a link here, just copy and search .  http://www.207squadron.rafinfo.org.uk/valiants/welles_060564.htm



 At the local railway station a plaque and memorial has been raised in memory of the crew
Two more shots of the crash area

As a footnote .  The aircraft type flew its last missions (as tanker and another in a conventional role) on December 9th 1964 . The type was struck off in early 1965 . The change in tactics during the Cold War required Britains   nuclear V-force bombers to fly in at low level to avoid radar contact . The Valiant was not designed for this and its airframe could not stand the extra stresses involved . A glorious aircraft whose operational life was brought to a sharp end due to technological advances in other areas of warfare.
ASN as the crash record for Valiants as this

WB210                   12/1/52               1 fatal                    prototype
WP222                  29/7/55                4 fatal
WP202                  11/5/55                3 fatal                   
WZ398                  13/9/57               
XD869                   11/9/59                6 fatal                   at Marham              
XP864                    12/8/60                5 fatal
WP205                  17/11/60             
WZ399                  3/11/61               
WP200                  14/3/61
WZ363                  6/5/64                   5 fatal                    Rasen crash
WZ396                  23/5/64
Thanks Al for finding this out for me .
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7 comments:

  1. Unknown22 October 2014 at 16:09

    I must visit this site as a mark of respect. I was just on the point of starting (or had started) school when this happened.

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  2. Anonymous29 December 2014 at 07:54

    I also believed that the change from high level to low level use caused the demise of this often overlooked aircraft. However the metal fatigue problem was inherent in the chemical make up of the alloy used, it crystallised over time. Aircraft would suffer degradation at whatever height they flew, or even sitting on the ground.

    Thank you for an interesting article.

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  3. Anonymous8 March 2017 at 07:03

    I was stationed at RAF Marham with 49 sqdn when the crash occurred and was a member of the burial party at Marham. I distinctly remember the close family being distressed when the rifle salute was fired. I presumed they had not been warned that this was to happen. RIP Peter Hubbard

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  4. Brian Howard12 September 2017 at 20:16

    I was 7yrs old when this happened and lived in Market Rasen not far from the crash site. I remember a crash happening and thanks to the wonder of the internet found articles about it! My dad, Frank Howard was the retained Fire station chief at the time and I should think he went to it.

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  5. Anonymous5 May 2018 at 09:57

    I was 6 months old when the prototype crashed at Holmsley, we were living in the nisson huts just the other side of the feild where it crashed.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Chris Hall27 April 2019 at 19:59

    I was a close friend of F/Lt Stringer's son (Robert) at the time of the WZ363 Valiant crash. We were both aged 10 at the time. I visited RAF Marham and the Village of Marham today. Visited F/Lt Stringers grave. Sad memories.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. BOBs23 September 2021 at 10:44

      Chris - have been trying to locate you for ages - how can I contact you? Bob (Robert) Stringer

      Delete

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